UPDATE: Correction...as of this evening, 87 advertisers have ditched their sponsorship of Glenn Beck's show. Here's the list of advertisers who have NOT boycotted Beck's histrionics and hate-mongering--and sponsored his show tonight. In the order they appeared (hat tip to Media Matters):

Since he called President Obama "a racist" who harbors a "deep-seated hatred for white people" in July 2009, Glenn Beck has yet to accept responsibility for his actions or apologize. In the wake of Beck's refusal to do the right thing, hundreds of thousands of Americans angered and offended by his indefensible comments have stepped in to do just that: hold Glenn Beck accountable.

More than 285,000 people have called on the Fox News program's sponsors to pull their support from Beck's show. And 81 advertisers have discontinued their commercials from airing during Beck's show.

Beck's racially divisive rhetoric, and falsehoods peddled as truth, have no place on a network that positions itself as a source of news. Journalistic integrity may not be at a high point in America right now, but Fox News really lowers the bar across the board. Scaring the American public with baseless conspiracy theories and outlandish accusations towards our President and other public figures and organizations that stand up for working people is unacceptable.

Companies that have NOT stepped away from Beck and Fox News, via Media Matters:

Help keep these major advertisers from returning to the Fox News show. Hold Fox News and Glenn Beck accountable for Beck's race baiting and fear-mongering rhetoric.

Click here for the full list of the companies that have disassociated from Beck.

Alternet's Alexander Zaitchik noted this week that during Glenn Beck's recent hospital stay for appendicitis, Beck tweeted in praise of his "AMAZING drs/nurses:"

Little did Beck know that the top-notch care he was receiving came at the hands of those "radical Marxists" represented by 1199SEIU. Zaitchik reminds us that research has shown that patients treated in unionized hospitals have better survival rates that those treated at non-union hospitals. She also reminds us why Beck's smears of SEIU and unions in general should be taken with a grain of salt (or none at all!):

Compared to Beck--who probably knows more about the 80s TV show ALF than he does about the history of the AFL--Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity are Pulitzer-winning labor historians. He clearly has little to no understanding of what unions do, their central role in creating the American middle-class, or why the labor movement has long served a legitimate and important role in national politics.

And in fact, Beck confirmed his total and utter lack of experience with labor last year when he said this: "I've never had to deal with unions before." But admitting he knows nothing about unions still didn't stop Beck from following up that statement with this baseless opinion: "I hate them. I hate them." The irony here is that Fox News broadcasters all belong to a union--so does this mean Beck hates all his coworkers too? Nice.

Beck says he'll be back to work on Tuesday following his emergency surgery for appendicitis last Wednesday. We can't help but wonder whether or not Beck will pick up right where he left off, increasing the pitch of his attacks on SEIU and its leaders. What do you think? (will the SEIU nurses who likely cared for him get an on-air "thank you"?)

Statement of Andy Stern, President of SEIU

WASHINGTON DC--Andy Stern, President of the Service Employees International Union, issued the following statement today regarding recent attempts of right wing extremists to silence working families by attacking progressive individuals and community organizations:

"This is a moment of profound change for this country--from kitchen tables to town halls to the floor of the Senate, this nation is engaged in a vigorous and heated debate about how we rebuild our economy, solve our national healthcare crisis and restore the American Dream.

"As has always happened when progressive change is in the air, the backlash gets fierce, ugly and anti-American. This time is no different. Right now, there is an insidious and coordinated effort on the part of the extreme right to target individuals and grassroots community groups as a way to silence the voices of women and men who have suffered the most under 8 years of right wing policies.

"These extremists will attempt to shut down and shout down anyone with a different point of view.

"Let's be clear who we are talking about--call them attack dogs, call them Teabaggers, call them Glenn Beck--these are the same folks who cheered the policies that crashed our economy. Who make up lies about death panels to try to kill healthcare reform. Who scream about democracy while denying workers a voice on the job. Who target anyone who poses a threat to a status quo that for too long has rewarded greedy CEOs while leaving people who work out in the cold.

