When Rick Perlstein ran

When Rick Perlstein ran this Glenn Beck quote, I thought it might be a joke. Or perhaps a paraphrase. Maybe an Onion-like parody. Alas, the CNN host, who praised the John Birch Society this week, recently told viewers:

“[Y[ou know, Al Gore’s not going to be rounding up Jews and exterminating them. It is the same tactic, however. The goal is different. The goal is globalization. The goal is global carbon tax. The goal is the United Nations running the world. That is the goal. Back in the 1930s, the goal was get rid of all of the Jews and have one global government.

“You got to have an enemy to fight. And when you have an enemy to fight, then you can unite the entire world behind you, and you seize power. That was Hitler’s plan. His enemy: the Jew. Al Gore’s enemy, the U.N.’s enemy: global warming….

“Then you get the scientists — eugenics. You get the scientists — global warming. Then you have to discredit the scientists that say, ‘That’s not right.’ And you must silence all dissenting voices. That’s what Hitler did.”

I suppose there’s a logical explanation for why CNN has given this man his own talk show, and why ABC News invited him to be a regular contributor to “Good Morning America.” I just can’t think of what that explanation might be. It’s not like his ratings are keeping him on the air.