The world could be coming to an end, but not to worry: "the Democrats are now in charge of Congress." That, in a nutshell, was NBC's message on global warming on this morning's "Today."Here's how Matt Lauer, apparently in the throes of a global-warming panic attack, kicked off the segment:
"Now to a controversy in Washington over what literally could be the end of the world as we know it."
View video here.
Story Continues Below Ad ↓
The segment focused on allegations, made before a hearing chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman [D-CA] by the advocacy group the Union of Concerned Scientists, that the Bush administration has pressured scientists to downplay the threat of global warming. Andrea Mitchell narrated the segment, and began with a clip of reporters from NBC's UK affiliate ITN on a boat in Antartica making concerned noises over melting icebergs. Andrea, they do tend to do that in the summer, which it now is in the austral.
We were then treated to clips of McCain, Obama and Hillary all making appropriately concerned noises. McCain was the most emphatic: "The argument about climate change is over. Now it's time to act."The statement by Hillary might be variously interpreted: "Emissions are still going up."
Andrea Mitchell held out a ray of hope to an anxious world: "What has changed? The Democrats are now in charge of Congress, and there's a growing consensus that fossil fuel emissions the ice cap, with the prospect of dire consequences for the planet."
By the way, Ian Murray asserts in this NRO item that the allegations by the Union of Concerned Scientists are so much "junk science."
ABC Update: GMA was on the global warming beat, too. Introducing weatherman Sam Champion, Robin Roberts noted "everyone knows how passionate you are about global warming." Champion offered some alarmism regarding the coming dire impacts of global warming. Noting that on the occasion of a global warming conference in Paris, authorities will turn off the lights on the Eiffel Tower for five minutes, Champion enthused that it was a "neat thing."
Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
THIS IS GREAT!
January 31, 2007 - 09:23 ET by blackrain4xmasEvery new "now we're saved" kinda theme that the msm picks up is just another let down in the making for the American people.
"The world is gonna end! Dems will save us!"
(how?)
"WHEW! That was close, thank God the Dems passed a non-binding resolution that'll save the world!"
um, no. Every setup and failure is another nail in the 08 coffin for Democrats. They're not the party of opposition anymore. Now, they have to put up and save the world from global warming, oil wars, terrorism, etc., or shut up, and since they're incapable of nothing....ya get the picture I'm sure.
dems to the rescue !!!
January 31, 2007 - 10:19 ET by SportPoliticsdems to the rescue !!!
Well, actually the plan hasn't changed at all. Waxman's lovein proved that to me this morning. The entire time was spent on making veiled and insinuating attacks on Bush and the administration of secrecy and it's chilling effect.
So, in the dem world of "their perfectly valid reality that is of course real to whomever experiences it as such", the same plan they had before, is the one they're practicing now. Heck they figure hating Bush, bashing Bush, putting down Bush, lying about Bush, making fun of Bush, got them to where they are, and for that very reason, they are not about to change it. It's very open minded and progressive of them.
A future look : We've stopped the era of secrecy.
Now, the world can rest knowing they have their old friend back
Diplomacy has been reinstituted, and only suffers when this administration tries to outmaneuver us.
We won't be lied to again.
The world is safe from domestic fascism, we won't say yes to Bush.
The culture of corruption has ended, but the investigation into the Bush legacy has not.
And so on, repeat, rage, rant, and redo with reckless abandon.
What, did you go to the DNC website?
January 31, 2007 - 12:36 ET by blackrain4xmasCheck it out, the place is PLASTERED with "holding Bush Accountable" crap. They don't even make a secret about it. They know they can't do anything more than work on the popularity rating of a man who doesn't care.
Anybody But Bush ain't gonna carry the day in 08.
Fact is, 250 Americans have died in Iraq since Dems were elected on their promise to provide a New Direction In Iraq. They can't deny it, so they try and hide it by putting up all kinds of other news for the media to fall over.
Somehow I get the feeling tha
January 31, 2007 - 09:28 ET by Mica the MagnificentSomehow I get the feeling that the cure for global warming is to have the government regulate more and more businesses ( in order to check on that carbon footprint, you see) and taxing them accordingly, and imposing a 'carbon footprint' tax on everyone who earns over the minimum wage (the new 'living wage').
