Glenn Beck Stakes Out Activist Role in Politics

Glenn Beck, the popular and outspoken Fox News host, says he wants to go beyond broadcasting his opinions and start rallying his political base — formerly known as his audience — to take action. To do so, Beck is styling himself as a political organizer. He said he would promote voter registration drives and sponsor a series of seven conventions across the country featuring what he described as libertarian speakers. Beck did say the conventions would resemble educational seminars, and he emphasized that while candidates may align themselves with the values and principles that he espouses, he would not take the next step to endorse them. Beck, having used his television and radio pulpit to lay out his list of the country's impending problems — deficit spending, health care legislation that will "destroy" the economy, a dearth of "personal responsibility" — says he now wants to also provide solutions.