Glenn Beck – November 2009

     The Glenn Beck tour bus rolled into Barnes & Nobel on Colonial Drive at Bumby around 10 a.m. on Friday, 20 November 2009. Orlando is a stop on Glenn’s 2009 National Book Tour promoting his current best sellers “Arguing With Idiots” and “The Christmas Sweater” story book for children. Glenn entered Barnes & Nobel amid a sea of camera flashes and cheers around 11:30 a.m.

    Glenn spoke briefly on the Health Care bill and the U. S. Military in Afghanistan. His brief comments elicited hardy cheers from loyal fans who had been waiting in line for over two hours. There were about 600 people in line in the store, a long line outside the door, and more arriving when I left at 12:30.

    According to a member of the Barnes & Nobel management team, people began arriving at 4:30 a.m. to secure a prime spot in line. One young girl told me, she and her mother arrived at 6 a.m. to make sure she had the opportunity to present Glenn with two portraits she had drawn for him.  She was excited that Glenn asked her name, thanked her, and shook her hand. Mothers, fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers came with children in tow and infants in strollers. High school and college students, business and professional people, cake decorators and genealogists were among those who had gathered to meet Glenn. Veterans were there from WWII, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq and Korea representing the Army, Navy and Marines.

    One Vietnam disabled veteran had served as a Navy Seal and shared his love for our country and stories about the Seals while checking out the tour bus.