And, of course, praise from the dems to Chavez in Venezuela for nationalizing almost everything in order to make sure evil capitalists don't sneak some gasses into the atmosphere.That will be the 'new' reason that socialism is the way to go, to protect us from 'warming.'
When Fidel dies, let's all parachute into Cuba and take over. Our dream will come true and the Cuban people won't even know there's been a change in government! - Democrats making a wish
You sure seem to have their n
January 31, 2007 - 11:19 ET byYou sure seem to have their number.
It's 666, isn't it, Debra?
January 31, 2007 - 16:37 ET by Mica the MagnificentIt's 666, isn't it, Debra?
McCain has really "jumpe
January 31, 2007 - 09:32 ET by msh1973McCain has really "jumped the shark"....he might as well call himself a Democrat. Does he support anything conservative?
When did "global warmi
January 31, 2007 - 09:34 ET by GregAWhen did "global warming" become this new fervent religion? Because, that's exactly how it's being treated.
Remember in the 70's or so the old decrepit guys that would walk around with signs saying "Repent! The End of the World is Near!" This is what I think of every time I read another story about this topic...
We used to dismiss such people as crackpots...so why are we receptive to those believers in this new religion (and where's the separation of Church and State)?
it has become a religion. i
January 31, 2007 - 10:14 ET by buddycit has become a religion.
if you cut through the liberal code words and media blitz this is what is happening. bush does not agree with gore. to disagree on this subject is a crime against humanity as defined by the media. the evilness of bush's disagreement is exactly what waxman is going to have hearings on. can you friggin believe it. what a manumental waste of time and money. waxman is an idiot. what a monmentual political shell game and waste of funds.
they don't need hearings. just adopt sweeping greenhouse emission reductions, shut down all coal fired plants and tax the crap out of people for use of their vehicles. the house and senate could pass laws requiring a 30% reduction in carbon emissions immediately. bush would have to veto it. would he dare.
if this issue is 1/2 as urgent as matt lauer thinks, immediate action is required. they have the power! why not act if they really believe it.
republicans who get on this bandwagon are idiots.
Umm because buddyc
January 31, 2007 - 10:35 ET by SportPoliticsUmm because buddyc, Bush is the decider, and has left a chilling effect on the media and scientists, and blocked all access to anything but his sexed up information warfare. We know there is total consensus by all the mainstream scientists, but with Bush in the way, the only thing proveable is he has blocked and intimidated every single one of them, by issuing secrecy regulations, and changing fioa request procedures and banning the phrase global warming. He made it law to keep all records secret to protect daddy and his iran contra buddies. We won't know now for decades what really happened. Anyone who disagrees is under the influence of the lying oil lords.
Extermination, err, extinction starts in 10 years minus the time of Al Gore's prophetic scientific warning. Now Gore really is a preacher, and like Jesus he's here to save the world, unlike the faux chimpxtian.
...oh yee of global warming f
January 31, 2007 - 13:15 ET by RunningBeer...oh yee of global warming faith, accept not that facts contradict, shun those who dessent against thee, ignoreth thy common sense and lead us all into the greatest of hysteria. Amen.
"What literally could be
January 31, 2007 - 09:53 ET by HumanEvents"What literally could be the end of the world" "dire consequences for the planet"
These couldn't be scare tactics now could they?
What a classic con game. Scare people to death with a phony, hyperbolic scenario and then present yourself as the solution (Money and/or power being the goal for the con artist(s)).
And Ian Murray has plenty of others with him who consider this junk science, despite John McCain's ridiculous line, "the argument is over." Besides, Mr. McLame, when did we ever even have a debate on this in the first place? It's like every other liberal agenda - just repeat your talking points in the MSM without having to defend your assertions. And repeat them often enough as if they were established fact. Eventually the lie told often enough will ... you know the rest.
And did you see that photo of McCain and Shrillary yesterday? Looking at each other adoringly. What a nightmare it would be if those two are the candidates in '08. He thinks she'd make a good president anyway so what's the point of his even running.
