RSS Feed MenuSean Hannity releases his first book in six years today. If that book, titled “Conservative Victory,” proves less than a huge success it may ignite open war between Hannity and his Fox News colleague and rival, Glenn Beck.
Hannity’s envy of Beck has become increasingly apparent to Fox insiders and casual TV viewers. Beck draws bigger audiences at 5 pm ET than Hannity in prime time. Beck draws bigger crowds when he speaks in person. He’s the hero of the tea parties and the inventor of the 9/12 protest.
As Beck rises, Hannity’s radio friends and mentors without Fox contracts have taken harder and harder shots at him.
After Glenn Beck criticized the Republican Party at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, Rush Limbaugh took him to task:
“I would not have said that the only people who can stop Obama should be excoriated for being just as bad. It would never occur to me to say that. I don’t know what the objective would be.”
Mark Levin, whom Hannity acknowledges as a major intellectual influence upon him, has been even more scathing:
“I have no idea what philosophy Glenn Beck is promoting. And neither does he. It’s incoherent. One day it’s populist, the next it’s libertarian bordering on anarchy, next it’s conservative but not really, etc. And to what end? … And what of his flirtations with Ron Paul’s lunacy respecting America’s supposed provocations with her enemies, including al-Qaeda?”
Most of the time, Levin refuses even to mention Beck’s name, calling him just “the 5 pm-er.”
If radio hosts outside Fox dislike Beck, it’s in part because their friends inside Fox feel threatened by his rise.
Earlier this month the Washington Post’s Howard Kurtz broke a story about the friction between Beck and other Fox staffers. That story prompted President Roger Ailes to stop by Fox’s Washington bureau in person to warn staff to stop trash-talking Beck.
And Beck only keeps rising. In the last year, he jumped from sixth most listened to talk radio host to third, just behind Hannity and Limbaugh.
On television, Beck is an unmatched phenomenon. “No one in cable has ever put up those kinds of numbers at 5[PM],” Howie Kurtz told FrumForum.
That success raises questions that must make Sean Hannity nervous: “Will they move Beck into Hannity’s time slot [on Fox] and demote Hannity? You hear that kind of talk all the time,” said Michael Harrison, editor of Talkers Magazine. However, Harrison added that he did not personally think such a move was imminent.
While Fox and Hannity give favorable publicity to the tea party protests, Beck more or less invented them. The 9/12 rally was his idea. The language of many protesters owes much to Beck too: It was from Beck that they learned to use “progressive” as an all-purpose term of abuse, and from Beck that they adopted the clever idea of condemning the Obama administration as simultaneously “socialist” and also “fascist.”
But above all: Beck sells more books than Hannity. Even before released, Beck’s books become pre-order bestsellers. In contrast, Hannity’s ‘Conservative Victory’ has not yet appeared on the New York Times bestsellers list; his previous two reached #1. If Hannity does not hit that cherished spot, or does not last there long, Beck will have definitively toppled him as the second biggest name in conservative broadcasting.
No wonder Sean is nervous.
And maybe not just Sean. Because if Beck can establish himself as number two – what is there to prevent him from overtaking number one, Rush Limbaugh himself?
Follow Tim on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/timkmak
LFC // Mar 30, 2010 at 6:00 pm
How about that earlier lie of your fellow farLeft FrumBot claiming Cantor’s story was a hoax?
It was a hoax.
If you’d pull your head out of your Fox-hole, you would know that it was a random bullet that was on its downward trajectory that went through the window. It had so little velocity that after it went through the glass, it was stopped by the blinds. You would also know that it wasn’t Cantor’s campaign office, like he claimed, but an office he sometimes uses for meetings.
His “defense” now is basically that when he made those statements, he had no idea what the f*** he was talking about. Fox News blew it too.
LFC // Mar 30, 2010 at 6:03 pm
If a dog fight breaks out, Fox might dump Beck in order to keep Hannity’s revenue.
That wouldn’t really make business sense. If they simply leave Beck and Hannity in their current time slots, they’ll keep them both. I can’t imagine Beck insisting that he be given Hannity’s time slot. If he left Fox, where would he go that would pay as well? And although Beck has lost a number of advertisers, would they do any better with anybody else?
