Drudge Report, Fox News falsely smear Gore

Grist ^ | May 10, 2008 | Brad Johnson

[cogitator]

Excerpted below:

... On May 6, Jeff Poor wrote for the Business & Media Institute (BMI) a story entitled, "Al Gore Calls Myanmar Cyclone a 'Consequence' of Global Warming," which was subsequently linked on the Drudge Report. Poor claims:

"Using tragedy to advance an agenda has been a strategy for many global warming activists, and it was just a matter of time before someone found a way to tie the recent Myanmar cyclone to global warming."

Poor wrote that Gore said in an interview on National Public Radio, "The year before, the strongest cyclone in more than 50 years hit China -- and we're seeing consequences that scientists have long predicted might be associated with continued global warming."

In fact, the audio clip has been doctored and the conclusion that "Al Gore Calls Myanmar Cyclone a 'Consequence' of Global Warming" is false. Here are the facts:

# Gore Said Myanmar Cyclone Is Not A Consequence Of Global Warming. The BMI headline ignores that Gore says in the interview that "any individual storm can't be linked singularly to global warming -- we've always had hurricanes."

# Gore Properly Described Relationship Between Storms And Global Warming. In the interview, Gore discussed Nargis and the devastating storms that struck China in 2006 (Typhoon Saomai) and Bangladesh in 2007 (Cyclone Sidr). He goes on to say that "the emerging consensus" among climate scientists is that the "the trend toward stronger and more destructive storms appears to be linked to global warming, and specifically to the impact of global warming on higher ocean temperatures in the top couple of hundred feet of the ocean, which drives convection energy and moisture into these storms and makes them more powerful."

* Story Presents False Clip Of Interview. The audio clip included with the online story includes two segments that have been spliced together, out of order, to mislead the listener as to Gore's actual meaning. The actual transcript (see below) makes it clear Gore was saying that the "consequences" of global warming we're seeing was the melting of the polar ice cap, which is unequivocally due to anthropogenic climate change.

* Business & Media Institute Is Part Of Right-Wing Message Machine. BMI is a right-wing "free-enterprise" front group that is part of Brent Bozell's conservative media machine, the Media Research Center.

The actual transcript reveals that Gore was speaking in response to a question about conservative pastor John Hagee's claim in a 2006 interview with Terry Gross that "Hurricane Katrina was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans."

[cogitator]

This reminds me of when the devastating tsunami hit, and there were ridiculous connections between the tsunami and global warming. Here, it is equally ridiculous to doctor a clip to discredit Gore when there is sufficient uncertainty in the science of climate change to make any skeptics happy. I can only interpret this as an early and misguided campaign propaganda ploy.

I'll probably be attacked for posting this. But integrity and accuracy SHOULD be important in trying to address this complex issue. It's stunning how much this doctored interview got circulated in the right-wing blogosphere (as indicated by Google searching).

And yes, the melting of the polar ice cap is not unequivocally due to anthropogenic climate change. Gore didn't say that either, but the writer of this piece mistakenly did.

And yes, I'm also aware that currently much of the global ocean surface temperature is a bit cooler than than normal. If anyone wants to post something about that to enlighten other readers of the thread, go right ahead. But don't feel the need to enlighten me about that, because I already know.

I wish everyone would try to be a little more circumspect and emphasize accuracy when trying to report on a subject this complex, but that is probably asking way too much of both the media and groups trying to influence the public through the media.

[cogitator]

You might find this interesting. Do you like your hemlock straight, on the rocks, or with a twist?

[bigfootbob]

“Drudge Report, Fox News falsely smear Gore”

TOUGH

[<1/1,000,000th%]

I agree with you.

[Hildy]

You know you’re going to catch a lot of grief. I plan on printing out and reading you personal page here at FR. It looks very interesting and I will approach it with an open mind. You sound like you know what you’re talking about. Alot here, don’t. I stay away from threads like this because I truly don’t know the facts of the issue. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[cripplecreek]

I wish everyone would try to be a little more circumspect and emphasize accuracy

Can't disagree there. Unfortunately many on the right have adopted the tactics of the left and can't be bothered by little things like ethics.

[netmilsmom]

I’ve gone to Drudge and don’t see this.
I see no reference to Fox and I’m not seeing it on Drudge.

Where is the headline coming from?

[BOBTHENAILER]

IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO FALSELY SMEAR AL GORE.

HE DOES IT EVERY TIME HE OPENS HIS MOUTH.

[JCG]

But integrity and accuracy SHOULD be important in trying to address this complex issue.

