Right-wing talking head and admitted recovering alcoholic Glenn Beck had this to say about himself in the latest TV Guide: "I've got like 10 minutes of education. I ain't smart. I'm a schmo."

Besides the fact that description would ring true of a certain president in office, don't you just love the boasting when it comes to a lack of education? As if not going to college or dropping out of school is cool or leads down the road to, gulp, becoming a liberal.

It's absurd. The wingnuts will complain about public schools and want vouchers for choice, and yet more than one of their talking heads seem to enjoy bragging about their lightness when it comes to education (recall O'Reilly trying to paint his education as average-Joe, despite going to a private high school). By obviously trying to appeal to the more blue collar audience that pays their bloated salaries, they end up glorifying less time spent at school and demonizing the overly-intellectual liberals who, heaven forbid, perhaps aspired to learning more in our schools.

Wow, what a terrific message to send our youth. You too can have your own radio and TV talk shows if you just become dumber by getting less formal education. Don't be ashamed of it or try to hide it or play it down, but rather embrace it, wear it like a badge of honor. Oh, and I guess suffering through a bout of alcoholism can't hurt. (And yet recall the horror of what the kids might think regarding the Clinton/Monica "affair"; once again, BJs bad, being a "schmo" that ain't smart good).

But most curiously, what reasonable person would want to rely on someone for political commentary who admits that he/she has ten minutes of education and ain't smart? Is that what it's come down to for many on the right, to shun the educated in favor of regular-guy ignorance? Or are we supposed to believe that Beck doesn't need all that "book learning" to be smart on the issues? If so, then the right should stop the hypocrisy about public vs. private schools since apparently it doesn't matter; kids should do just fine without a formal education -- just look at street-smart Glenn Beck!