Fox host Napolitano is a 9-11 Truther: "It couldn't possibly have been done the way the government told us"

[James H. Fetzer]

http://mediamatters.org/blog/201011240019

Fox host Napolitano is a 9-11 Truther: "It couldn't possibly have been done the way the government told us"

November 24, 2010 1:01 pm ET by Eric Hananoki

Yesterday, Fox Business host and Fox News senior judicial analyst Andrew Napolitano revealed himself as a believer in the conspiracy theory that the government is lying about the attacks on September
11. Speaking on a leading conspiracy show, Napolitano said that it's "hard for
me to believe that" World Trade Center building 7 "came down by itself" -- a
central tenet of 9-11 conspiracy theories -- and claimed that "twenty years from
now, people will look at 9-11 the way we look at the assassination of JFK today.
It couldn't possibly have been done the way the government told us."

Napolitano made his remarks on the radio show of http://mediamatters.org/research/201010110010">Alex Jones, who is widely viewed as the leader of the conspiracy theory that the
9-11 attacks were an inside job. Jones describes himself as "one of the very first founding fathers
of the 9-11 Truth Movement" and his website features a blocked::http://www.infowars.com/category/september-11/"">section for 9-11 conspiracy theories.

Popular Mechanics notes, "Conspiracy theorists have long claimed that explosives downed World Trade Center 7, north of the Twin
Towers." The publication, which frequently debunks 9-11 conspiracy theories, added that a "report from the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST) conclusively rebuts those claims. Fire alone brought down
the building, the report concludes, pointing to thermal expansion of key
structural members as the culprit. The report also raises concerns that other
large buildings might be more vulnerable to fire-induced structural failure than
previously thought."

The New York Times noted in 2008 that "the collapse of 7 World Trade Center -- home at the time to branch offices of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Secret Service and the Giuliani administration's emergency operations center --
is cited in hundreds of Web sites and books as perhaps the most compelling
evidence that an insider secretly planted explosives, intentionally destroying
the tower."

Napolitano has long appeared on the program of Jones, who has been criticized by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League, among others, for outlandish conspiracy theories. However, as Jones himself indicated, this appears to be the
first time Jones has discussed his pet cause with Napolitano on-air.

As Media Matters has documented, Napolitano's previous Jones appearances have been marked with conspiracy theories about the government and the "New World Order." For instance,
Napolitano and Jones have agreed that Obama will "start a wider global war" to
"be a prince," and discussed whether a powerful banking cartel linked to "world
government" would "collapse the economy" and use that "as an excuse for martial
law." Napolitano also told Jones of Texas secession: "That time has come. That
may actually happen" because of the actions of the government.

Jones and Napolitano appear to have a close relationship and http://mediamatters.org/research/201010110010">regularly praise each other.

Napolitano has previously hosted Jones on his Freedom Watch program when it was on FoxNews.com. It now airs daily on Fox Business - a
development Jones repeatedly cheered during the interview. Napolitano has promised Jones that he will host him
on his Fox Business program.

Napolitano has dabbled in 9-11 Truth discussion before. In March, while still on FoxNews.com, Napolitano http://mediamatters.org/blog/201004270016">hosted truther Jesse Ventura, who was given an unchallenged platform to push 9-11
conspiracy theories. At the conclusion of that interview, Napolitano wondered if
"someday we will look on 9-11 the way we look on the JFK assassination today,
that is, where people who question the government's involvement will be
mainstreamed, rather than looked upon as an extremist fringe." Napolitano also
hosted
Ventura in October on Fox Business; during the interview, Ventura said he was
investigating the "alleged Pentagon plane" attack, to which Napolitano replied,
"we'll be watching."

Napolitano and Jones' discussion referenced a segment about WTC building 7 by Fox News host Geraldo Rivera, who hosted a group of family members of 9-11 victims asking the
"NYC city council to investigate" the official account about building 7. Rivera,
who has been outspoken against 9-11 conspiracy theories, said at the conclusion
that he was "much more open minded" about 9-11 questions because of the
involvement of 9-11 families and architects and engineers.