Got to agree.  Integrity and accuracy should be important in trying to address any issue.

----

Send treats to the troops...
Great because you did it!
www.AnySoldier.com

[dead]

melting of the polar ice cap, which is unequivocally due to anthropogenic climate change.

Nonsense.

[Bowtie52]

I only wish the media were a little more aggressive in its investigations so we were able to determine all the people, including Americans in general, that Gore has falsely smeared.

[Liberty Valance]

[BlueNgold]

Mr. Gore, despite his ‘qualifying statements’ is clearly using the opportunity of a disaster to continue to push his agenda. He is clearly linking his mythified global warming to tropical cyclones, and he continues to use the ‘consensus’ line when his ‘conclusions’ and ‘theories’ are not backed by empirical evidence.

The predictable results of the global warming theorems have failed. As such it should be treated as the junk science that it is.

Does this excuse FNC if they doctored sound bites? Of course not. However, what should not be lost in this discussion if the agenda of Mr. Gore, which is to draw a mental link among the populous that global warming is a contributing factor in tropical cyclone intensity - thus laying the blame at the feet of the evil Americans for the deaths in Myanmar.

[bvw]

From the so-called rebuttal:

"[Gore] goes on to say that "the emerging consensus" among climate scientists is that the "the trend toward stronger and more destructive storms appears to be linked to global warming, and specifically to the impact of global warming on higher ocean temperatures in the top couple of hundred feet of the ocean, which drives convection energy and moisture into these storms and makes them more powerful."

That phrase "emerging consensus" means NOTHING -- nothing, except Gore's OWN opinion, which he is foisting into the mouths of some vaguely specified grouping of others, others whom he hopes -- like any con artist -- the audience will accept as trustworthy experts.

It is most reasonable to take Gore's words to there most obvious meaning -- that is Gore is blaming the recent deadly cyclone on global warming.

Yes, to some it is true that a nit is not a louse. A louse is after all, to be exactingly exact in exactitude, a ADULT, and a nit is only an egg. So yes, I can understand how you, whom, I suspect would so argue that nits are not lice, would argue so nit-pickingly that Al Gore did NOT say what the ordinary listener would have heard him say.

[cogitator]

The Grist article came from ThinkProgress. There's a link to it in the Grist article. ThinkProgress shows a Drudge Report capture with the headline. He may have taken down the headline after this report of the doctored audio came out.

I know there were a couple of threads here inspired by the original report, and I think at least one of them was triggered by the Drudge Report or a source that picked up this topic from Drudge originally. (Drudge isn't too blame for not knowing that the interview clip was doctored, but journalistically speaking, maybe he should have checked the original NPR transcript??)

[lesser_satan]

Too damn bad. Gore and his ilk regularly compare those of us who think man-made global warming is a load of crap with holocaust deniers. Pot, meet kettle.

[jennyjenny]

Your link doesn’t go to Drudge and I don’t see this on his site.

[RedRover]

Agreed. Well said.

[denydenydeny]

the melting of the polar ice cap, which is unequivocally due to anthropogenic climate change.

*eyeroll*

[calex59]

Al Gore has repeatedly said that storms are linked to Global Warming. He usually uses a surrogate group(usually one that isn't named)to state that the "consensus" is that GlobaL Warming is tied to storms. His statements as a whole on this so called doctored comment do indeed blame Global Warming on the storms. How he said it may differ but the fact is he said it.Period. And he has said it over and over again.

Sounds to me as if you are a Gore apologist trying to make a case for him being very moderate on global warming, which we all know he is not.

Global Warming is junk science(by global warming I mean man made global warming)and Gore should admit this and also he should return all the money he has made on the extremely false activity of selling "carbon credits". That scam is a legal con game and should be stopped immediately. Al Gore is a criminal in my mind because of the lies and dis-information peddled by him and his ilk.

Spin all you want, Al Gore is an idiot and does link global warming to all storms.

[netmilsmom]

>>I know there were a couple of threads here inspired by the original report, and I think at least one of them was triggered by the Drudge Report or a source that picked up this topic from Drudge originally<<

Can you link to those?

[cogitator]

Did you look at this site:

http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/2008/05/09/right-wing-gore-cyclone/

That has a "Drudge Report" headline capture that shows the Gore item.

And I just searched the Drudge Report. Follow this link:

http://www.drudgereportarchives.com/dsp/search.htm?searchFor=Gore

Here's the first link found in the search:

"Gore Calls Cyclone 'Consequence' of Global Warming ... ^
From the May 06, 2008 20:48:37 GMT edition of the Drudge Report.