HumanEvents,That is exactly w
January 31, 2007 - 10:10 ET by msh1973HumanEvents,
That is exactly what I was thinking. I am going to ask this question again...what does the msm have to gain by pushing this agenda?
In reality, they have nothing
January 31, 2007 - 11:38 ET by mattmIn reality, they have nothing to gain. As part of humanity they have nothing to gain and everything to lose. But as part of the Left, the MSM has plenty to gain (as they see it) - or plenty to protect from an embarrassing loss.
The Socialists coopted the conservation/ecology movement of the 60's as a way to spread their philosophy and push their preferred form of government all over the world. They are anti-capitalists (except when it comes to their own personal wealth), and GW is just another concept they can exploit and abuse in order to push their agenda.
The MSM is the propaganda wing of this movement. They stand to gain exclusive control over the flow of information - that's power - which is what they want.
They must suppress opposing views (and what better way to do that than to accuse your opponent of doing that very thing?) in order to prevent the loss of credibility which would result from the exposure GW hoax. So they say, "the debate is over"...and all who oppose their views can just shut up and leave everything to them...they'll handle it.
Democrats Don't Know How To Save Anything
January 31, 2007 - 09:58 ET by emjem24When was the last time Dems ever came to the rescue of anything or anyone? The two most glaring examples would be FDR and Truman. Nowadays, they do the talk about saving everything from the planet to Americans from terrorists even if they have to use lies to do so. I think libs are very obsessive when it comes to the environment, the economy, and foreign policy because they've always been WRONG. Wrong about global warming (expose both opinions not just one why don't you?), wrong about the economy (it's booming but no, no, reporting on that wouldn't be right), and wrong about foreign policy (they supported the troop surge before they were against it). How are we to believe these people when all they do is lie and then become hypocrites on issues they used to support? No one takes them to task about this except NB, talk radio, and Fox News. Will the American people listen or tune out like they typically do?
The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer. Air Force Motto
emjem says: When your brain's stuck on liberalism it self-destructs.
They were discussing this t
January 31, 2007 - 10:24 ET by Tom1969caThey were discussing this the other day on the local talk radio station; an astrophysicist called in and said global warming was the result of the (proven) fact that the sun "pulses" - ie: its output is not steady. He mentioned that, of the current warming trend, the greatest increase was prior to 1940; and he finished with the news that heliologists (those are scientists who study the sun, for those of you in Rio Linda) say that the sun's current expansion cycle will end by 2020, at which point things should start to slowly cool down for a century or so.
Unfortunately, he didn't stay on the line long enough to be asked the most important question of all:
What are fear-mongering liberals and global-warming activists going to say after 2020, when all the numbers they've been pointing at start to go the other way?
(I'm afraid that if we let them enact too many of their wacky policies (ie: Kyoto), they'll point to the falling numbers and say, "See? It worked! We saved the world! All hail Al Gore, Savior of the Planet!")
~~~
VOTE DEMOCRAT!
(It's easier than thinking)
Why is it always 10 years? I
January 31, 2007 - 11:27 ET by bassndudeWhy is it always 10 years? I mean, gore was saying 10 years 6 years ago, and is still saying 10 years. Can we not subtract 6 from 10 and say 4? Or is the global warming crowd working on the new math level?
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
Well, in 1984, 2+2 equaled
January 31, 2007 - 11:36 ET by DyneWell, in 1984, 2+2 equaled 5. This is the same sort of new Math that "Big Brother" Al Gore (and the mainstream liberals) wants to push on us.
"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone."
- Bill Cosby
Yeah they do seem to like &qu
January 31, 2007 - 11:44 ET by HumanEventsYeah they do seem to like "ten years" as their benchmark. Must be the time period they consider to be ample in people to forget what they said. Which is perfect timing for Bill to help campaign for Hillary in 2008 (since 1998 was when the Monica Lewinski scandal exploded and was fresh in people's minds. And since all his prior scandals like Whitewater, Paula Jones, Filegate, and Waco were over ten years ago). Now in 1999 there was Juanita Broderick saying The Great Stainmaker raped her (and he refused to even deny it) and in 2000 there was Pardongate, and all the thefts and vandalism in the White House by the Clintonians. But those stories got such little MSM attention and virtually no reaction from even Republicans and Bush that I guess the ten year rule won't matter.