Napolitano later discussed the segment with Geraldo on his Fox Business program. Asked if he doubted the official conclusion about building 7, Geraldo said: "I think that it is highly unlikely that our government would do anything nefarious on a
scale of this epic nature. However, the building does appear to come down in a
way that is reminiscent of a controlled demolition."

Napolitano's belief in 9-11 conspiracy theories may make things awkward with his Fox News colleagues - especially Glenn Beck -- who have denounced
9-11 conspiracy theories and those associating themselves with anyone making
them.

The following is Jones' discussion with Napolitano about 9-11:

JONES: OK finally, man because I've never raised this with you, because it's a subject I just leave alone with folks because I don't want to cause people problems. But you brought it up with Geraldo Rivera, who says he is
concerned about building 7, and I want to put the question you put to him to
you. I mean, what do you think of Geraldo Rivera coming out -- what do you think
of 7?

NAPOLITANO: It's hard for me to believe that it came down by itself. I was gratified to see Geraldo Rivera investigating it. I am gratified to see that people across the board are interested.

I think twenty years from now, people will look at 9-11 the way we look at the assassination of JFK today. It couldn't possibly have been done the way the government told us.

JONES: Well, I want to tell you this. You've got a lot of courage, Judge, and so does Geraldo Rivera. I don't agree with him on some of his more liberal political views, but I do resonate
with his courage, and I resonate with yours, and I already had the highest
respect for you, but now the thermometer just broke. And the mercury --
geysering out of it right now. Judge, you are a great American, and I just can't
wait till your show is number one on Fox Business, when you're on regular Fox
full time, because no army can stop an idea whose time has come.

After the interview, Jones praised "awesome" Napolitano for his 9-11 Truth views and criticized the "George Soros publications" who would "persecute" Napolitano:

[sandy rose]

and ps we should invite mr. Napolitano to visit this group.

[sandy rose]

goody! we can use all the help we can get. the more the
'regular' folks about town see people saying stuff like this,
the merrier. now when do we all team up and draft some sort
of thing in big letters making yet another attempt to get some
people some where to do some thing about it. geeze. how
very aggravating can it get to us who have known for so long?
have we as a community of 9/11 truthers done all we can do?
i thought architects petition was good, hey, did that just get
usually ignored or what? they have some learnin ta do in the
planes department, if they haven't secretly done it yet, but
have we done all that we can do, and who else can be petitioned
that hasn't already gotten the earful? i would even go so far as
to offer up the planes exhibits that we have. what the hell, not
much else has worked so far. isn't that blatant inside job evidence?!@
it always gnags at me that there must be yet another person
we can wink at who might give a crap. but then it just seems that
the whole world, minus us truthers of course, just looks the other
way and keeps whistling the same old tune. what a horrifying drag.
how many other things will be done yet and just let done? holy
crap. perhaps as a group we might find yet other things to attempt.
anyway, belated thank you to all real trufers who stand the good stand
and shant give up no never ever never. i gave thanks 4 great brave truthers.

[Thoth II]

This is an excellent development, Napolitano is a medium-weight legal/news journalist and so it does carry merit. Together with Geraldo finally breaking his long hiatus, these are good forward steps for truth.

I also get the sense that probably I'd guess over 50% of americans are now questioning the official lie. We can learn from JFK. After the Warren commission published its findings, scarcely an american would question the party line. But look what happened there, the small cracks broke the dam and now no-one except hard-core apologists like Chomsky believe the lone nutter idea. 911 truth is destined to go down the same route, albeit it, much much faster because of the internet. Which is why the enemies of humanity will try to kill internet access for the average joe in the years to come, I'm afraid of.

[James H. Fetzer]

A second story about this development has now appeared at "The Huffington Post":
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/24/andrew-napolitano-fox-bus_...