CNN’s John King, like so many in America, is baffled by Glenn Beck. He doesn’t know whether to be outraged, admiring, cautious, trusting, or somehow all of the above. To better understand what he’s facing, he brought a bona fide Glenn Beck expert, the New York Times’ Mark Leibovich, on the program to explain exactly what this “Glenn Beck” is all about.

Though the New York Times Magazine‘s cover story on ‘ladies’ man’ Glenn Beck has yet to reach newsstands, it has already inspired a frenzy of discussion amongst the media. Of course, regular citizens have their own questions as well, and the article’s author Mark Leibovich was happy to answer them in today’s TimesCast. The first query he fielded: “Why give this crackpot a forum?”

If Politico’s Mike Allen is the “most popular boy” after a glowing profile by Mark Leibovich in the New York Times Magazine hit the virtual street today, then the reaction to the piece by inside-the-beltway journalists represents the reaction of the AV club and, well, the yearbook staff: we hate him.

This goes to another obvious — and recurring — question: whether someone whose personal life has become so complicated is really fit to tackle one of the most demanding, important and stressful jobs in the universe. “Frankly I don’t see how Orszag can balance three families and the national budget,” wrote Joel Achenbach of The [...]

Really, Orrin Hatch? You’re going to challenge me for Hanukkah song of the season? OK you win. The song you wrote to celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, is awesome.