Glenn Beck keeps rally more historical than political

Glenn Beck talked a lot about American presidents during Saturday's "Restoring Honor" rally—just not the current one. He lavished praise on George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, and even read a bit from the "Gettysburg Address."

Beck, a conservative radio and television host, has long said the Lincoln Memorial event would be nonpolitical. So in keeping with that pledge, he didn't deliver the kind of screeds against President Obama that have become his trademark on the air.

However, Beck didn't shy away from talking about Martin Luther King Jr. The "Restoring Honor" event has sparked controversy for taking place on the 47th anniversary of King's "I Have a Dream" speech. He mentioned King several times, played a video tribute, and claimed that he "can relate to King" more than "giants" like Washington or Lincoln because "we haven't carved him in marble yet."

Beck, on television and radio, often ties history—especially from the period of America's founding—with current issues. He's also devoted entire episodes of his top-rated Fox News show to highlight the evils of Nazism and Soviet communism in order to suggest ominous parallels with encroaching totalitarianism today.

On Saturday, he offered up a hodgepodge of historical references— from individuals (Frederick Douglass) to battles (Gettysburg) to horrific periods in U.S. history (slavery). But in contrast to how he presents the past on his Fox News show, Beck didn't relate this material to today's political world. Indeed,"Restoring Honor" focused little on any specific issues, opting instead for broader (and somewhat vaguer) themes.

Beck would likely say that's the point—to step outside of politics for a day and address nonpartisan concerns like "faith, hope and charity."

The rally's speakers didn't bring up politics, either. They repeatedly praised God in a manner that made "Restoring Honor" feel more like a religious revival than political rally. "America today begins to turn back to God," Beck said as he first took the stage.

Sarah Palin name-dropped Washington, Lincoln and King, too. She also talked about how America is at a "crossroads of our nation's history" without addressing any specific political or social issue. (Beck also spoke about being at the "crossroads.") "Let's stand with honor," Palin told the crowd. "Let's restore America."

Palin didn't single out anyone in the opposition, but warned the crowd that "we must not fundamentally transform America as some would want." Media Matters, a liberal watchdog group, claims that Palin could be referring to Obama with that line. Eric Burns, the group's president, said in a statement that Beck's "rally was political even if it wasn't partisan."

"Sarah Palin launched into a not-so-thinly veiled attack on President Obama and last night's event at the Kennedy Center emphasized issues held dear by the Christian right," Burns said. "It was hosted by a political talk show host, featured speeches by conservative politicians, and was promoted and staffed by political groups of all stripes." Controversial conservative Pastor Ted Hagee told the gathering--called America's Divine Destinty--that a "politically correct fog" prevents Americans from encountering "the righteousness and moral clarity of our godly forefathers. And Patrick Lee, a bioethics professor at Franciscan University, issued a forceful denunciation of gay marriage and abortion rights.

But even Media Matters—which monitors every word Beck utters on the air—didn't find many specific mentions of politics at Saturday's rally, as opposed to the Kennedy Center. Burns also noted the involvement of political groups like Tea Party Patriots at "Restoring Honor." (About 400 members of the organization worked as volunteers.)

And unlike tea party rallies, Saturday's gathering didn't feature any visible banners with slogans blasting liberals and the Obama administration. (Attendees were instructed not to bring signs.) Instead,many waved American flags. Some others held up Gadsden flags, emblazoned with a revolutionary slogan that tea party activists have adopted at many rallies: "Don't Tread on Me."

(Photo: AP/Alex Brandon)