The WaPo Jumps the Shark on Climate Change Reporting

[lowkell]

http://www.bluevirginia.us/diary/13448/the-wapo-jumps-the-shark-on-climate-change-reporting

Dear Washington Post, what is the point of this story? That the Pope was not as "fair and balanced" as the media has been in giving science deniers the same weight as scientists? It's sad to see that environmental reporter Chris Mooney was part of this piece of journalistic malpractice - doesn't he known any better?

Needless to say, the right wing blogs and media outlets have picked up on this careless story and are spreading it far and wide as proof that "even the liberal Washington Post" is aware of the vast conspiracy of evil scientists to steal your bodily fluids, or something.

[yellowcanine]

1. Wow, I read that story. I did not get that out of it at all.

What I got was that the Pope's advisors quite effectively shut out the climate change deniers from influencing the Pope's encyclical on climate change. I thought it was a well written and fascinating story on the inner workings of the Vatican. I saw no attempt on the part of Chris Mooney to be "fair and balanced" to the deniers. On the contrary, he basically reported that Philippe de Larminat and The Heartland Institute got their respective asses kicked by the Pope and his advisors. The biggest gripe seems to be that Mooney did not do an expose of the lack of scientific credentials of the climate change deniers. But that was not the point of the article. The point of the article was the attempt and failure of the doubters to influence the Pope. He succeeded, in spades, at that, in my opinion. I cheered silently when I read the article. Well done, Mr. Mooney.