The Glenn Beck Program – Best of the Program

Guest: Stu Burguiere
Date: March 20, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of The Glenn Beck Program features Glenn Beck in conversation with Stu Burguiere and other contributors, with a focus on the intersection of American culture, politics, humor, and media narratives. Key topics include political gaffes, media coverage, the passing of Chuck Norris, the legacy of COVID-19 policy, and deep analysis of the 2026 Senate races through prediction markets. Throughout, Beck’s irreverent tone and penchant for heartfelt commentary shine.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Presidential Humor and Cultural Context

• Donald Trump’s Pearl Harbor Joke ([02:57]–[05:53]):
  • Trump, at a press event with the Japanese Prime Minister, makes a pointed joke referencing Pearl Harbor in response to a question about military “surprise,” highlighting his brash comedic style.
    • QUOTE ([03:40] - Trump, quoted by Beck):
      "Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Okay, why didn't you tell me about Pearl Harbor? ... You believe in surprise, I think much more so than us."
  • The hosts debate the appropriateness and comedic timing:
    • Stu: ([04:16])
      “I think the statute of limitations... we're past the statute of limitations. We can make horrible jokes. It’s not polite and I shouldn’t have made that joke... But no, what president does that?”
    • Ricky: ([04:51])
      "Greatest president of all time."
    • Glenn: ([05:45])
      “What I love about that was all the faces of the Japanese press pool looking at each other with that, ‘Is it too soon to make that joke?’”

2. The Passing of Chuck Norris

• Beck pauses the show to share the breaking news of Chuck Norris’ death ([05:58]–[10:33]), reflecting personally and warmly:
  • QUOTE ([06:10], Glenn):
    "He was one of the most giving men I have ever met. And completely normal. He was just a normal guy who dedicated himself to making the lives of children better... he has left a legacy of good and strong young men and women."
  • Memes and legacy:
    • Ricky: ([10:33])
      “Chuck Norris doesn’t die. He left to beat up the Grim Reaper.”
  • How Norris jokes began:
    • Stu: ([10:57])
      “Their son... said, ‘Mom, this makes dad more popular than ever!’ They had no idea, but somebody had started it, and it just went on and made him really into much bigger of a legend than he ever was.”

3. Reaction to J.B. Pritzker’s Project 2029 Agenda

• Pritzker’s comments on restoring the rule of law prompts Beck’s impassioned monologue on accountability, selective justice, and COVID-19 policies ([12:21]–[23:50]):
  • Beck’s Rant ([12:39]):
    "We have to restore the rule of law. We have to punish those who have violated the law."
  • Beck’s frustration with lack of accountability for political and COVID-19 decisions:
    • “Could we apply that to, I don’t know, people who are stealing from our treasury... or killing people during COVID? ... No one is going to pay any price."
  • Parallels between Marxism, purges, and political division:
    • "Marxists and Islamists do the same thing... they purge. If they get power, they mean it because they do it."
  • Appeal for unity:
    • "We have to stop saying that person is a traitor and you must hate them. We have to come together. The evil that we are fighting is so profound we will lose... We need to love one another."
  • On cultural relativism and evil:
    • "He takes what’s good and he perverts it... Our best human traits ... have been twisted... If that’s their culture, then we must say that culture is evil. And we have stopped saying that."
  • COVID-19 origins and government responsibility:
    • "What was done during COVID was evil... We went to ... China ... because they didn’t have a problem doing it and our laws restricted us from doing it... [Drug companies] conspired with our own politicians ... and they killed millions of people. That’s what happened. Period. That’s the truth. Period. And it was evil."

