(Thumbnail Image: The New York Times)


BY: MALLORY PERRYMAN

Glenn Beck: “This day is a day we can start the hearts of America again. And it has nothing to do with politics. It has everything to do with God.”

No political signs, actively-serving lawmakers, or direct mention of the president. Yet, Glenn Beck’s self-proclaimed “non political” rally has political analysts talking. CBS estimated around 90,000 people gathered around the steps of the Lincoln Memorial for the event. Beck says 400,000. A Republican congresswoman says one million.

But did the crowd get the partisan free message they were promised? Two analysts on CNN break it down.

Bill Press: “It was political. Not that he ever mentioned the word Obama, but you can’t bash Obama five days a week on the radio and TV and then stand up on the Sabbath and be a non political person.”

Matt Lewis: “Look if he had talked politics we’d be criticizing him for that. Because he transcended politics, we’re now saying it was subtle.”

The Washington Post’s political columnist Greg Sargent says Beck was toeing the line with his jabs at the establishment. Saying the talk show host and Sarah Palin “played on their followers' fear that a Godless other is trying to transform our country.”

“The real point of stressing the rally's apolitical goals was political in nature. The idea was to relieve himself of the responsibility to pinpoint who, precisely, he wants his followers to blame for leading us away from God and for tarnishing our honor.”

Sargent does point out that Beck instructed attendees not to display any political messages at the rally and most of the crowd obliged. With that kind of influence, Fox News’ Chris Wallace wants to know — is there a political future for Beck?

Chris Wallace: “The blog traffic right now is a Beck/Palin national ticket in 2012."

Glenn Beck: “Not a chance. I have no desire to be president of the United States. Zero desire. I don’t think that I would be electable.”

The talk show host may not ever be listed on the ballot, but according to a reporter for MSNBC Beck’s rally is definitely an indication of the public mood going into the upcoming midterm elections.

Domenico Montanaro: “When you looked in 2008 it was Barack Obama who had all the enthusiasm and the inspired voters. The ones who are inspired this time around look like they’re Republicans.”

“If these folks go to the polls and Democrats don’t show up that could spell big problems for Democrats this fall.”

In The Balitmore Sun, columnist David Zurawik says the take away point from the “Restoring Honor” rally isn’t about politics — it's about understanding why so many people see Beck as a moral authority.

“We need to wonder what it says about us as a culture that so many Americans on a Saturday in August and more than two million a day via Fox News come to Beck and apparently hear something in his hodge-podge of elementary-school history and mishmash of moral platitudes and bromides that they find meaningful.”

So what do you think? Was Beck’s rally a political ploy, a religious revival or maybe both?