The Blaze founder Glenn Beck has weighed in on Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s endorsement of Republican nominee Donald Trump, writing that “[d]isappointment does not begin to describe” his feelings about Cruz’s endorsement of his former primary rival.
Beck posted the following to his Facebook page:
Profoundly sad day for me.
Disappointment does not begin to describe.
Maybe it is time to go to the mountains for a while. (Read below and notice the knives prodding that direction)
Again, disappointment doesn’t begin to describe my feelings.America is an idea, not a country. When we discuss the destruction of our country, that is vastly different than the destruction of an idea.
I fear the idea is already lost, due to the panic of losing ones comfort and country.
There are many things that I believe that I will never say, but I shall never say the things I do not believe.
Come what may.
The founders meant it much differently when they said: join or die.
Welcome to the big tent. GOP / DNC 2016 join or die.
Long live the idea of the republic.
In a follow-up Facebook post, Beck wrote: “Reading Comments. Facebook has become Chicago 1968. Nothing but firebombs, Hatred and vitriol. I think it is time to put social media away when almost Every response you want to write is ‘F$!* you.’”
He was perhaps referring to the most “liked” comment on his initial post about Cruz from a fan who wrote:
What can I say….even Ted Cruz understands what is truly at stake here…..I’ve said it a thousand times…..If Hillary wins, there will be NOTHING LEFT TO SAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What does Glenn not get about that, just because he now has millions upon millions and can survive on his own?…..not all of us have that luxury Glenn, some of us have to work everyday, support our families and pay bills……it gets harder every presidential term, Hillary would just drive it into the ground……grow up, vote for a chance to save the country.
In a third follow-up post, Beck’s “Editor” wrote the following in his stead explaining Beck’s phone conversation with Cruz:
Editors note:
Glenn spoke with Senator Ted Cruz early this afternoon by phone for about 40 minutes.
Their conversation was described as private, respectful to each other’s POV and pointed at times.
Mr Beck stated immediately following the phone call:
“standing alone doesn’t mean you are wrong, it merely means you are standing alone. I have been here before. In someways it is how I built my career and it is certainly why I built Mercury Radio the way I did. To be free of all commercial, corporate and political ties so I am able to speak my mind even if the entire political and corporate world disagrees.”
During the call, Senator Cruz agreed that he needed to speak with Glenn’s audience himself as many in his audience campaigned for the Senator during his run for President.
While many who, view, listen, read and follow Mr Beck are now supporting the GOP candidate, many are voting their conscience by looking outside the party nominees.
Senator Cruz will be on The Glenn Beck radio program Monday between 9am and 12n eastern.
The exact time of the interview is yet to be determined by the Cruz camp and GBP producers.
Glenn has much to say on this issue and to the Senator and will be addressing his personal views as soon as Monday on his national radio program which is seen and heard by 10 million Americans on over 400 stations nationwide, Sirius/XM and the Blaze TV.
Beck, an ardent supporter of Cruz, campaigned tirelessly for the Texas Senator throughout the primary season, even to the detriment of his own business interests, as the increasingly strident tone of his support for Cruz and denunciations of Trump reportedly alienated listeners and advertisers.
He often couched his enthusiasm for Cruz with a religious zeal, describing the Texan as “anointed” by God and “raised for these times” as “the next George Washington.” At key moments in the primary, he urged his listeners to fast and pray for Cruz’s victory.
But as Trump’s momentum continued, Beck expressed harsh criticism for the Evangelical Christians who threw their support to Cruz’s opponent, declaring at one point that “real Christians” don’t support Donald Trump and that “all throughout the South the Evangelicals are not listening to their God” because Cruz lost the Southern primaries to Trump.
The fervor of Beck’s support for Cruz has been matched only by the vehemence of his opposition to Trump, whom he regularly compares to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. He has called the New York real estate mogul “a pathological narcissistic sociopath” and “a narcissistic psychopath” whose presidency “will lead to civil war or worst.”
Beck even turned his ire on Trump voters. After the Nevada caucus, he called Trump supporters “brown shirts” in reference to the infamous Nazi paramilitary group. Last year, he accused Trump’s Tea Party supporters of being racist for opposing President Obama while supporting Trump, who Beck considers to be a leftwing progressive like Obama.
The former radio shock jock’s disdain for Trump reached a crescendo in April when he donned swim goggles and rubbed his face in a bowl of crushed Cheetos to see if he could “look like Donald Trump.”
Follow Rebecca Mansour on Twitter @RAMansour
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