This is a rush transcript from "On the Record," June 19, 2009. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Moments ago, our own Glenn Beck went "On the Record" about his new book, "Glenn Beck's Common Sense."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VAN SUSTEREN: I heard you interviewed. You said that nobody's going to like you after this book.
GLENN BECK, HOST, "GLENN BECK": Well, no, it's not that -- because I don't really care if anybody likes me after this book as much as -- I was a little concerned because I think the power apparatus in Washington, there's not -- it's not that I don't -- I need friends. I just like to not make everyone an enemy.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right, well, it says here in the book -- (INAUDIBLE) let me repeat it again, "Glenn Beck's Common Sense." It says, "The time has come for a second American revolution."
BECK: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: Bring your passion, but leave your muskets at home.
BECK: Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: What does that mean?
BECK: It means that -- I believe that the disease in this country is progressivism -- not liberalism, not the Democrats, but progressivism.
VAN SUSTEREN: What is that?
BECK: It is -- Hillary Clinton said something extraordinary during the debates. They asked her, Are you a liberal? And she said, No, I consider myself an early 20th century American progressive. Those are the people that brought you the income tax, Prohibition, Woodrow Wilson and Teddy Roosevelt, Republicans and Democrats. And what they believe in is an administrative kind of government, that -- where the president is more imperial, and he appoints administrators. That's why we have so many czars.
VAN SUSTEREN: We're getting more czars, by the way!
BECK: Oh, yes. Yes.
VAN SUSTEREN: Are you opposed to all taxes?
BECK: No, I don't think so. I mean, I would just like a reasonable non-progressive tax.
VAN SUSTEREN: Meaning, like, a flat tax.
BECK: Yes, a flat tax.
VAN SUSTEREN: (INAUDIBLE) All right, the other thing, too, is that while we're on the topic of politicians, is this (INAUDIBLE) you said, Politicians, like cockroaches -- that's (INAUDIBLE) the comparison (INAUDIBLE) they may not like you in Washington -- are not stupid creatures. Now, why are you insulting those cockroaches?
(LAUGHTER)
VAN SUSTEREN: (INAUDIBLE)
BECK: I know! My apologies to all the cockroaches!
VAN SUSTEREN: What is your problem that you are picking on the cockroaches on a serious in note?
BECK: I will get underneath my refrigerator tonight, "I am sorry, cockroaches."
VAN SUSTEREN: On a serious note, you go after the politicians.
BECK: Yes, because they are the ones who are doing this to us. It is absolutely unreasonable what is happening, and everybody tries to paint this -- if it is coming from me, and they try to paint this as I am just against Barack Obama.
No. I was saying these things about George W. Bush. Medicare prescription D was out of control. It was wildly out of sense. We are spending our children into slavery.
VAN SUSTEREN: Is there any politician today who you admire?
BECK: Yes. I think a few of them are trying. I think Senator DeMint is trying. I think Senators Lieberman and Hatch are misguided but honest statesmen.
I think there are others who are only putting, and I think this is the vast majority of them, are putting their own self-interests and their own parties and power in front of common sense.
VAN SUSTEREN: Ok, let's talk about something in the news that has gotten a lot of attention. ABC next week is going to have basically a day at the White House, and they will talk about health care. What is your thought about ABC doing this?
BECK: I think that we are in huge trouble with a media that is absolutely in the bag for this administration. You know, when Obama says, "I have got problems. I have gotten one network that is against me."
VAN SUSTEREN: FOX News.
BECK: Meanwhile, the "New York Times" ran three editorials about me and Bill O'Reilly about how we are causing all of this mayhem.
VAN SUSTEREN: You are a problem.
BECK: I know. I'm a troublemaker. I know.
VAN SUSTEREN: It's interesting, I may be one -- you know how I look at this ABC thing? I look at it almost like a court room. We will have an hour of direct examination on Wednesday night or whatever nightmare doing this ABC health care thing. And then we have the cross-examination.
The next day, we take all the sound from the night before, and we analyze everything the president said about health care, we dissect it to see whether it is good or it's bad. I think this is a great opportunity --
BECK: For FOX.
VAN SUSTEREN: For FOX, but anyone who wants to look very aggressively at what he says about health care.
BECK: That's the key. How many people, how many networks are going to be doing that? This is an infomercial.
VAN SUSTEREN: Karl Rove says one thing is that it is using White House as a backdrop, but he is the president.
But the thing is this is going to be an incredible opportunity for us to take everything the president says on health care and challenge it or support it, or whatever.
BECK: Greta, we could challenge almost everything that this man has said, and nobody is doing it.
VAN SUSTEREN: That's a different point. But the point is that it is the monopoly that ABC has next week that has driven everyone around the bend. And I think the interesting thing is it is an enormous opportunity for all of us in the media.
BECK: I'm not sure that it is -- we may be saying the same thing. I am not sure. I have a problem with the media being brought in and being used a propaganda --
VAN SUSTEREN: But that's their problem.
BECK: No, it's our problem. It's out --
VAN SUSTEREN: Anyway, thank you very much, and good luck on the book.
BECK: Thank you, Greta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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