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A. COOPER: Glenn Beck -- Glenn Beck today defying critics to find the political message behind his weekend rally in Washington. Tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands of people turned out for the event. The exact number isn't known, a remarkable revival-style rally, where the focus was on faith.
Here's Glenn Beck, some of him addressing the crowd.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GLENN BECK, HOST, "GLENN BECK": Are we so jaded as a nation, are we so pessimistic, that we no longer believe in the individual and the power of the individual? Do we no longer believe in dreams and the power of one person making a difference?
I testify to you here and now, one man can change the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
A. COOPER: Sarah Palin also spoke, saying she was there not as a politician, but as the mother of a combat vet.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: Many of us today, we are worried about what we face. Sometimes, our challenges, they just seem insurmountable. But here together, at the crossroads of our history, may this day, may this day be the change point.
Look around you. You are not alone. You are Americans!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
A. COOPER: The event held 47 years ago to the day and in the same place as Martin Luther King's historic "I Have a Dream" speech wasn't without controversy.
Joining us now is Matt Taibbi, political reporter for "Rolling Stone" magazine, and Tea Party blogger Dana Loesch.
Dana, appreciate you being with us as well.
Dana, watching the event this weekend, I was really struck that, in some ways, it reminded me of Promise Keeper events that I had gone to years ago.
Were you aware -- not surprised, but did you know it was going to be such a -- so much religion? Did you expect that?
DANA LOESCH, ORGANIZER, NATIONWIDE TEA PARTY COALITION: I think, Anderson, I was most surprised by the -- and I was really impressed.
I mean, I expected there to -- I -- I honestly expected there to be a little bit of politics in it, but there wasn't. And as far as was I surprised that it was a real faith-based event? Not really.
Just looking at everything leading up to the event, looking about restoring honor, realizing where our rights originate in this country, which is what makes it so great, that we -- man doesn't give us rights, that they -- they come from a higher power, I wasn't really surprised that it was so -- that it was focused on faith.
It was really positive. It was really uplifting. Everybody was super nice, considering since it was a frillion degrees outside.
(LAUGHTER)
A. COOPER: A frillion?
LOESCH: It was -- it was a nice event.
A. COOPER: I haven't heard that term.
LOESCH: A frillion, yes.
(LAUGHTER)
A. COOPER: I like that term.
LOESCH: New scientific term.
(LAUGHTER)
A. COOPER: Yes, exactly.
(LAUGHTER)
A. COOPER: I like it. I'm going to use it.
Matt, you were not at the event, but, I mean, were -- were you surprised by -- by the faith-based nature?
MATT TAIBBI, NATIONAL AFFAIRS EDITOR, "ROLLING STONE": I was a little surprised by it.
I think, you know, the Tea Party, by and large, has not been a religious-driven movement. I think this is just Glenn Beck's own personal weirdness that informed that particular aspect of the event.
A. COOPER: Why -- now, why do you say weirdness?
TAIBBI: Well, I think it's just part of his own personal mythology, as a very religious person. Like Sarah Palin, it's a big part of his public persona and it's a big part of the message that he's trying to convey.
A. COOPER: Do you think it was a political event?
TAIBBI: When Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin give a speech to 100,000 white people on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on the anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, it's a political rally.
I mean, if Barney the dinosaur or the cast of "Entourage" gives that speech, it's not a political rally. But in the context of everything that he's been doing for the last year, with this very racially-pointed propaganda that he's been pushing, it's definitely a political rally.
A. COOPER: Dana, do you think -- I mean, you say you were surprised that there -- there weren't signs which Beck had specifically said don't have. Do you see politics at play here, Dana?
LOESCH: I didn't. I didn't see politics at play at all.
And I wonder if Matt would still consider it to be a political rally even though Dr. Alveda King gave one of the most brilliant and beautiful speeches that I had ever heard. It was all about unity. And it was about how we are Americans, period. We are all in the exact same boat together.
I didn't find it political. And I think, if -- if people perhaps maybe have a problem with it, maybe it's just that they have a problem with Glenn Beck, and not so much the event and the idea behind the event itself.
A. COOPER: Dana, the -- I mean, what -- what those who believe it was political will say is, look, any time you have, you know, Glenn Beck and -- and Sarah Palin saying, we need to restore honor, it implies that honor has been lost, and the implication is, it's been lost by this administration or by events in recent years.
Do you -- do you -- do you see that, or do you think that's just nitpicking?
LOESCH: I didn't get that from -- from the speeches that were made. When they were speaking about restoring honor, everyone was indicted. Every single American citizen was indicted. Because I think at some point, we've all -- conservatives, liberals. This wasn't about identity politics. This was about we all, as American people, have grown apathetic. And we all contributed to the state of the economy. We've all contributed to the problems that was are in, because we've either -- we were silent. We've all allowed it to happen at some point.
And that really was the theme. And I was -- you know, I like Glenn Beck, I think as a radio broadcaster, I respect his talent in broadcasting, both television and radio. I was really impressed that he was able to separate that and that he kept it out of this event. I think it took some skill to do that.
