Art challenges Chertoff on several fronts, pressing him about the collapse of World Trade Center Building 7, which was not struck by an aircraft yet fell hours later in what many observers describe as a classic demolition pattern. Chertoff responds that extensive fires and structural damage from falling debris explain the collapse, though he acknowledges more investigation is warranted. The conversation also covers the Pentagon strike, with Chertoff addressing claims that the initial hole appeared too small for a commercial airliner.
Callers confront Chertoff with rapid-fire questions about molten metal in the rubble, the speed of the collapses, and claims of forewarning. Art maintains a skeptical stance throughout, noting that Popular Mechanics has a vested interest in mainstream explanations while acknowledging the article's thoroughness on certain technical points.
Key Moments
On-Air Cousin-of-Chertoff Challenge: Art reads, in full, an angry email from 9/11 researcher Christopher Bullitt accusing Popular Mechanics of nepotism and propaganda because Benjamin Chertoff is a cousin of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, and threatening to call Art part of the cover-up if he ducks the question.
Why Steel Doesn't Need to Melt: Chertoff addresses the most-cited conspiracy claim that jet fuel can't melt steel. He argues steel doesn't need to melt to fail; jet fuel burned about 10 minutes, ignited furniture and offices that reached around 1,800 degrees, knocked off spray-on fireproofing, and steel softens, expands, and loses structural integrity.
Puffs of Dust Were Air, Not Squibs: Chertoff explains the squibs of dust ejected from the towers as one floor pancaked onto the next: an office building is mostly air, and the over-pressurization of each collapsing floor blew out the windows. Not controlled-demolition charges.
Pentagon: A Boeing, Not a Missile: Chertoff tackles the no-plane-at-the-Pentagon claim from Thierry Meyssan's The Big Lie. He says reinforced concrete vaporized a thin-aluminum 500 mph plane, the wings sheared off and entered as liquid, the size of the hole reflects a compacted fuselage, and an enormous wealth of physical evidence including the black box and body parts confirms a Boeing hit.
Building 7: Damage From the North Tower: Asked about the most stubborn truther argument, Chertoff concedes the FEMA report didn't say much about WTC 7 but cites NIST: when the North Tower collapsed it scooped out roughly 25 percent of WTC 7's south facade, and that damage plus fires brought it down. Not a controlled demolition.