"This is not the America we believe in.

"Their lies, their stunts and their smears will not silence us. Glenn Beck, FOX News and their pals have demonstrated that they don't care about what janitors, security officers, nurses, teachers, and other hardworking Americans go through each day trying to give their kids a better future. But make no mistake--these hardworking women and men will not be the next casualty of the cruel and cheap attempts of a loud and venomous minority to silence people who want to restore the American Dream.

"We are going to make sure healthcare is affordable and accessible for every man, woman and child in this country. We are going to demand transparency and accountability in the financial industry. We are going to create a fair and just path to citizenship. We are going to make sure workers get a voice on the job. And we will protect our democracy by calling out those extremists who would silence the voices of women and men who work each day."

Tomorrow, two of America's most favorite right-wing institutions will converge in East Lansing, Michigan at an event ironically titled the "Future Forum." FOX News' Glenn Beck and US Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue will both keynote an event hosted by the Michigan Chamber that is sure to tickle the free market fancies of those in attendance.

Both Beck and Donohue's Chamber have a history of letting loose vitriolic, reckless rhetoric. ThinkProgress has a brief overview:

Beck has called President Obama a "socialist," a "Marxist," and a "racist" with a "deep-seated hatred of white people." It may not come as a surprise that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, with its right-wing agenda of blocking health care reform, clean energy legislation, and workers' rights, is embracing Glenn Beck's hate and fearmongering.

But wait, there's more. Beck and Donohue have both promoted ludicrous inaccuracies about the Employee Free Choice Act. Here's just a snippet:

Beck Guest: Employee Free Choice Act akin to "tyrannies and socialism"

Fox News' Glenn Beck hosted Mark McKinnon of the Workforce Fairness Institute, in a segment that amounted to nothing more than a screed against the bill. After saying that people who want to hear pro-Employee Free Choice guests need to "turn to PBS," Beck gave McKinnon free rein to spew talking points:

Well, we call it the Forced Choice Act, Glenn. It is just a huge goody bag...[I]t eliminates the ability for workers who are being organized to cast a secret ballot, a democratic principle that we hold dear...They have private ballots in America, but not in other countries where there are tyrannies and socialism.

Needless to say, that's all false and misleading - even the Wall Street Journal admits the Employee Free Choice Act doesn't take away the secret ballot.

US Chamber: Employee Free Choice Act "a firestorm bordering on Armageddon"

Randel Johnson, vice president for labor, immigration and employee benefits at the Chamber, said defeating the measure was the lobby group's top priority in the coming session of Congress, and he described the coming fight in Congress over the issue as a "firestorm bordering on Armageddon."

Not only is the Employee Free Choice Act a measure that would help the economy and level the playing field for working people, it's only "Armageddon" to the reckless corporations that have abused the law for decades.

The US Chamber's vitriol on the Employee Free Choice Act was also the original inspiration for our "Scary Movie," highlighting some of the more crazy statements made by greedy corporate barons. This video should serve as a good substitute if you're not able to attend tomorrow's Beck/Chamber hoopla in East Lansing.

Quick hits from around the union:

• Unions remember the late Senator Ted Kennedy: Here's what organized labor and labor experts had to say about the late Sen. Kennedy and the legacy he leaves behind (hat tip to Change to Win). Also, read how Senator Kennedy stood shoulder-to-shoulder with SEIU members in Massachusetts and watch a video of SEIU nurses sharing personal memories of the senator.

• Massachusetts Needs Two Senators: With the support of coalition groups including SEIU Massachusetts, MassVOTE has launched WeNeedTwo.org, a new website and petition focused on honoring Senator Ted Kennedy's request that the Massachusetts State Legislature change state law to allow temporary replacement for his seat to ensure the state has full representation in Congress. Read more about Senator Kennedy's request and sign the petition.

• 40-Day Strike Ends for Bemis Workers Previously Treated Like Lab Rats: Workers on strike since July 21st at Bemis company in Terre Haute, Indiana agreed to a new contract with their employer. The contract will get rid of Bemis' plans to utilize temporary workers, allow seasonal employees working for more than 5 months to become a part of the bargaining unit, and give the union the right to bargain an alternative health plan that does not mandate Health Risk Assessment testing.

