Geraldo Rivera Tells 'The View': 'I Was A Right-Wing Lunatic' About Bomb Threat Conspiracy

Geraldo Rivera is apologizing for being a right-wing lunatic during last weeks mail bomb scare .

On Thursdays episode of The View , Rivera walked back an allegation he made during an Oct. 25 appearance on Fox Business Network that the bombs sent to CNN and prominent Democrats were actually an elaborate hoax ... intended to further divide the American people.

During the original interview, Rivera alleged the person behind the mail bombs was someone who wanted to embarrass President Trump, somebody who wanted to affect American political life.

Once Cesar Sayoc was arrested, Rivera apologized for the wrongheaded theory, but he still had to explain himself to the women on The View.

Well, I was a right-wing lunatic right then, he said sheepishly. I apologized for it. It was a brain fart. I said what I believed at the time.

The View co-host Joy Behar wasnt having it.

Thats BS and you know it, she said. Youre too smart not to know that.

Rivera then said that at the time he broadcast his false flag theory, he was basing it on information from bomb experts he spoke to before the segment.

I had just spoken to a couple of cops, experts in demolition and bomb experts, who told me that the devices were not viable, Rivera claimed. So, I said, Why would a Trump-lover send out fake bombs guaranteed to hurt the president in the lead-up to the midterms. It just seemed cartoonish to me.

Still, Rivera considers the comment a big professional boo-boo.

It just seemed too pat I never should have said it. I shouldnt have opined when I didnt know, he said, adding, This was worse than Al Capones vault by far.

Your Support Has Never Been More Critical

Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone.

Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you.

Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all.

Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all.

Support HuffPost

You can see Riveras complete segment below.

","type":"video","meta":{"author":"Lionel Abbott","author_url":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChH6BEl5u9QPFTjNLoaOxMg","cache_age":86400,"description":"The View (01, November) Jason Segel; Geraldo Rivera.\nThe View (01, November) Jason Segel; Geraldo Rivera.\nThe View (01, November) Jason Segel; Geraldo Rivera.\nhttps://youtu.be/Ire44Ff4QYg","provider_name":"YouTube","thumbnail_height":720,"thumbnail_url":"https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ire44Ff4QYg/maxresdefault.jpg","thumbnail_width":1280,"title":"The View (01, November) Jason Segel; Geraldo Rivera","type":"video","url":"https://action.news/watch?v=Ire44Ff4QYg","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"us","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5bdb3afae4b0da7bfc1824b2","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/entry/geraldo-rivera-the-view-bomb-threat_n_5bdb3afae4b0da7bfc1824b2","entryTagsList":"bomb-threat,geraldo-rivera,the-view-talk-show,@health_depression,@health_erectile,@health_ibs,@health_models","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":"politics-news","sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"us-news,media","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":11},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5bdb3afae4b0da7bfc1824b2","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"bomb threat","slug":"bomb-threat","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/bomb-threat","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/bomb-threat","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/bomb-threat"},"department":{"name":"Latest News","slug":"politics-news"},"section":{"title":"Crime","slug":"crime"},"topic":{"title":"Bomb Threat","slug":"bomb-threat","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/news/topic/bomb-threat"},{"name":"geraldo rivera","slug":"geraldo-rivera","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/geraldo-rivera","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/geraldo-rivera","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/geraldo-rivera"},"relegenceId":3525747,"url":"https://action.news/topic/geraldo-rivera"},{"name":"The View talk show","slug":"the-view-talk-show","links":{"relativeLink":"topic/the-view-talk-show","permalink":"https://action.news/topic/the-view-talk-show","mobileWebLink":"https://action.news/topic/the-view-talk-show"},"url":"https://action.news/topic/the-view-talk-show"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">