Glenn Beck Interview with Ari Fleischer

On last night’s TV show Glenn Beck interviewed former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. The two talked about the amnesty plan hidden into the war spending bill, the Republican Party, Republican Presidential nominee John McCain, and oil.

Before he interviewed Mr. Fleischer, he talked about the “Real Story.”

But first, welcome to our “Real Story.”

I know it`s not really making headlines these days, but there`s a recent spike in violence in the war that we`re fighting, and you need to hear about it. So give me 30 seconds here.

Over the past few weeks, a top-ranking police official was shot 50 times outside of his home. The latest in a string of eight high-ranking police assassinations at the hands of violent militias. Lower-ranking policemen and soldiers have been dragged out of their homes in front of their families, out into the street and beheaded or shot.

The government has lost control of entire areas, and law enforcement officials have been begging the U.S. for asylum. It sounds pretty bad, right? Well, here`s “The Real Story.”

These events are not taking place in Iraq or Afghanistan. They are happening right along our own border with Mexico, five miles from U.S. cities like El Paso. Of course, now, you`d never know this is happening if you listen to any of our politicians or the media, who just seem to dismiss illegal immigration as, oh, they just hate Hispanics, that`s what it is.

It`s a security issue. Let`s take a look at some of the facts.

In 2001, there were 335 assaults against our border agents. These are our troops just as much as the troops are over in Afghanistan.

This year there have already been 362 assaults in four months. At that rate we`re going to end the year with 1,068 assaults on our border agents. But the numbers don`t tell the whole story.

Our border agents are often pinned down by sniper fire from drug cartels trying to sneak their people across the border, and our agents are often outgunned and overwhelmed. This is an all-out war. And it`s happening right along our border.

So as we head into another election season, what is it going to take for any of these candidates to stop talking about global warming, the frickin` polar bears and flag pins, and start talking about a war that no one wants to admit we`re really firing — fighting?

This is all pretty sad that no one in the mainstream media is talking about this. It’s things like this that shows why Glenn is gaining audience from true conservatives who consider themselves Americans before having loyalties to political parties.

Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer is with us.

Hi, Ari.

ARI FLEISCHER, FMR. WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Glenn, how are you?

BECK: Not going to happen, is it? This border fence, this border stuff, not going to happen.

FLEISCHER: Well, what`s really happened is the whole passion that was behind this issue in the Republican primary has now faded, with John McCain being a border state senator who comes from a different position on this issue than a lot of the conservatives.

BECK: Barack Obama certainly won`t make it an issue. It`s a fading issue.

BECK: But here`s the thing. But it`s not…

FLEISCHER: Fading in the campaign.

BECK: Yes.

FLEISCHER: It`s a fading issue in the presidential campaign.

This is why have just thrown up my hands regarding the Presidential election. Most likely the general election will be John McAmnesty (RINO) against Barack Obama (Dumocrat). Even if it is Hillary (Dumocrat) against Juan McAino, it really doesn’t matter. None of them will do anything to secure our borders. WE NEED THE GHOST OF IKE BACK, TO TEACH THESE JELLY-BELLY, SISSIES ABOUT “OPERATION WETBACK.” This is why you and I really need to elect strong Congressional and Senatorial candidates who will be strong on the immigration issues.

BECK: It`s not with the American people.

FLEISCHER: That`s correct.

I agree with both Glenn and Mr. Fleischer. In fact, not only is the issue not fading with the American people, it is also GROWING with the American people.

BECK: These guys, it`s not — this is not a conservative issue. Me: That’s right, it’s an AMERICAN issue. This was 70 percent of the American people. You know, how is it that they can be so far out of step?

FLEISCHER: Well, it`s a terribly complicated issue, as you know. Part of the answer is also, do you or don`t you allow people who`ve been in this country illegally to stay in this country?

BECK: But you know what?

FLEISCHER: How do you handle that giant population that`s here, while, how do you shut down a current border that`s still a leaking border? We`re getting better at closing the border in a lot of places. It`s one of the reasons there`s an uptick in violence. A long way to go.

BECK: They don`t care what the American people think. I don`t think these weasels in Washington care.

Glenn gives too much credit to the congress critters. I don’t think they don’t care, I know they don’t care.

Do you know that Wednesday they`re going to vote on yet another bill – - they have — they have tucked amnesty in the war spending bill yet again. I mean, I feel like it`s the Declaration of Independence. Stop injuring us.

This is just despicable to tuck into the spending bill. Any patriotic Senator with balls who doesn’t vote for the spending bill, due to the amnesty, is gonna look like don’t care about the troops. This is a very devious part on the Senators, who allowed it in.

