I share some of my colleague Davy Buck’s enjoyment of Glenn Beck, mostly because we have a common enemy, the administration’s and this Congress’ affinity for statism. And Beck does dig where the mainstream media doesn’t—into fellows like Van Jones [whom he got], and into the looming specter of “community organizing” on a national scale by ACORN [which he just took a nice bite out of].

But I would caution the righteous Right against putting too many eggs in Glenn Beck’s basket. He’s a showy populist, not a genuine and well-grounded thinker like a Krauthammer or a Beckwith. He’s already said some stupid things that cross the line:

…that President Obama has “a deep-seated hatred of white people, or white culture, I don’t know what it is…”

This simply won’t do.

If the great Newton L. Gingrich, who’s much less of a hot dog and a much better thinker than Beck, could screw up and hurt conservatism, that Glenn Beck will screw up is a near certainty. And unlike Gingrich, Glenn Beck will never resign.

What Beck said in the above video already discredits him forever as a source in polite argument. [Polite argument is very unforgiving, especially when the source is on the right.]

So, enjoy him while he lasts and scores a few lefty scalps, but keep in mind it’s tick…tick…tick…

I’ll defend Edmund Burke-style conservatism ’til the cows come home, but Glenn Beck’s hero is Thomas Paine, and damned if I’m gonna be left holding the bag for either of ‘em.