As of August 4, GEICO Insurance sort-of-folded to left wing crazies’ demands. It instructed its ad buyers to
reshuffle the company’s buys with the Fox News cable network so as to avoid the Glenn Beck Show’s time slot. The pressure on GEICO, as well as other Glenn Beck advertisers, comes from an internet left-wing African American group called colorofchange.org. This group, along with other ‘progressive’ organizations is enraged at Beck for arguing that President Barack Obama is a racist. Beck’s remarks were made during an appearance on Fox and Friends in which he discussed the events that led to the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. by Cambridge police officers. Beck asserted that Obama’s instant reaction criticizing the police before learning all the facts was a sign of a racist mentality. A video of his comments appears below.
According to colorofchange.org, also boycotting Beck are Progressive Insurance, Procter & Gamble, Lawyers.com and SC Johnson. The problem with this sort of campaign is that its only effect is to lump advertisers into specific political categories. In the long run, this identification of product with political cause hurts them more with consumers than any temporary benefits that may accrue from their catering to Beck’s opponents. Considering the fact that Glenn Beck’s program is the number three show of its kind on cable, only behind Bill O’Reilly’s and Sean Hannity’s, there won’t be a dearth of advertisers eager to plug into such a wide audience. Meanwhile, when the Glenn Beck fans hear about the boycott, it will make them hesitate before patronizing the boycotting companies.
Interestingly, many Republican and conservative positions on issues are often absurdly labeled as racist by the same left-wing types who act so offended by Beck’s commentary. Opposition to amnesty for illegal immigrants or references to President Obama as a socialist are routinely classified as racist views by the left, but the President’s assumption that Professor Gates was right and the Cambridge police officers were wrong because the Professor is black and the officers aren’t is not evidence of racism, in the minds of the same ‘progressives.’ Furthermore, to the left wingers, the expression of the view that the President may harbor anti-white feelings based on his own words and associations, must be condemned as racist. That kind of thinking gives a bizarre twist to the meaning of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment ‘equal protection of law’ clause.
(Above right: Glenn Beck. Fox News channel publicity photo)
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Huffington Post report of GEICO boycott
Colorofchange.org's press release
Report of companies shuffling their ad buys
Carlos Watson of MSNBC blog on 'socialism as new N-word
Comments
Good. Any infotainment millionaire who has the gall to call the President of the United States a "racist" should be prepared to face the economic consequences. Beck overplayed his hand, and is being held accountable now.
Nonsense... O is so obviously anti-white.// We will be intouch with P & G etc... regarding their "boycott"..
Yay for "left-wing crazies" to put pressure on "right-wing crazies". Our country has gone to the crazies, sort of like Mr Blas Padrino. Yay for crazies!
Wow.... how dare Glenn Beck speak his mind about our Maximum Leader?
Than why is it the SPLC, and the FBI are watching Glenn's 912ers and Tea Party's
As a former republican and small business owner this last week reinforces my decision to leave the party that has been taken over by the FAR RIGHTWING!
I am trying to identify the leadership of the Republican party
and thus far can think only of it's Chairman Mr. Steele and McCain. Why are they so silent about these radicals,hate-mongers,
gun toting obstructors and this nutcake Mr.Glen Beck. Are they not aware that they are once more damaging the image of this great country. I will assist with the boycott
Independents and Undecideds like me decide elections. And we are staying WELL away from the Republican party because of nutjobs like Beck & friends. If there is any Republican party leadership left, they would do well to throw this rat off their sinking ship.
So, I see there are lots and lots of you fence turtles out there...
WAY TO GO! I hope one day all those left wingers can go to ****... they are destroying this country... look at the health care bill, WE ALREADY HAVE FREE HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS! Plus, is this carbon tax? Way to go LEFT WINGERS!
If these sponsors pull their ads from the Gleen Beck show, then we should boycott their products.
Although just the sight of Glenn Beck makes me ill (I just can't stand him), NO ONE should have their 1st Amendment Right taken away. Don't forget: today it's hi, tomorrow it's yours !!!!! This is WRONG....and I won't forget Geico did that when I need insurance !!!!
