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7.19.2007

transcript - Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Glenn Beck…


YouTube link. Click to play. Transcript below in case the link goes dead.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Glenn Beck…

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who seems to be avoiding Sean Hannity on FNC since Jr’s comments on certain talking heads including Glenn Beck, during the Live Earth Concert did appear on HLN with Glenn Beck as a part of what Glenn called the “I Hate Glenn Beck” segment. RFK Jr. came off looking very arrogant and nasty, I wonder if he will show up on H&C this or next week?

Transcript…
BECK: I know this is going to come as a shock to you, but the “Real Story” is there are actually a few people in this country who don`t like me. Yes, I know, I was surprised. I thought, “Really?” I mean, why not invite these people to come on the show, you know? To know me is to love me. Put them back on the show. We can get all the hate out in one segment, and we`re going to start tonight with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Last January, he wrote that I was “CNN`s chief corporate fascism advocate.” And then, last Saturday, at a Live Earth event, he went even further.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR., ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST: And so I`m going to tell you this, that the next time you see John Stossel, or Glenn Beck, or Rush Limbaugh, or Sean Hannity, these flat-Earthers, these corporate toadies, lying to you, lying to the American public, and telling you that global warming doesn`t exist, you send an e-mail to their advertisers and tell them you`re not going to buy their products anymore.
(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: So what does RFK, Jr., think of these corporate toadies, what should happen to these people?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENNEDY: This is treason. And we need to start treating them now as traitors.
(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: Wow, I mean, since the penalty for treason is either imprisonment or execution, I`m a little curious as to which one Mr. Kennedy had in mind for me. I sent him a letter asking him just that question, and now he`s here to hand down my sentence.
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., actually, thank you for agreeing to be on the program and answering the question in person. I have a theory: to know me is to love me. And you don`t know me.

KENNEDY: Well, I`m waiting, Glenn.

BECK: OK. Tell me my stance on global warming.

KENNEDY: Your stance, as I understand it, Glenn, is that you acknowledge that global warming exists, that probably human beings are causing it, although I don`t know if you`ve really made that commitment, and that — but you don`t understand, you`re not ready to commit to the idea that we need to invest energies or times or entrepreneurial resources in order to solve the problem.

BECK: Wow.
KENNEDY: That`s my understanding of your…

BECK: You know what? You`re going to stop calling me a fascist and stop calling for my execution on this. You`re kind of close. I do believe in global warming. I`m not sure if man is causing it, but I`m willing to listen to that side and be convinced of that. The biggest problem I have is, I`m not convinced that things like the Kyoto treaty are the right answer.
However, sir, I am — I`ve been asking on the air for a moon shot. Where is the politician, where is the president that will do, like somebody famous in your family said, “We`re going to do this in 10 years, let`s get off of oil?”

KENNEDY: You know, Glenn, you`re saying that now, but what you`ve done on your show, as I`ve said, you`ve turned the issue…

BECK: Is said that.

KENNEDY: Instead of getting serious people to seriously debate this issue on your show — and there`s incredible scientists out there…

BECK: Yes, and I`ve had several of them on.

KENNEDY: No, you`ve brought people on like Jorn Wanberg (ph) and John Christy and…

BECK: But does that make it treason? Should I be executed, or should I spend prison time for my personal beliefs, sir?

KENNEDY: No, no, no, I didn`t say that. Go look at the speech.

BECK: Yes, you did. Would you like me to show it again?

KENNEDY: You asked me a question, what your sentence should be. Your sentence should be that you should have to read the IPCC report and from cover to cover. And I know you don`t have it. I don`t mean this with any particular disrespect, but I don`t believe that you have a long attention span.

BECK: I am trying to ask questions, sir, honest questions. And yet you call me a fascist for asking questions. You, sir — and I know you probably, and I mean no disrespect — probably have even a shorter attention span, because I`m only asking you to read the definition of fascist. What, sir, is a definition of fascist? In your world, someone who says, “Wait a minute, slow down, let`s just talk about this before we spend all kinds of money and raise all kinds of taxes, let`s just slow down, sir.”
KENNEDY: Let me answer your question. You asked me what the definition of fascist is. The American Heritage Dictionary defines fascism as the domination of government by corporate power. You and John Stossel, Sean Hannity, and Rush Limbaugh have made yourselves the primary spokesman for the domination of corporate power over American government, and that is…

BECK: Sir, I`ve got to tell you — you know what`s really sad? You know what`s really sad, Mr. Kennedy, is you and I actually agree on something. You and I agree that corporations have become far too powerful in this country. And if you actually knew me, you would know that I believe that with everything in me. And I speak out about it an awful lot. You and I also…
KENNEDY: Glenn, why don`t you use the power that you have, this enormous power to communicate with the American public…

BECK: Wow, a Kennedy said I had enormous power.

KENNEDY: Instead of being frivolous, instead of being sarcastic, why don`t you listen and have some real scientists on your show, and not these phony corporate-paid scientists, doing the real work…

BECK: Because there are actual scientists, sir, that disagree with not global warming. They disagree with some of the steps that people like you are touting.

KENNEDY: Glenn…

BECK: I`m just saying, how do we solve it, sir? That`s all I`m asking.

KENNEDY: Glenn, the 2,500 top scientists in the world, from 120 nations…

BECK: The 2,500 scientists that you`re talking about had to each of them do one page on a specific thing. They did not have a consensus on everything in the report. That`s why some of them had to sue to get their name off of the IPCC report. They don`t all agree on the entire report, just their piece of the report.

KENNEDY: The report is clear. Get a real scientist on your show, rather than getting these guys who are just industry thugs and industry…

BECK: So it prison or execution for…

KENNEDY: Well, here`s what I think, that you go back to journalism school, number one…

BECK: I didn`t go. I`m not a journalist.

KENNEDY: Right, I can tell that. And, number two, that you read the IPCC report with somebody standing over your shoulder to help with your ADD.

BECK: That`s not the law for treason or that`s not the sentence for treason, but I guess we`re making up new laws in your world. Robert Kennedy, thank you very much.

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