These link to the Business and Media site. Ah, interesting editor's note:

Editor's Note: Clarification: The original audio for this story included two accurate audio clips but placed in the incorrect order. They are now included on this story as separate clips. For the full NPR interview, click here."

I'm glad they made the correction. Unfortunately the can't correct all the blogosphere echoes that were inspired by it, like "Al Gore: Eater of the Dead", etc. And I note that BMI didn't change the title of the piece, either, which is still inaccurate. Oh well.

[SueRae]

Hysterical :-).

So it is writtne, so shall it be done.

[ZULU]

You can’t falsely smear a guy like Gore.

[norton]

"I'll probably be attacked for posting this. But integrity and accuracy SHOULD be important in trying to address this complex issue. It's stunning how much this doctored interview got circulated in the right-wing blogosphere...:

Not by me you wont - except for your implication that only the 'right wing blogsphere' lies. I won't alibi for this event but note that the left does the same in prime time.

" And yes, the melting of the polar ice cap is not unequivocally due to anthropogenic climate change. Gore didn't say that either, but the writer of this piece mistakenly did."

Gore isn't unequivocally responsible for the global warming panic but the apparently bogus report is totally, unequivocally, in character with his profit motivated blatherings. The people who responded to the report may have been misled but they were not unreasonable in accepting the report.

By the by, given the 'if it isn't Bush's fault it must be global warming' mantra Gore and the disaster cult has been so consistent on - is there a message in big Al's not assigning this particular disaster to their favorite cause?

[MEGoody]

Gore Said Myanmar Cyclone Is Not A Consequence Of Global Warming.

If this is true, it would be shocking that the Global Warming whore himself would say such a thing.

I haven't heard the interview, so my question would be, why is this guy more credible than those who supposedly 'doctored' the audio clip?

[netmilsmom]

From what I can see, he said that one storm can’t be blamed on it but all storms can. Here is his quote from that article...

“Gore Properly Described Relationship Between Storms And Global Warming. In the interview, Gore discussed Nargis and the devastating storms that struck China in 2006 (Typhoon Saomai) and Bangladesh in 2007 (Cyclone Sidr). He goes on to say that “the emerging consensus” among climate scientists is that the “the trend toward stronger and more destructive storms appears to be linked to global warming, and specifically to the impact of global warming on higher ocean temperatures in the top couple of hundred feet of the ocean, which drives convection energy and moisture into these storms and makes them more powerful.”

[ronnieb]

Gore?

[cogitator]

Gore: Deadly Cyclone a Consequence of Global Warming

Al Gore: Eater of the Dead

And in case you want to know on what Gore bases many of his statements:

New MIT study validates hurricane prediction: Provides confirmation that climate change intensifies storms

And if you really want to get into it, wade through the comments here:

http://www.climateaudit.org/?p=2994

Judith Curry's at #6 is particularly useful.

[cogitator]

See post 29 (probably right above this one).

[netmilsmom]

But you have to understand that there is a difference between “Climate Change” (naturally occuring)
And the “Man Made Climate Change” that Gore is pushing.

Don’t you see?

[roses of sharon]

I have heard him say it numerous times, and anyone who thinks, and promotes a lie that we can control the weather deserves to be smeared, with whatever we can do to stop this grifter.

[netmilsmom]

And I’m sorry but I have a really tough time taking facts from here

http://thinkprogress.org/wonkroom/2008/05/09/right-wing-gore-cyclone/

This is the original article. How many times do they use “right-wing”?

[Condor51]

And who really gives a carp about anything Gore or this rag Grist has to say. Whatever Gore says is a lie anyway - taken in or out of contetx.

But I really do like this Internet thingy of his. /s

[ConservativeMind]

Thank you for this. I didn’t comment negatively about this as I read it on Drudge; however, I snorted and thought to myself how consistently stupid his arguments were.

It is wrong to doctor anything and attribute it to someone. I will, grudgingly, stand behind Gore on this one.

[CedarDave]

I'll probably be attacked for posting this. But integrity and accuracy SHOULD be important in trying to address this complex issue.

We agree on something, I see.

And yes, the melting of the polar ice cap is not unequivocally due to anthropogenic climate change. Gore didn't say that either, but the writer of this piece mistakenly did.

In your opinion, which is it? Is the word "not" meant to be in your statement? For the record, I don't believe that any melting of the polar ice cap is due to anthropogenic climate change [note how the hot words used by the believers are now "climate change" not "global warming"].