FLEISCHER: Well, the whole issue is, can you secure the border first or do you need to do something comprehensive? And Washington is split on that. Republicans are split on that. And that`s one of the reasons it`s faded as a political issue, because Republicans aren`t unified.

Time for one of my broken records, and I ain’t talkin ’bout on of my overplayed skipping Elvis records. One thing that can be a comprehensive “virtual” fence is welfare reform. Make American welfare recipients hungry enough to want to get a job and contribute to society and defend these new jobs they take, with all their lives. This is what will prevent illegal aliens from crossing over, angry hungry Americans.

They go on to talk about John McCain’s chances;

BECK: OK. Do you think that there`s — do you think there`s any chance that John McCain wins?

FLEISCHER: Yes.

BECK: Do you?

FLEISCHER: I think it`s a 50-50. I think if any Republican other than John McCain — and I`m not exactly a John McCain Republican myself.

BECK: Yes.

FLEISCHER: I`m more conservative. But any other Republican cannot win in this environment, Glenn. It`s that bad for Republicans right now.

BECK: But it`s because they`re not really Republicans. We`re going to talk to Jon Voight here in a second, but they`re not really Republicans. I`m sorry, they are Republicans. That`s a party. They`re not conservatives.

FLEISCHER: Yes. Well, when it really came down to it, can you cut spending, can you reduce the size of government, it only became a question for everybody of, can government just grow slower rather than can you actually stop the growth entirely?

BECK: So what happened?

FLEISCHER: I think Republicans hit the political reality of — a lot of people say they`re for cutting spending, but when the truth comes to it they really don`t mean what they say. And they want to come home, deliver pork, deliver bacon, and deliver big spending programs.

I think Glenn is right on the money. Republican is a party. Conservatism is about values. I truly believe those who are truly Conservatives need to take a hit and let the Democrats screw things up. If Democrats screw things up, not Republicans don’t have a chance to screw things up, the Republican party will have a chance to heal and regroup to bring back conservative values. And I ain’t talking cutesy-wutesy husband, wife, 2.5 kids, little doggy, ranch house, SUV driving, family values here. I mean real values.

They go onto to talk about the oil;

BECK: So when you have a big issue like, for instance, oil — I mean, here we are sitting with oil and huge problems. I mean, Rome is burning. And nobody`s really doing anything.

Nobody wants to do anything.

FLEISCHER: Well, I can`t believe when President Bush was over in Saudi Arabia and we`re asking Saudi Arabia to increase production, shouldn`t the answer be, why don`t we increase our own? We have huge untapped supplies of energy in this country, but largely because of environmental rules we`re not going about doing it. We can help protect ourselves, and we`re not doing it.

BECK: All right. We had the president of the United States fly over to another country, practically get down on his knees and beg them for oil. These are people that still use camels for transportation. I mean, what are we doing?

FLEISCHER: Well, look, there`s nothing wrong with George Bush asking Saudi Arabia or anybody else to increase their production. It`s more about how it helps all of us.

BECK: We are beholden.

FLEISCHER: That`s the point.

BECK: Right.

FLEISCHER: And we need to be developing our own resources here at home. Now, John McCain — again, this is the irony. One reason he might win is because he`s different from Republicans on environmental issues. He`s against developing our oil supplies up in Alaska in ANWR.

I`m for it. He`s against it. He might win. Me: Just so we are clear, the “he” is talking about is John McCain.

BECK: But the American — I don`t see that as a win. The American people lose.

RIGHT! AND EXACTLY RIGHT!

FLEISCHER: Well, my point is you asked, can he win an election? He can win an election because he`s such a different kind of Republican in an anti-Republican year.

I think I just said it above. But I will say it again. If this is an “anti-Republican year” just let’s keep our values and let the Democrats win. You have no idea how much that hurt to say. I say let the American people see how bad things are under Dumocrat rule. When they look at how Republicans kept their values and principles in a time of courage, they will realize that conservative values is what is good for our country. Then the Republicans sweep up elections in the ‘10 mid-terms. Then if those Republicans realize how good they have it and behave themselves, re-election, plus a true conservative Republican can take the White House.

BECK: Yes.

FLEISCHER: He`s not George Bush`s third term. He is a centrist. He is a maverick. And that`s one of the reasons he might win.

BECK: OK. All right. Thanks. We`ll be — we`ll be watching together as everything shimmies apart.

Now, been saying the Republican Party is struggling with voters. It`s — you know what? It`s like saying Britney Spears is struggling with parenthood and booze and promiscuous sex. The list goes on and on.

Glenn’s Brit analogy is spot on, PERFECT!

Here is the full transcript of yesterday’s entire show in which the conversation took place. Whether you watched the show with baited breath, had it on as background noise or just plain ol’ missed it, this is one of those great Glenn Beck tanscripts that you need to go read in full entirety.