Beck - The Overton Window: Overton Window, Book 1

ALSO BY GLENN BECK

FICTION

The Christmas Sweater

The Christmas Sweater: A Picture Book

NONFICTION

Arguing With Idiots: How to Stop Small Minds and Big Government

Glenn Becks Common Sense:
The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine

An Inconvenient Book: Real Solutions to the Worlds Biggest Problems

The Real America: Messages from the Heart and Heartland

GLENN BECK

with contributions from
Kevin Balfe, Emily Bestler, and Jack Henderson

THRESHOLD EDITIONS-MERCURY RADIO ARTS
A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

Copyright 2010 by Mercury Radio Arts, Inc.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Threshold Editions Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

First Threshold Editions/Mercury Radio Arts hardcover edition June 2010

THRESHOLD EDITIONS and colophon are trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

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Designed by Joy OMeara

Manufactured in the United States of America

1 3 5 7 9 1 0 8 6 4 2

ISBN 978-1-4391-8430-1
ISBN 978-1-4391-9011-1 (ebook)

DEDICATION

Faith: To David Barton, a man who knows that the answers were left everywhere in plain sight by our Founders.

Hope: To Marcus Luttrell, a man who has shown us all what it really takes to never quit.

Charity: To Jon Huntsman, Sr., the man I hope to be someday. You are a giant in a world that seems increasingly small.

Never give up, never give in.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks to

All of the VIEWERS, LISTENERS, AND READERS, including the Glenn Beck INSIDERS. Were not racist and were not violent were just not silent anymore.

All my PARENTS; my wife, TANIA; and my wonderful CHILDREN for their continued love and support, even when Im up at 3 A.M. working on projects like this one.

CHRIS BALFE, KEVIN BALFE, STU BURGUIERE, JOE KERRY, PAT GRAY, and all of the other remarkable people behind the scenes at MERCURY RADIO ARTS for never laughing at my ideas (at least not to my face).

JACK HENDERSON for pouring his heart and soul into this project. And to Jacks wife, LORI, for letting him.

EMILY BESTLER, a world-class editor and, more important, a world-class person. Thanks for getting what this is really all about. And to LOUISE BURKE, MITCHELL IVERS, CAROLYN REIDY, LIZ PERL,

ANTHONY ZICCARDI, and everyone else at SIMON & SCHUSTER for continuing to help turn my dreams into reality.

PATRICIA BALFE, for sharing her love of thrillers and mysteries with all of us. I realize Im no David Baldacci or Robert Parker, but I still hope this book costs you some precious sleep.

Everyone at PREMIERE and CLEAR CHANNEL, including MARK MAYS, JOHN HOGAN, CHARLIE RAHILLY, DAN YUKELSON, JULIE TALBOTT, and DAN METTER, who have helped bring the radio program to more listeners then weve ever had before.

All of my friends at FOX NEWS, including ROGER AILES, BILL SHINE, SUZANNE SCOTT, JOEL CHEATWOOD, TIFFANY SIEGEL, BILL OREILLY, NEIL CAVUTO, along with my extraordinary STAFF that has helped me purchase almost every chalkboard in the greater New York City area.

My agent, GEORGE HILTZIK, who doesnt do content yet still loves to give me his opinion on every piece of content we create.

All of my friends, partners and coworkers who support me both personally and professionally, including KRAIG KITCHIN, BRIAN GLICKLICH, MATTHEW HILTZIK, JOSH RAFFEL, JON HUNTSMAN SR., DUANE WARD, STEVE SCHEFFER, DOM THEODORE, SCOTT BAKER, RICHARD PAUL EVANS, GEORGE LANGE, RUSSELL M. BALLARD, along with ALLEN, CAM, AMY, MARY and the whole team at ISDANER.

EVERYONE ELSE who has fallen victim to my ADDsorry, I focused on this page for as long as I could.

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

Ive been a fan of thrillers for many years. While nonfiction books aim to enlighten, the goal of most thrillers is to entertain. But there is a category of novels that do both: factioncompletely fictional books with plots rooted in fact, and that is the category I strived for with The Overton Window.

As you become immersed in the story, certain scenes and characters will likely feel familiar to you. That is intentional, as this story takes place during a time in American history very much like the one we find ourselves living in now. But while many of the facts embedded in the plot are true (see the afterword for details), the scenarios I create as a result of those facts, along with the way things are tied together and the conclusions that are drawn, are entirely fictional.

Lets hope they stay that way.

I know this book will be controversial; anything that causes people to think usually is. In this case, I hope that you are forced not only to think, but also to research, read history, and ask questions outside of your comfort zone. It will ultimately be up to each of us to search out our own truths.

While this may go without saying even once, I feel the need to say it again: This is a work of fiction. As such some of the characters in this book express opinions that I not only disagree with, but vehemently oppose. I included them in the story because these views, like them or not, are part of the current American dialogue. Ignoring them, or pretending that radical ideas dont exist in society, does all of us a great disservice. Silencing voices or opinions only pushes them to the shadows and darkness, where they can fester and grow even stronger.