Both these guys are tailor made for Fox News. I think they’ll be there for a long time.
TerryF98 // Mar 30, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Was this lunatic a serious threat to Cantor. I don’t think so. After all he threatened the pig “babe”.
Wonkette has the skinny, click the link for this guys incredibe youtube videos. A bit sad and a bit like a crazy here I will not mention.
Norm the Messiah: ‘YouTube Belongs To ME!’
He threatened George W. Bush and Barack Obama and David Duke and Harry Reid and the talking pig-god Babe, and we did nothing.
He threatened Eric Cantor, and we just laughed because lol Cantor. He either threatened or promised to help “gays- leabians-Emos- Kurds-Amadias-and transgender,” and we were frankly just too confused to respond. He threatened to burn down CNN and we were all, “Fine, who cares.” He destroyed Communism, and killed 850 million Chinese, because they ate his Dogs and Cats. Look, look how much he loves the Emos, “My Children,” what with their hair and whatever:
But then He threatened our YouTube, source of all the World’s Humor, and we just posted the video, even though He stated that “YouTube employees will ALL lose there first born sons.” [YouTube]
Read more at Wonkette: http://wonkette.com/414505/norm-the-messiah-youtube-belongs-to-me#more-414505#ixzz0jhTWShK1
rbottoms // Mar 30, 2010 at 7:58 pm
BTW, we have our share of idiots too.
Karl Rove Heckled, Called ‘War Criminal’ at Book Event
Former White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove was heckled and branded a ‘war criminal’ at a book signing in Beverly Hills, California, Monday night.
Rove, who served as senior advisor and deputy chief of staff to former President George W. Bush, was at the Saban Theater to discuss his new book, “Courage and Consequences: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight,” to an audience of about 100 people who paid up to $40 to hear him.
But the audience members were unable to get their copies of the book signed after Rove was shouted down and forced to leave the stage, reported CNN affiliate KCAL-TV.
The event was heated from the onset as several anti-war protesters interrupted Rove’s talk to accuse him and his administration of lying to Americans about the threat Iraq posed to the United States – and thus, taking the country into war.
Embarrassing foolishness.
rbottoms // Mar 30, 2010 at 8:04 pm
And I just wrote them to say so.
Independent // Mar 30, 2010 at 8:07 pm
LFC, maybe we didn’t make it clear enough for to penetrate your farLeft blinders, well afixed to your head.
The death threats against Eric Cantor are real, my trollish friend.
The federal Atty General has filed a criminal complaint and an arrest warrant has been carried out; suspect in federal custody. How real does it have to “get” for you to get it? And you still claim it to be a hoax? LOL.
The bullet hole in the window at Cantor’s campaign office was determined upon police investigation to have no relevancy to the real, actionable death threats against the GOP leader.
I can understand how you might think that’s a hoax. I mean, you are using farLeft, Democrat-controlled media sources for your information.
Cantors’ campaign staff, nor Cantor’s Congressional office staff, nor Cantor himself said there was a connection –the police learned of the bullet hole from testimony taken in relation to the REAL death threat against Cantor –you know, the death threat for which the federal authorities filed a criminal complaint, took out an arrest warrant and arrested the suspect now in custody who issued the REAL death threat against the REAL GOP leader… it’s not like the fake death threats manufactured by some of the hissy-fit, hysterical Democrat Congressmen armed with camera phones and baiting Tea Party protesters on Red Saturday.
Cantor knew of the bullet incident, he knew of the farLeft Democrat loon making the death threats against Cantor and his staffers, he knew of the on-going police investigation and the attempt of some liberals in the media to incorrectly portray alledged violence as coming from the right, from talk radio, from Fox News, from a tin foil hat at the local HoneyBaked ham store.
Cantor was there to stand against violence no matter the source. In his case, it turns out to be a farLeft Democrat loon –probably not unlike some of the ones who habit FF.
Now, there have been hoaxes, but the last hoax was your side trying to make the death of a US Census worker some nefarious work of incited violence by talk radio.
