Glenn Beck Might Just Be Smarter Than You Think

Glenn Beck (left) and Bill O'Reilly

Last night Glenn Beck paid a visit to The O'Reilly Factor, and Bill-O engaged him on the subject of gay marriage. Or tried to.

It was clearly a subject Beck didn't have much interest in talking about. When pressed, he seemed to stake out a remarkably sane position that marriage was a religious issue, not a governmental one.

To my ears he seemed to be suggesting that people should take the fight against gay marriage out of the political sphere and instead conduct it within their own religious institutions. The battle should be over whether your church performs and sanctions gay marriage – not whether the State does.

Is this a sign that the talking heads on FOX are going to be throwing in the towel on the issue of gay marriage? Not quite.

Beck might be canny enough give up this front in the culture wars, but O'Reilly seemed unwilling to let go, ominously pointing out to his viewers that "gay marriage is going to be a reality in this country in 10 years," and asking whether Beck was at all concerned about that.

Beck: Honestly, I think we have bigger fish to fry. You can argue about abortion or gay marriage or whatever all you want. Instead of arguing about these divisive...

O'Reilly: Do you believe that gay marriage is a threat to the country in any way. Is it going to harm anyone?

Beck: I believe what Thomas Jefferson said. 'If it neither breaks my leg nor picks my pocket, what difference is it to me?"

Okay, I'm not suddenly going to start watching FOX News, and I still think Beck is an idiot – but I'm impressed that at least one of the three most influential conservative pundits in the U.S. (that unholy triumvirate of Limbaugh, O'Reilly and Beck) isn't stoking the fires of bigotry and fear on the issue of  gay marriage.

Thoughts? Do you think Beck's position is going to be a growing trend on the right?