Here is something for the reader to look at and draw your own conclusion:

Arctic sea ice, May 11, 2008 compared to May 11, 1983

[cogitator]

I guess we just have to consider whether the audio interview clip that was provided by the Business and Media Institute Web site was an accurate representation of what Al Gore actually said, and also whether what they said about it was useful to the debate. My opinion is that it was not useful.

I'm not surprised that the BMI article was picked up by other conservative outlets, nor am I surprised that a liberal Web site characterizes conservative sources as "right-wing".

[r-q-tek86]

ping... read cogitator’s about page

[CedarDave]

I plan on printing out and reading you personal page here at FR. It looks very interesting and I will approach it with an open mind. You sound like you know what you’re talking about. Alot here, don’t. I stay away from threads like this because I truly don’t know the facts of the issue. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

A lot of us on here disagree with cogitator's "knowledge." I suggest you get the other side of the story by looking at the "denier" websites. Here is just one:
http://www.icecap.us/

And while you're at it, look at the contributors to the website and their credentials:
http://icecap.us/index.php/go/experts

[MortMan]

Story Presents False Clip Of Interview. The audio clip included with the online story includes two segments that have been spliced together, out of order, to mislead the listener as to Gore's actual meaning. The actual transcript (see below) makes it clear Gore was saying that the "consequences" of global warming we're seeing was the melting of the polar ice cap, which is unequivocally due to anthropogenic climate change.

Bravo sierra! Unless I have personally seen an unedited video of the entire interview, I specifically reserve the right to cast doubt on the flipping transcript!

And this author is an unequivocal a$$hat for his unequivocal anthropogenic brain fart!

[Hildy]

Thank you. I will do that as well.

[cogitator]

The melting of the polar ice cap is consistent with expectations of effects due to anthropogenic global warming, but it is not unequivocally caused by it. There's a phrase out there called "polar ampliflication" which basically means the as the global warms, the high Arctic will warm disproportionately, i.e., more than the globe take as a whole. Accelerated Arctic sea ice melt would be one consequence of polar amplification. I know that IPCC projections indicate accelerated loss of Arctic sea ice, slower than what has actually been observed over the past decade.

Also note that reduced sea ice cover feeds back negatively, because open ocean waters absorb sunlight and will subsquently warm due to that effect.

[CedarDave]

Beam me to Planet Gore

[cogitator]

A lot of us on here disagree with cogitator's "knowledge."

Well, I'm a patient man. I expect -- though I can't predict -- that in 5 years or so, a lot more people here will realize how good my knowledge actually is/was. I have a very good awareness of what I know, why I know it, and how good my knowledge support base is. I also have a pretty good awareness of how good the knowledge support base of the skeptical side is.

As a note, there are some actual scientific experts who expect that Arctic sea ice summer minimum to get close to, or surpass, the 2007 minimum, despite the cool La Nina year conditions thus far. The reason is the marked loss of multi-year ice that happened last year. The refreeze is all "vulnerable" first-year ice.

See you in September (on that particular subject).

[Alas Babylon!]

I'm not surprised that the BMI article was picked up by other conservative outlets, nor am I surprised that a liberal Web site characterizes conservative sources as "right-wing".

I think what gets me the angriest in the whole terminology used department is how you accurately described that web site as liberal, yet the main stream media (by this I mean ABC/CBS/CNN/MSNBC/NBC/PBS/NYT/WP/LAT/Time/Newsweek etc) NEVER use the terms liberal, leftwing, socialist, communist, etc, but always ensures to identify the right wing, conservative media outlets, web sites, blogs, etc.

So when I see right-wing media machine, etc, etc, half a dozen times my eyes glaze over and my give-a-$hit meter is pegged at about zero.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

You might find this interesting. Do you like your hemlock straight, on the rocks, or with a twist?

Shaken, not stirred.

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[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Al Gore: Eater of the Dead

a.k.a. CARBONFIELD -- a J. J. Abrams film.

[The Electrician]

Yep - my reaction upon seeing that laugher was “sez who?”... The author assumes facts not in evidence...

[Thickman]

When Algore’s lips are moving . . .

This thread is akin to discussing the boy who cried wolf - This time he did not say it. LOL.

The real test of the theories and of The Boring One’s alarm-ism will be decades from now when there is a consensus based on observable data that demonstrates what maroon’s the people were who believed the AGW politically motivated movement.

[Cuttnhorse]

Cog,

I heard the quote and if I recall correctly it was on Hannity’s America program on FOX, on Sunday night, May 11. I could have sworn that his statement was just as the article states...unless Hanity aired a “doctored” feed.