Turned out that it was just another case of another Democrat engaged in more insurance fraud who commited suicide and faked the balance of the story that your side, prematurely as it was, tried to whip up into some indictment of irresponsible talk radio –when the only irresponsibility came from your side trying to make hay out of the poor soul’s misfortune and family tragedy.
I often wonder if you ever get it “right” or “correct”, LFC. You and TeaBagged are so often out in farLeft field, for you that is reality.
For the rest of us, we like the facts and truth to establish reality.
Your might want to leave TeaBagged in the farLeft field and re-enter reality on our side of the world. Then again, with as often as you try to play the “torture” card for partisan advantage, we have to think you’re incapable of truthful discourse.
Independent // Mar 30, 2010 at 8:09 pm
rbottoms can re-enter reality… maybe there’s hope for you LFC?
By the way, rbottoms –we’re all still awaiting your promised apology if the faked news story you presented to Frum Forum readers on the talk radio incited violence against the Census worker proved false.
It did. But you disappeared again shortly thereafter –like so many FrumBots caught between their statements and the hard, cold truth of reality.
rbottoms // Mar 30, 2010 at 8:16 pm
rbottoms can re-enter reality… maybe there’s hope for you LFC?
By the way, rbottoms –we’re all still awaiting your promised apology if the faked news story you presented to Frum Forum readers on the talk radio incited violence against the Census worker proved false.
It did. But you disappeared again shortly thereafter –like so many FrumBots caught between their statements and the hard, cold truth of reality.
I’ll take you off my ignore list just long enough to say, any comment I made on the census worker’s death would most likely have been along the lines the militia nuts and Far Right wackos better pray it doesn’t come back murder.
Prayers do get answered apparently.
However, I said an apology is due, sure: I apologize.
/ignore on
Independent // Mar 30, 2010 at 8:22 pm
As for the faked incidents involving Democrats… it turns out no indictments, no criminal complaints, no arrest warrants, no suspects, no traction.
But it didn’t stop the liberal MSM like NYTimes, LATimes, ABC, WaPo and MSNBC from whipping it all into a very familiar frenzy –kind of like another run of the Census Worker incident.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62O06O20100325
“An FBI spokeswoman said the agency, the U.S. Capitol Police and other law enforcement officers are investigating threats and incidents of violence against members of Congress. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said police and the FBI are concerned about “very serious incidents” that took place since Sunday’s vote. Some lawmakers have received death threats, bricks were tossed through the windows of one House member’s office in New York state, another lawmaker was spat upon by a protester on Capitol Hill and another was the target of a racial slur. In response to a reporter’s question, Hoyer said he considered his congressional colleagues to be at risk.”
Well faking a risk for the purposes of helping the DNC do some fundraising may be unethical –and typical of the Culture of Corruption that surrounds Congressional Democrats– but the REAL death threats to date have only been against GOP leaders by whacked out, farLeft Democrat trolls.
Of course, Hoyer should know that none of the fake threats were anything like the arm twisting that NancyBoTox handed out to get the dirty deal done on Red Saturday. Now those must have been some serious threats and intimidation of her own people. Cannibal Nancy eating up her majority.
If bribes and threats of ruining political careers were criminal, NancyBoTox would be in the federal pen right now awaiting trial. And we know how far the Chicago Thug & Mug Machine were willing to go on the intimidation front –Eric Massa got a naked Rahm Emanuel in his face, frothing like a junk yard dog, and it cost Massa his political fortune.
Independent // Mar 30, 2010 at 8:31 pm
rbottoms, thanks for the apology… as insincere and flip as it sounds.
But the real apology needs to go to the poor Census worker’s family that was harmed by you recklessly and wantonly portraying his unfortunate and tragic death as some work of incited violence against the Obama Administration by fringe elements inspired to violence by talk radio.
You willingly and recklessly played fast and loose with the truth and it likely hurt, mislead and caused emotional suffering to a family that had just lost their Dad… that you would fail to take into account the tragedy of the affair because of your lust for some partisan, political gain says legions about your low character.