The Republican Party is not what it used to be. All thats left are radicals. This country was founded on the principals of separation of church and state. They did that for a reason. And now we are seeing that reason. The right-wingers are so full of hate and misinformation guided by their corporate bought legislators who are trying in interupt and kill democracy.
Lobbying should be illegal. If corporations were around at the founding of our country we would not have made it this far.
i love it. liberals thought they had a lock on hate tatics. now we have some one telling the truth and exposing comrade obama for what he is - the liberals can't stand it. WAY TO GO BECK!!
just emailed geico asking if it did indeed cave to leftwing pressure groups. Told them if true, I will be ending my 20+ year insurance relationship w/ them. Two can play this game.
How dare Glenn Beck share his opinion to the viewers!! No one is allowed to talk down to King Obama!
Glenn: YOU ARE THE GREATEST!!!!!!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, I LOVE WATCHING YOUR SHOW, WOULDN'T MISS IT. TELL THE ADVERTISERS TO GO TO HELL. YOU'RE THE VOICE OF THE SILENT MAJORITY. YOU GO . . . I LOVE YOU AND I'M BUSY READING "COMMON SENSE" - GREAT READ AND SO TRUE!!!!! I'LL PASS IT ON.
"Left wing crazies" Wow! I love it! You REALLY tell it like it is! Shout those liberals down. No free speech in this country. Hell no! Where would we be if we had health care at a reasonable price for everyone. England! That's right! Look a poor Stephen Hawking. Would he be valued as a person or discarded-the cripple. Oops- that's right. He's a citizen of England. He got ALL his health care from that "socialized medicine." Just keep supporting the bankers and fooling the people and throw in words like crazies. And Hitler.
In the mean time,remember,good Doctors are leaving and you may be the vicyim the next time you need a trauma room and it's not available at any cost. And new medical devices or cures for cancer? Kiss those goodbye too. Enjoy your time in subpar care and Depends.
I don't think Geico has any business playing policitcs with its advertising decisions. I am organizing a boycott of Geico that everyone is invited to join - w w w. boycottowl . com
Beck is the the ultra-conservative's answer to Bill Ayers.
Keep up the great work Glenn, don't let them run you off.
Keep up the great work Glenn, don't let them run you off.
Beck is one of the few people who will report what Americans need to know. America is like a dysfunctional marriage. Let's not talk about our problems and maybe they will just go away.
Personally, I agree with Mr. Beck. I live in Hawaii and it is a very rascist state. The locals do not like "haoles" (white people). For that matter they do not embrace black americans either. A mulatto child abandoned by his mother and sent to live with his white grandparents at the age of 10, I can only guess how very traumatic this was for him.
Bamaboy's defense could easily have been to reject his "haole" heritage in order to survive here 35 years ago.
It amazes me that after the election it was reported we would enter a post racial era, and yet my perception is that race relations have deteriorated dramatically. It was hoped that this man would bring change to America. We have change alright, we have a country that is more divided along racial and political lines than I have seen in 30 years.
Glenn Beck is such a horse's ass. I can't believe that anyone in their right mind would watch him on TV. Oh, that's right, "Cable" is dead, that's why it's buried in the ground. The market share for these "news" shows is so tiny, if it were your heartbeat you would be declared braindead. Nobody's watching.
What's next for these left wing loons, organized book burnings?
Advertisers commonly provide "blacklists" to the media outlets running their campaigns, as they are very protective of the brands they are promoting. Notice how they haven't pulled their ads from FNC, just the "Glenn Beck Show". It could be that the noise around him has become too toxic during the short life of his show. Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilley haven't even come close to the degree of controversy he's stirred up. Personally, as much as I support people's right to speak their minds, I also support private industry's right to select the audiences they choose to advertise to.
I just finished watching a "Town Hall" meeting that Glenn held for our representatives to watch so they could get a feel for what their constituents who currently own small businesses (those who have less than 500 employees, like most of us work for) might say if they had been offered a town hall meeting in which to participate. I understand math well enough to know that what these people were saying is true. I wish that everyone in the whole country had seen this, I'm sure it would have made sense to a majority of them. All of you might see that Beck is providing a wake up call to the whole country, not just the conservative right. It's time to WAKE UP people!