4. The Value of Prediction Markets and the 2026 Election Outlook

• Glenn and Stu analyze prediction markets as key to sensing political and economic trends ([23:57]–[39:58]):
  • On prediction markets:
    • Stu ([25:32]):
      “When people put their money into it, they are not just being blowhards, they're invested... This is what predictable is all about. Look at the people who are putting their money behind what they think is going to happen.”
  • Link between market sentiment and real events:
    • Glenn ([29:01]):
      “Trump has come out and said it’s only gonna be a few weeks and the price of oil goes from 115 to 80.”
    • Stu ([29:46]):
      "They're sharing the oceans now with... the Iranians. We're just going to share the bottom half for them."
    • Glenn ([32:06]):
      “He has taken big bet after big bet after big bet. And especially with the military. It’s just paid off.”
    • Concern about overconfidence:
      • Stu ([32:15]):
        “If you become convinced that everything I’m gonna do is gonna work out that way…”
  • Senate and House race forecasts using markets:
    • Glenn ([32:41]):
      "It’s a 50-50 for the first time, Republican Senate control in 2026. That... points to a completely catastrophic outcome."
    • Stu ([32:52]):
      “That's the end of the Trump... Not just lame duck. That will be nonstop investigations, impeachment, everything for two years. They will set the country on fire for two years."
    • Glenn ([33:10]):
      "The House is obviously a real, real problem. That was something like 85% Democratic control... The Democrats are heavily favored and this is history..."
  • Detailed breakdown of Senate races, state-by-state:
    • Solid/leaning Republican seats: Ohio, Iowa, Texas—if Republicans keep these, Senate is at 50–50 ([34:53]–[36:33]).
    • Watch Alaska as a “toss-up” with unpredictable dynamics ([38:33]).
    • Stu ([38:36]):
      "If you can win those three states, you’re at 50... It’s a little bit pessimistic to say it’s a 50-50 chance."
  • Party base divisions in Texas:
    • Discussion of Cornyn vs. Paxton camps and risk to party unity ([36:53]–[37:58]).
    • Stu: “You cannot lose Texas.”
    • General prediction: Base will unify closer to the election, as in 2016 ([40:59]–[41:07]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump’s humor:
  • Stu ([04:53]): “If you don’t find him funny, if you don’t get that he is trolling almost all the time, you’ve missed a sweet, sweet, fun ride.”
• On Chuck Norris (Glenn):
  • ([06:10]): “I can’t tell you I have met a bigger star than Chuck Norris … and a more regular guy than Chuck Norris.”
• On accountability for elites:
  • Glenn ([12:39]): “We have to restore the rule of law. We have to punish those who have violated the law.”
• On division and unity:
  • Glenn ([17:10]): “We have to stop saying that person is a traitor and you must hate them. We have to come together.”
• On COVID-19 origins and evil:
  • Glenn ([22:45]): “What was done during COVID was evil. ... They killed millions of people. That’s what happened. Period. That’s the truth. Period. And it was evil.”
• On the healing of party divides:
  • Glenn ([40:59]): “I tend to think that as we get closer to this election, a lot of that stuff’s going to wind up healing. We saw it in 2016 with Donald Trump ... By the end ... people were pretty united.”

Important Timestamps

• [02:57]–[05:53]: Trump’s Pearl Harbor joke and reactions
• [05:58]–[10:33]: Chuck Norris’ passing—Beck’s tribute, meme origins
• [12:21]–[23:50]: J.B. Pritzker, rule of law, COVID era accountability, plea for unity, and culture
• [23:57]–[39:58]: Election prediction markets, economy, the Senate races, party splits—detailed political analysis
• [36:53]–[37:58]: The Cornyn/Paxton split in Texas GOP
• [38:33]–[39:58]: Alaska tossed-ups and final election odds

Episode Takeaways

• The episode traverses comedy and tragedy in American public life, using Trump's off-the-cuff remarks and the loss of Chuck Norris to explore how narratives are shaped in media and politics.
• Beck waxes philosophical about the American condition, the dangers of selective justice, and the importance of unity—punctuated with both humor and fervent warnings about repeating historical mistakes.
• The analysis of election markets highlights the tension between sentiment, media narratives, and the colder signals of money and prediction—serving as a reality check for all sides as 2026 approaches.
• Throughout, the interplay between Beck, Stu, and their contributors offers a deeply human, sometimes emotional, always pointed survey of American politics and the cultural mood on the eve of another pivotal election cycle.