Here's a thought: Haven't n
January 31, 2007 - 11:48 ET by DyneHere's a thought: Haven't natural disasters, murders, wars, accidents, etc. already killed many more people in the past 10 years than the estimated number of those who will die as a result from global warming in the next 10?
PS: I am in no way advocating that the above natural disasters were a result of hyped global warming. I experienced a six-month drought on the island I lived on through high school. Nobody out there blamed global warming, we attributed it to a natural weather pattern seen every few years: El Nino.
"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone." - Bill Cosby
I don't own a TV, so I am
January 31, 2007 - 12:01 ET by benrandI don't own a TV, so I am missing out on how tihs story seems to have spontaneously erupted as a gigantic immediate problem, oddly enough, on Monday, the start of the workweek.
It couldn't be a coordinated effort by the Democrats and media to create an issue that might help them gain "marketshare".
We all know that the media ruling elite doens't think that way.
MSM
January 31, 2007 - 13:33 ET by iveseenitallWow! Brilliant reporters like Lauer, Mitchell and the rest in the MSM can be anything they want to be. First , they are foreign policy experts, now they are expert scientists. It's unbelievable. How can we compete in the face of such mental giants?
NEVER,NEVER trust a liberal
Curious,
January 31, 2007 - 13:43 ET by blackrain4xmasWhat political brainiac decided to make Global Warming a scandalous issue-
IN JANUARY!
I mean, am I the only one who thinks average Joes might WANT a little warming in January, and be a little easier to convince in say....AUGUST?
Tell ya what, Next July 4th when it's 110degrees and I'm BBQ'in outside, why don't they start holding hearings about how cold Earth is becoming, and try and convince me that there's an ice age upon us.
morons...can't even realize that in January, we want warming.
Yeah really, especially to be
January 31, 2007 - 14:21 ET by HumanEventsYeah really, especially to be engaging in such extreme alarmism in a January where even Florida, Texas, and Arizona are getting freeze warnings and snow (and 70% of the orange crop in California destroyed)! And how about all those blizzards in Colorado? 12 degrees in Minneapolis today.
So that's a great point, blackrain. Most people hearing this nonsense from the MSM while jacking up their thermostat, bundling up to go outside, etc. are probably like, "Global warming my butt!"
But recall in January 1996 when blizzards (including a 32 inch snow storm that hit most of the East Coast) came, both The New York Slimes and Newspeak said "Blizzards? Blame global warming." So the MSM has made it clear that the actual temperatures and climate conditions have nothing to do with their position. They will push for global warming and that's that! No matter how absurd they have to sound in doing so (blizzards mean global warming???? HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!). But... they may all decide some day to turn 180 degrees (no pun intended!) to global cooling again. But until then, it's global warming!
I agree with Matt Louder
January 31, 2007 - 14:25 ET by JimboMatt and I agree on one thing – the end of the world as we know it may be at hand. Not from global warming however, but by the nuclear fallout terrorists will unleash on our cities after we surrender in Iraq.
Jimbo says - "There is a fine line between freedom of speech and treason"
Am I beginning to sense despe
January 31, 2007 - 14:30 ET by Dave RAm I beginning to sense desperation on the part of the freedom-hating anti-free-enterprise DimLib MSM?
Sure sounds like it to me.
"...end the world as we
January 31, 2007 - 15:05 ET by Chris Norman"...end the world as we know it"
Interesting choice of words. The Democrats' radicalized agenda and priorities, along with their cheerleaders in the MSM, have literally ended the world as we knew it. I read these words, sometimes wondering in what world did I wake up?
The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
- Arabian Proverb
Clinton/Gore freeze out scientists..?
January 31, 2007 - 15:59 ET by Gary HallClinton/Gore freeze out scientists..?
Matt Lauer, in the video Mark provided above, led with:
Here is my fair and balanced question for the media to ask.
My witness please:
excerpted from: http://www.discover.com/issues/sep-05/departments/discover-dialogue/
Lauer
January 31, 2007 - 19:05 ET by pocomocoThis is your brain on Kool Aid!