That you had the support of thousands of farLeft goons says more about your partisanship and their shallow morals than anything about the poor tragic soul of another Democrat engaged in more insurance fraud.
You can play the flip little games here, but the important lesson for you is that your words and actions have consequence, rbottoms. This isn’t some dark, dank bar in your neighborhood where anonymous conduct is the rage –this is reality and the light shines down harshly on those who trepass against decency in trying to take partisan advantage of a poor family’s miserable plight.
That’s all I’ll say on the matter. If you need it, I’ll get you the home address of the son left orphaned by his Dad’s senseless death.
Chekote // Mar 30, 2010 at 11:53 pm
Will Health Reform Law Stop Insurers From Denying Coverage? A Loophole That Deserves More Attention
franco 2 // Mar 31, 2010 at 6:51 am
Speaking of Glenn Beck, here’s Joyless Behar .
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/03/jay-leno-joy-behar-john-mccain.html
LFC // Mar 31, 2010 at 10:13 am
LFC, maybe we didn’t make it clear enough for to penetrate your farLeft blinders, well afixed to your head.
Independent, maybe I didn’t use simple enough words for you. I pointed out that Eric Cantor stood in front of the camera and said his campaign office had been shot at. It was a lie. Two lies in fact. One, the office was hit by a random bullet and if he had bothered to ask the police for some facts, he would have known that. Two, he lied about it being his campaign office. So Eric Cantor is either a liar and a fool, or just a double liar. Case closed.
I never said that some nutjob didn’t threaten Cantor. Of course, you don’t mention that also threatened Obama, the Pope, a movie studio for making “Babe”, federal judges, David Duke, a homeless man, his neighbors, etc. He declared himself to be the son of the God of Enoch. So while it wasn’t a hoax, it certainly wasn’t much of a threat either.
Independent // Mar 31, 2010 at 2:58 pm
LFC, maybe the truth is not just your enemy, it’s probably never been close enough to you for you to recognize it.
The bullet found inside Cantor’s campaign office, near the bullet hole in the window, and the promise of a death-threatening likely-Democrat loon using the words “bullets” in his death threat were not lies.
The police were following up on the investigation and determined after speaking with Cantor that they didn’t think the two connected –even though that requires us to excuse a long litany of Democrats who can’t shoot str8.
You lied in trying to portray Cantor as some kind of hysterical hissy fitted GOPer… when you know, full well, his case is the only case of death threats coming out of the Health Care debate that has a authenticated threat, a real suspect, a criminal complaint, an arrest and a scheduled arraignment.
The Democrats all tlaked about their “death threats” but not one has yet produced a single material fact. In fact, bloggers have offered to pay Democrats up to $10,000 for even a single, verifiable fact that any threats were ever made to them.
So far, no one on the Democrats4Hysteria Committee have taken up the offer.
Now you think dismissing a threat is ok. But then, you probably thought John Hinkley should have aimed better to take out Reagan. You probably think Sara Moore and Squeaky Fromme should have trained better to take out Gerry Ford.
I wonder how deep the hate must run in people on the farLeft to want criminal violence to be exacted on public servants just doing the job they were elected to do?
Sickeningly indefensible, LFC. Like with your arguments you would tolerate the murder of thousands of people rather than allow a terrorist to suffer legally sanctioned, medically controlled EIT procedures.
Sick. The farLeft in all her decomposing horror exposed.
pre-Reaganite // Apr 1, 2010 at 1:41 pm
If ever there were two news commentators who should knock heads too hard, it is these two.
Andrew Golis » Blog Archive » links for 2010-04-01 // Apr 1, 2010 at 4:04 pm
[...] High Noon at Fox News | FrumForum Hannity v. Beck? Apparently Hannity isn't too thrilled about the growing power of the main at 5 pm. (tags: fox television sean.hannity glenn.beck conservative.movement frum.forum) [...]
High Noon at Fox News | Harrison Station // May 20, 2010 at 2:31 pm
[...] High Noon at Fox News March 30th, 2010 at 10:26 am by Tim Mak [...]