The feedback loop between Alex Jones and Fox News is becoming more explicit.
Last week, Glenn Beck hosted author and fringe conspiracy theorist G. Edward Griffin, bringing to Fox News a man Alex Jones has called a “trailblazer” and “legend in the alternative media New World Order resistance movement,” one of “the great-grandaddies in the fight.”
Griffin -- who has peddled a quack cancer remedy he claims the government is conspiring to suppress; who has said that HIV does not exist; and who has claimed that the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency acted not to protect victims of Hurricane Katrina but to control them -- appeared on Beck's show to stoke fears about the Federal Reserve Board.
Today, Jones praised Beck for helping to mainstream Griffin's radical views -- a mainstreaming that Jones himself said was part of Fox News' move to the “quote 'extreme.' ”
After commending Beck for doing “a good thing Friday, having G. Edward Griffin on,” Jones put Griffin in the cadre of theorists who have supposedly been persecuted and killed for exposing the truth about the coming New World Order. According to Jones, his conspiracy theories are “now mainstream news” as “the train is pulling into the station.” He went on to explain Fox News' role in bringing these theories to light:
And so out comes Fox News two years ago with Dick Morris saying, “Hey, the conspiracy theorists were wrong about world government, UN takeover, global currency. But now they're right.” That's a quote.
And so Beck goes from a mainline conservative to having G. Edward Griffin on for over 30 minutes Friday.
Recall that in March 2009, Morris claimed that President Obama was displaying alarming signs of internationalism that could justify anti-government violence. According to Morris, Obama was willing to subvert U.S. interests to a global governing structure:
There are two big plays going on here. One is, through the G-20, create a situation where a level of government regulation that would be unacceptable if it were just done in the United States can get approved. And the second big play, which is going to come early next week is when the world climate group gets together to orchestrate a global redistribution of income downward using climate change and carbon emissions as the excuse.
Morris concluded: “Those crazies in Montana who say, 'We're going to kill ATF agents because the U.N.'s going to take over' -- well, they're beginning to have a case.”
According to Jones, this is part of a strategic plan by Fox News to “get more, quote, 'extreme' and tell more of the truth to maintain any credibility.” He explained:
It's a delicate balance. If Fox allows some truth to come out, they will have more viewers than all other cable news combined, as they do. Just because there is a little bit of truth.
What do you think happens when we tell you the whole thing? We go right to the rock bottom. Right to the bone. Right to the stinking guts of this thing.
At this point, Jones launched into a tirade, accusing Beck of poaching guests and sponsors from Jones' own show, all while conspiring to keep Jones from appearing on Fox News.
Later, Jones took issue with what he called a “pseudo intellectual hit piece” in New York Magazine, which Jones said mischaracterized him as a Fox News wannabe. Jones responded, “No. Fox News is an Alex Jones wannabe.” He continued:
I would be discredited if they let me on Fox News, even if they let me tell the truth. And that's what Media Matters is really scared of. We've pushed Fox News, greedy to have the biggest market share, to tell some of the truth.
Jones went on to point out Fox News' practice of giving a platform to “9-11 truthers” while failing to disclose that fact to viewers. Jones specifically mentioned Griffin and frequent Alex Jones guest Andrew Napolitano -- a truther who regularly serves as Beck's guest host.
It's become increasingly clear that Beck's move to the fringe is costing him his radio audience. How much longer will Beck's remaining television sponsors continue supporting “an Alex Jones wannabe”?