Denouncing death threats to AIG execs, Fox's Kelly ignored colleagues' violent rhetoric

In criticizing death threats to AIG executives, Fox News' Megyn Kelly did not address Charles Krauthammer's recent comments advocating for the “hanging” of AIG executives who received bonuses or Mort Kondracke's recommendation that they be “boil[ed] in oil.”

During the March 26 edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom, co-host Megyn Kelly called recently disclosed death threats to AIG executives who received bonuses “unbelievable,” and later said: “Outrage is one thing; death threats are quite another.” During the segment, Kelly read several threats, including one that said, “All you mother f-ers should be shot” and another that read, “The revolution is coming. Your blood will run through the streets.” She did not, however, address recent comments by Fox News contributor Charles Krauthammer and Fox News host Mort Kondracke, who each used violent rhetoric while discussing AIG bonuses on Fox News, as Think Progress noted.

During the March 16 edition of Fox News' Special Report, Krauthammer said of AIG: “I'm all in favor of this heaping opprobrium. I don't -- I would -- I'd deny them the bonuses if possible. I would be for an exemplary hanging or two. Have it in Times Square, invite Madame DeFarge. You borrow a guillotine from the French so we can have a party. If that's what it takes to maintain popular support, let's do it." During the same program, Kondracke said: “I was going to recommend boiling in oil in Times Square.”

From the March 16 edition of Fox News' Special Report with Bret Baier:

BRET BAIER (anchor): Charles?

KRAUTHAMMER: Well, I think the difference between AIG and the auto companies is that AIG has its tentacles and its loans and obligations in so many places, so many other financial institutions, so many countries, that there's really a threat to the world economy.

That's why it's being rescued, not because there is a virtue or goodness among the dealers and the bankers among them. And that doesn't apply to the auto companies.

But look, this is not so much an economic issue as a psychological and a political issue. Economically, if you add up all the bonuses, it's less than one-tenth of 1 percent of the bailout to AIG alone, so it's lunch money.

Psychologically, it's important because there's outrage in the country, and, as Mort indicated, unless there's an appeasement of the anger in the population who are going to have to support the next bailout, which is going to be a trillion dollars, the money won't be made available. Congress will deny it.

So that's why you get the president heaping opprobrium on these miscreants who are -- who made the bad deals, and now are getting the bonuses.

Look, I'm all in favor of this heaping opprobrium. I don't -- I would -- I'd deny them the bonuses if possible. I would be for an exemplary hanging or two. Have it in Times Square, invite Madame DeFarge. You borrow a guillotine from the French so we can have a party.

If that's what it takes to maintain popular support, let's do it. But it's not going to change anything economically.

BAIER: For the last word here, Mort.

KONDRACKE: Yeah, I was -- I was going to recommend boiling in oil in Times Square -- but, look -- because these are the people who invented these crazy credit default swaps that are leading to the whole disaster.

But I have an idea that corporate America, when all of this is over, should adopt the policy that we have over at Roll Call, and that's called profit-sharing. If you make a profit, you get to share. If you don't make a profit, you don't share.

BAIER: All right, panel. Stay with us.

From the March 26 edition of Fox News' America's Newsroom:

KELLY: Well, some AIG executives are now in fear for their lives. It has gotten to this. As you heard, CEO Edward Liddy testifying on Capitol Hill last week; he detailed some of the threats. Death threats, that is, pouring in to many of these folks who received the bonuses. Here's just a small sampling of these threats.

Look at this -- this is according to documents obtained from the Connecticut attorney general -- quote: “Get the bonus, we'll get your children.” That email courtesy of, quote, “Jacob the Killer.” And then there's: “All you mother f-ers should be shot.” Then there's: “All the executives and their families should be executed with piano wire around their necks.” This is unbelievable. And then a bit more creative: “The revolution is coming. Your blood will run through the streets.”

Now, prosecutors say that some of the poisoned pens have left email addresses and phone numbers -- criminals are always stupid -- making it much easier to track them down. Outrage is one thing; death threats are quite another.