COOPER: You just don't buy the separation on that?
TAIBBI: Well clearly, he toned down his usual rhetoric. But, again, you have to take this weekend's events in the context of everything that he's been saying in the past year. Glenn Beck for a year has not been pointing the finger to all Americans for the troubles that we're in. He's been very pointedly pointing the finger at the Obama administration with very racially-divisive commentary.
COOPER: It was interesting that he backtracked his statement, you know, right after he gave an interview to Chris Wallace, and he said -- you know, he basically said that he had a big mouth and you shouldn't have said the racist comment that he said about President Obama?
TAIBBI: Right. Well, he did -- he backtracked it. And clearly, he was -- he was very cognizant of the criticism as he performed this rally. Because it was nowhere near the temperature that he usually performs at. He didn't have the usual statements like Barack Obama is a racist and has a deep-seated hatred of white people. He didn't say things like, you know, pretty soon they're going to turn the fire hoses on us and let loose the German shepherds. None of that rhetoric was there.
I almost thought some of the people in the crowd was disappointed that it wasn't. But again, in the context of that, it had an incredible meaning for this rally.
COOPER: Where does it go from here, Dana? In terms of, you know, I heard Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin saying, you know, it starts today. Where does that energy, that enthusiasm move?
LOESCH: Well, I hope that it would -- you know, and honestly, from this event, I hope that we see more events like this in the future with such a focus on unity and such a focus on where our rights originate.
I think this energy, I think that it was about channeling people to take some action, to make some progress going into midterms and perhaps even carrying it all the way to 2012. I think it was really asking Americans, hey, you have a responsibility as a citizen of this country to act honorably, politically and in other arenas. So remember that when you're out there, discussing liberty evangelism or what have you. That's what I took away from it.
COOPER: Should Democrats be scared?
TAIBBI: No. I mean, I think in the short term, definitely, there are clearly going to be some losses for the Democrats because of all this political energy.
But in the long term, this Tea Party movement is going to kill the Republican Party. Because it's going to make it impossible to win that center ground. You're not going to be able to win nominations without appealing to this group of people. But if you do appeal to this group of people, you're going to lose every nonwhite voter in the country and a large percentage of the sort of independent, middle-of-the road voters. It's just -- it's a very, very dicey situation for the Republicans.COOPER: Dana, I'll give you the final thought. LOESCH: Yes. I would disagree with Matt strongly on that, because almost every single poll that has come out since spring of last year shows -- Rasmussen, Gallup, Quinnipiac, by and large, independents and moderates are flocking from the Democrat Party. Not just those, but also voters from the black community, as well.
We've had more than ever in any other election period. We've had more black conservatives running on Republican tickets in primaries. And they are doing exceedingly well. Charles Weller (ph), Allen West. We also have Senator Crenshaw in Illinois.
I think what we're seeing is a really true awakening with this grassroots movement, that people are realizing for the first time that individual liberty is applicable to everyone. It is not patented by one side or the other. And that is -- that's my hope for this event, and that's what I've been seeing.
COOPER: I said it was final thought, but I'll let you respond if you want.
TAIBBI: You're naming individual black politicians as though it's representative of, you know, widespread black attitude. It's just not the case. I just don't see large numbers...
LOESCH: Well, perhaps people like you and the liberal media quit down -- quit trying to diminish the contributions of black conservatives in the political sphere more would fear -- more would have the courage to speak out.
TAIBBI: This like one of those things when you see your crazy uncle taking his pants off at Thanksgiving. You don't know whether to laugh or cry. It's so incredibly offensive, this whole business.
LOESCH: So you name call?
TAIBBI: I just -- I don't know how to respond to that. This whole thing. You don't know whether they're being disingenuous or clueless in not seeing how incredibly offensive this entire event is. And it's really sad. And I think it's...
LOESCH: How is it offensive? You found prayer offensive? You found Dr. Alveda King speaking offensive?
TAIBBI: No. I find 100,000 white people who are gathering on the steps on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial...
LOESCH: Were you at the event? You can validate that every single person there was white?
TAIBBI: No. I'm sure -- I'm sure there were a few standard minorities.
LOESCH: Where do you get that assumption from, then?
TAIBBI: Because I've been to numerous Tea Party rallies. I've been covering this phenomenon for a year.
LOESCH: Because you've been to other events, right. Were you -- were you at this event and you can validate for sure that every single person in attendance...
TAIBBI: I watched it on television.
LOESCH: Because that's exactly like being there, watching it on television. Excellent.
COOPER: All right. I appreciate both of you guys coming on. Matt Taibbi, thanks very much.
Dana Loesch. Dana, I should just point out, just for accuracy's sake, Dr. Alveda King, she's not an actual doctor. It's an honorary degree. So just -- we -- as a point of reference. She's not...
LOESCH: Yes. She references herself that way.
COOPER: I know, I know. From what I...
LOESCH: I understand that. Thank you.
COOPER: All right. Dana, I appreciate your perspective. Thank you. And Matt Taibbi, as well. Thanks very much.
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