Right-wing conspiracy fanatic Alex Jones isn’t toning down his rhetoric ahead of his controversial interview Sunday on Megyn Kelly’s show on NBC. He talked Thursday about someone putting bullets in CNN journalist Wolf Blitzer’s head, and warned that others “better have some helicopter jump jets” to escape violence in “Civil War 2.”
The ominous speech isn’t likely to calm critics or remaining commercial sponsors of Kelly’s program. The bombastic Jones attacked Blitzer, and later in the day threatened to publish extra footage of his interview with Kelly to expose “fake news.”
On his Infowars program Thursday, Jones criticized Blitzer for his purported stance on James Hodgkinson, the shooter who opened fire Wednesday at a congressional GOP baseball game, critically wounding House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and injuring others. Blitzer, claimed Jones, said Hodgkinson “wasn’t a monster.” In fact, Blitzer didn’t say that; an acquaintance of Hodgkinson said in an interview he “wasn’t evil.” Blitzer took no position.
“What happens, Wolf Blitzer, when somebody pumps rounds into your little pumpkin head and says, ‘It’s just political’?” Jones asked in a rant.
“Hah, you people,” he added, possibly referring to the press or to Democrats. “You guys better have some helicopter jump jets and be ready to get out of here real quick if the actual civil war kicks off.”
He emphasized that he’s “not the one that’s calling for violence,” then added: “You’re going to get wrecked bad.”
He said there are a “lot of people like Santa Claus ... making a list ... checking it twice about who’s been naughty and nice. And you kick off Civil War 2, baby, you’ll think Lexington and Concord was a cake walk.” (The battles of Lexington and Concord were the first of the Revolutionary War; they had nothing to do with the American Civil War.)
Jones’ latest screed will no doubt add even more fuel to the mounting controversy over Kelly giving him a platform on her program.
JP Morgan Chase reportedly yanked its ads from the program after NBC released a preview of the interview with the man who has claimed the 9/11 attacks were an “inside job” and that the murder of 20 children at Sandy Hook elementary school were possibly faked in a bid to win stricter gun laws. News that he would be featured on Kelly’s show triggered outrage from Sandy Hook parents and inspired a #shameonNBC hashtag.
“Multiple” other unidentified advertisers have dropped out, CNN Money reported in a story confirmed by NBC. A network spokesman insisted the advertisers will likely return.
Kelly has defended the upcoming program, saying that it will give people an opportunity to “know” Jones. She might get to know him a bit more than she would like if he follows through with a threat he made on Twitter Thursday to release footage of their interview.
CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker said Thursday at a network event at the network’s Time Warner Center headquarters that Jones is newsworthy because Donald Trump “relies on him and his points of view.” But, he added, Jones must be “held to account as much as somebody who spews such hatred and nonsense needs to be.” It doesn’t appear that will happen on NBC, judging by the preview, he added.
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