(Continued...)

So I take it you didn't give John Kerry a hard time during the so-called "botched joke" episode.
There are times like the John Kerry [incident] that I've come out strongly against and said, "Come on, hang on, that's not what he meant."

But with Kerry you thought that was what he meant?
I'd have to go back and look at what I said at the time, but I don't put a lot of stock into.... John Kerry's got a very long history. I don't give him the benefit of the doubt.

The average Joes that are busy raising their families, they ask themselves, Why isn't the Muslim community leading the charge? Their religion is being hijacked and destroyedBefore you launched a cable news show, you published a book called The Real America. In it, you wrote that "TV news is just more empty calories ... something else that keeps us from being the real Americans."
When I go on vacation, I have a chance to be Glenn, the dad and average Joe. I'm not consuming the newspapers and the TV shows because I have to, I consume because I want to. And I notice myself about three days into it looking at the news differently. Looking at things that are happening in politics and Washington and going, What purpose does this serve? Why would I watch it? There's no reason for me to watch it. Well, that's because they've got to fill it with something. And they've got to jack you up on something, man, because we've got to get you to watch. It is candy. It is a diversion. It is something that you watch because they're telling you it's important and you've got to watch it. Some of it is. But some of it's not.

Why did you devote your career to being part of it?
Because some of it is important. Part of my job is to make people laugh. You don't have to be worried about everything, the world's not on fire—relax, man, and enjoy it. I think that's a good thing. There are other times that it's important to pay attention to these stories because they are critical and they do make a difference. I appreciate the position that I'm in to help share perspective on what's candy and what's not. And I will point out—candy! We've talked about naming part of the show The Cookie. Because I think it's important to point out and say, okay, here's something that's just fun to talk about. Interesting. Absolutely of no value—all calories.

People like Sean Penn or Susan Sarandon, "Hollywood liberals," might say the same thing: Their jobs are to entertain, but they are also in a position to bring important issues to our attention. Your answer to them is, "Shut up and entertain us."
Because they are entertainers.

But you just ...

No, no, no. Hang on just a second. My job, the reason why you're watching me, is because I'm going to give you perspective on the news. The reason why I'm watching Tim Robbins is because he was in the movie with Tom Cruise, and he's a good actor, and I believe he's the guy who's living in the basement, you know what I mean? But when Tom Cruise had to pick up the shovel, and his character had to beat to death the Tim Robbins character, I didn't see those two characters. I saw the guy who was jumping up and down on Oprah's couch going after the guy who's talking to me about war all the time. That ruins the illusion.

I'm not creating an illusion. I'm telling you right straight up front: This is what I do. This is who I am. I'm going to give it to you in an entertaining fashion. They're doing the opposite. They're embedding a message in their entertainment. They're selling you candy, and embedding a message. I'm giving you a message and embedding candy. My problem with Keith Olbermann is, Just admit it! Just admit that you're a liberal. I have not heard the man get on television and say, Look, I'm as liberal as they come. I'll come on and say I'm not a journalist, I'm as conservative as you can get.

You actually think there are people who are tuning into Olbermann thinking he is an impartial anchor?
I know I make an effort to make sure everybody is very clear of what I am politically. I want you to know, look, this is coming from a guy who's a recovering alcoholic rodeo clown with limited education, who's conservative. I'm a Mormon for the love of God! So take it for what it's worth. I can take somebody's opinion when they go, Look, man, this is my opinion, now I just want you to know, this is who you're getting it from. There's a difference between that and, Well, Edward R. Murrow was outspoken as well. Edward R. Murrow was a journalist. Are you saying that you're a journalist of Edward R. Murrow's stature? I'm not a journalist. I'm an opinion guy.

Bill O'Reilly calls himself a journalist, calls himself an independent, tries to portray himself as above the fray.
I can give you the same critique of Bill O'Reilly as well. Just come out and say it! Look, these are my political leanings. I'm an independent as well, but I'm a conservative. I'm not voting for a Republican or a Democrat. I'd like to throw both of them under the bus quite frankly. Anybody who tells you that they're objective and non-biased and this is the straight truth, period, is bullcrap. If they tell you this is the straight truth as I see it, I've been as fair and objective as I can possibly be—that's somebody who's telling me the truth.

My problem with Keith Olbermann is, Just admit it! Just admit that you're a liberal. I'll come on and say I'm not a journalist, I'm as conservative as you can get"Objective and non-biased and this is the straight truth, period"—that sounds like a CNN promo.
CNN is not Headline News.

Well, it's the same company and the same brand.
Well, let's not blend the two. Because I don't work for CNN. I'm an opinion guy. They're a news organization.

A news organization under relentless attack from the right-wing for being liberal. Were you a token hire?
Sure. I think that's probably what I said in the first interview. I'm not going to be your token conservative. Because I don't want to do left-right stuff. I hate it. I hate politics. It's worthless 90 percent of the time. Once in a while, you'll find someone who actually—I just did a monologue yesterday, and I couldn't get clean after I said it, but I respect Cindy Sheehan, because she doesn't care about the donkey or the elephant. She believes in what she says. Now, while I happen to believe what she says is dangerous and wrong, she believes it. God bless her. I wish we had more people like that in Congress. I really do.

The show's been successful. Why do you think that is?
Because people couldn't watch the TV Guide Channel any longer? I don't know. Antiques Roadshow is in re-runs? I think it's because I am who I am, you know? Agree or disagree, I am who I am. I'll tell you what I really truly believe. I try to do it with a sense of humor. I am just as shocked and humbled by the success as others are. I'm the luckiest guy on the planet.

You've got a three-hour radio show and a one-hour television show each day.
It's crazy.

And how many hours are you awake in the day?
I'm usually awake for 19 hours.

So that's 21 percent of your waking hours spent being paid to talk.
It's great isn't it? Can you imagine?

Don't you ever feel like you're full of shit?
Every single day. Every single day. You know it's really strange, I always seem to have something to say. I spend a lot of time, especially on vacation, thinking to myself, Uh oh, am I going to have something to say when I go back? But once I start, it unfortunately just won't stop spilling out of my head. But there are times when I think, Who am I? Honestly, by far I'm not the smartest knife in the drawer. How's that? And I'm just the luckiest man in America to be able to have the opportunity that I do.

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