I just finished watching a "Town Hall" meeting that Glenn held for our representatives to watch so they could get a feel for what their constituents who currently own small businesses (those who have less than 500 employees, like most of us work for) might say if they had been offered a town hall meeting in which to participate. I understand math well enough to know that what these people were saying is true. I wish that everyone in the whole country had seen this, I'm sure it would have made sense to a majority of them. All of you might see that Beck is providing a wake up call to the whole country, not just the conservative right. It's time to WAKE UP people!
I just finished watching a "Town Hall" meeting that Glenn held for our representatives to watch so they could get a feel for what their constituents who currently own small businesses (those who have less than 500 employees, like most of us work for) might say if they had been offered a town hall meeting in which to participate. I understand math well enough to know that what these people were saying is true. I wish that everyone in the whole country had seen this, I'm sure it would have made sense to a majority of them. All of you might see that Beck is providing a wake up call to the whole country, not just the conservative right. It's time to WAKE UP people!
Uh, cognitive dissonance anybody? Blas, this is a reflection of how "Right wingers" (I'll use your style of us v them wording here) got Bill Maher kicked off the air for a 9/11 comment. If a significant population is offended by the guy, there's nothing wrong with pressure to get him fired. Again, Bill Maher anybody?
Look, I'm liberal, I like watching Bill Maher on HBO, but I can admit he's a bit of a smarmy tool. I dare you conservatives on here, double dare you, to seriously look me in the eye and, with a straight face, tell me that Glenn Beck actually adds anything to American political discourse. He's an entertainer, and to take him as more is foolish. His "Common Sense" book was a rambling diatribe.
Give up the Beck, kids. He's bad for you.
"...but the President’s assumption that Professor Gates was right and the Cambridge police officers were wrong because the Professor is black and the officers aren’t is not evidence of racism, in the minds of the same ‘progressives.’"
Wow, assume much? That's taking a bit of liberty there in acting like you know beyond the shadow of a doubt that his motivation was such. I think it had to do more with the fact that the guy got arrested while trying to get into his own house.
As a liberal, I hate Beck because he's a misleading, scummy snake oil salesman.
Hey Daniel, I am betting that you are one of those public schooler's who learned to use a calculator as opposed to learning math.
I am republican, I like Ron Paul and our constitution. I Hate Glenn Beck. Sean Hanity. Rush. Shnitt and the like. All you have to do is watch John Stewart on comedy central and you will see that they are terrible liars. Despite the fact that the richest 1% are really running everything I think Obama is a wonderful person. a great president and I am behind him all the way. I don't care if they keep these liars on the air because the truth will catch up to them, it destroys lies like a atom bomb. So let this stupid little man keep makeing a fool of himself and maybe he will bring down the fox news empire as well. If you will recall the most help dems. got came from George Bush to destroy the republican party. Way to go George! And the whole time the stupid american republicans becker there stupid here-say false facts they believe in so much the rich just keep cleaning up and laughing all the way to the bank.
Whyshout down people that are trying to talk to you, The truth will stand.
Guess who was leading the boyocott of Glen Beck
"ColorofChange.org's campaign. One of the group's founders, Van Jones, now works in the Obama administration and has been criticized by Beck. But Rucker said Jones has nothing to do with ColorofChange.org now and didn't even know about the campaign before it started."
Beck did a show about Van Jones a couple of weeks ago, and he now works for the Obama admin. Looks like it is some dirty work to shut up people investigating Obama's czars.
dale you are liar. You are not a republican, are you also a fake doctor like those who show up at townhalls who back Obamacare?
FOX and Glenn Beck will survive just fine, thank you very much. The campaign against FOX advertisers is expected. They drop Glenn, I drop them. All's fair. Perhaps it is better to understand why the left is so incensed by FOX's accelerating growth. It's simple. There is nothing more painful in life than the TRUTH.
I don't understand Beck's unusual personality. I'm not sure if his passion allows for rationality to exist. Possibly, the population has become domesticated by the ills of history and have allowed a larger pattern of misplacing their sense of balance, scale and perspective to exist; this could be characterized by Glenn's infamy. This guy is not revelational or very inspiring. He offers instant gratification to those who are upset with being ideologically defeated. Basically, he is rotten fruit.
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