• Demanding Action on Immigration Reform: A long list of organizations and unions have signed an open letter to President Obama criticizing his inaction on comprehensive immigration reform and are planning vigils, marches, and other events across the country to protest the administration's local immigration enforcement program. SEIU along with NCLR, the ACLU, NAACP, People for the American Way and Jobs with Justice (a total of 521 groups) signed the letter to Obama.

• Preventing Private Equity's Feeding Frenzy on Banks: Remember Andy Stern's Wall Street Journal op-ed sounding the alarm on private equity's planned feeding frenzy on failed banks? Last week, even the Wall Street Journal editorial board agreed that to protect taxpayers, any deal to buyout failed banks needs transparency and scrutiny. While the FDIC continues to allow private equity firms to purchase failed banks, it approved new rules on Wednesday that take needed steps toward protecting taxpayers from another economic calamity.

• "The Nation's Most Politically Powerful Union": "S.E.I.U. is the money and the muscle behind any momentum there is left for a public plan," says Republican Whip Eric Cantor in Steven Greenhouse's New York Times' article.

• Beck's Falsehoods & Fantasies: Glenn Beck spent last week smearing Van Jones (White House adviser on Green Jobs) with misinformation and straight-up lies as the campaign to call on advertisers to drop sponsorship of his show keeps growing. Here's to setting the record straight.

• Buy Union-Made: Did you know SEIU members (and members of other unions too) can save over $1,000 annually using UnionPlus benefits? Celebrate Labor Day with discounts on union-made products and services. Also, congrats to SEIU Local 1000 for having the greatest number of submissions in the Union Plus Pet Contest. Vote for your favorite pet photo from a union member now.

• Feeding Breakfast & Lunch to 31 Million Schoolchildren: An editorial by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel this weekend discusses the importance of the Child Nutrition Act.

Glenn Beck may be feeling slightly less than relaxed and rejuvenated after returning from vacation on Monday. Since he's been gone, the number of advertisers who've signed on to dissociate themselves from The Glenn Beck Show's rhetoric of fear-mongering paranoia has reached a total of 36--up from 20 just one week ago.

Advertisers including Wal-Mart, Geico, CVS, Clorox and Sprint have discontinued their commercials from airing on Beck's self-titled Fox News show--and it's not hard to see why. The fallout has stemmed largely from Glenn Beck's declaration that he believes President Barack Obama to be a racist--a comment which, sadly enough, makes up only a percentage of Beck's total on-air proliferation of inflammatory hateful rhetoric and fear-mongering.

On Tuesday during his 5 p.m. EDT show, instead of addressing the boycott spearheaded by Color of Change to protest the talk show host's remark about President Obama last month, Beck essentially acted like a child who's been caught behaving badly...but won't admit he did it. The difference is that Glenn Beck is old enough to know better. Instead of accepting responsibility for his actions and apologizing, Beck spent much of his show attacking Color of Change co-founder Van Jones. (Sidenote: Jones is the current special advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. He's widely respected for his efforts to retrofit and re-power America using clean, green energy -- while also creating millions of new green jobs).

"Glenn Beck is trying to change the subject," said Color of Change executive director James Rucker to the LA Times. "The issue is his baseless fear mongering." Glenn Beck is doing his best to usher in a new era of fear mongering and histrionics every weeknight on his show--and it's up to us to push back. So far, the campaign to call on advertisers to drop sponsorship of Glenn Beck has amassed more than 160,000 signatures. Join the call to hold Glenn Beck and Fox News accountable for Beck's race baiting.

In other Glenn Beck "news"... On the August 24 edition of Premiere Radio Networks' The Glenn Beck Program, Beck claimed there is "evil at play" in the Obama administration...and talked for several minutes about how he thinks "they" are out to destroy him.

Glenn Beck's always been a "colorful" character, but this is a little over the top, even for him. Guess Beck just can't fathom the reality that much of the American public (including us) might not find his narrow viewpoint and hateful, inflammatory rhetoric objectionable and counter-productive--so instead, he chooses to spurts crazy right-wing fodder that there is some conspiracy theory at play and people are out to get him.

Beck said on Aug. 24 that is going to detail it on his show tonight--and Sarah Palin is rallying her Facebook community to watch him tonight as well. As one of my coworkers joked this morning...."Someone should bring popcorn for this!"

Finally, Wal-Mart is doing the right thing by distancing itself from Glenn Beck and his hateful rhetoric. Yesterday, Wal-Mart and 7 other advertisers confirmed they were pulling their support from Glenn Beck's show.

That brings the number of advertisers who've decided to stop financing Beck's rhetoric of fear-mongering paranoia in the last two weeks to a grand total of 20. The straw that broke the camel's back? When Beck declared that President Obama is "a racist" who harbors a "deep-seated hatred for white people" on July 28.

Watch Media Matters' collection of "Glenn Beck Moments" for a quick recap of Glenn Beck's inflammatory, televised hate.

ColorofChange.org has been at the forefront of those leading the call to boycott Beck and Fox News. From their press release:

Twenty companies have pulled their ads from Beck's show in just the last two weeks. The moves come after the Fox News host called President Obama a "racist" who "has a deep-seated hatred for white people" during an appearance on Fox & Friends. Previous companies who pulled their ads include ConAgra, GEICO, Lawyers.com, Men's Wearhouse, Procter & Gamble, Progressive Insurance, RadioShack, Roche, SC Johnson, Sanofi-Aventis, Sargento, and State Farm Insurance.

"We are heartened to see so many corporate citizens step up in support of our campaign against Glenn Beck," said James Rucker, executive director of ColorOfChange.org. "Their action sends a clear a message to Glenn Beck: Broadcasters shouldn't abuse the privilege they enjoy by spewing dangerous and racially charged hate language over the air. No matter their political affiliation, hate language doesn't belong in our national dialogue."

More than 14,000 people (and counting) have written Wal-Mart demanding an end to their support of Glenn Beck. However....it appears like the move by Wal-Mart could accurately be categorized as "baby steps." While Wal-Mart may have pulled its ad dollars from the Glenn Beck Program, the retail giant still advertises on his parent station. We need to keep the pressure on Wal-Mart to commit to keeping the airwaves free from offensive hate-mongering.

What you can do to help right now, via WakeUpWalmart.com:

« Write Wal-Mart and demand they pull all ads from Fox until Glenn Beck apologizes for his absurd remarks about President Obama.
« Make sure your friends and family know where Walmart's ad dollars are really going.

Is it just me, or do our opponents sound crazier every day?

Take opponents of health care reform; they're spending millions of dollars on TV ads that call the President's plan "socialism," "rationing," and "a government takeover." It sort of makes you wonder - where do these people come up with this stuff?

Meet HAARM: Healthy Americans Against Reforming Medicine - www.haarm.org

HAARM is what we imagine is happening behind the scenes of the anti-health care reform movement. An organization dead set on torpedoing any efforts to fix America's broken health care system.

We've even made a video to show what it looks like inside one of their late night brainstorming sessions. Take a look: www.haarm.org

Obviously, HAARM isn't real, but the stuff they say in the video really does come straight out of the Republican playbook. And, with a debate as serious as reforming health care, taking your talking points from Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh is simply unacceptable.

Will you watch the video and share it with your friends? We need to get the message to our opponents that we're not buying their nonsense; it's time for a serious conversation about fixing health care.

In recent weeks, GOP pundits and media outlets have attempted to obstruct, conflate and confuse the debate on health care by regurgitating Frank Luntz's health care talking points verbatim. Their favorite red herring? That ole standby, CANADA.

The recent media blitz on our neighbors to the north reminded us of the, ahem, sophisticated story line in South Park's 1999 feature film.

Blind obstructionism and fear-mongering has no place in fixing health care. Join us in defending against the dumbing-down of the health care debate.