Fakegate: DeSmogBlog’s epic fail
You almost have to feel sorry for the folks at DeSmogBlog.
Their moment of glory after they revealed the Heartland Institute’s documents took only days to blow up in their faces, and they’ve been playing defense ever since.
Brendan DeMille is upset that the shocking admission from a once-respected scientist that he committed fraud to obtain the documents became the story, instead of the somewhat more mundane fact that an ideological entity supported people of similar ideology:
The debate about what Gleick did to acquire the internal documents from Heartland will surely rage on. It will make good fodder for university students in ethics and journalism classes for years to come. But as Republic Report points out, it is hardly the most vital aspect of the story for mainstream media outlets to prioritize coverage on right now. That is, if the mainstream media are truly reporting what’s in the public interest, rather than chasing advertising revenue through scandal-mongering.
Note to Brendan – when the FBI is called in to investigate your source, it is the story.
Fellow DeSmogger Richard Littlemore is equally upset that Heartland outplayed the warmists at every turn since the document release:
In the last week, Heartland has been able to rely on this network – and on its own considerable skill as a propaganda machine – to deflect responsibility for the recent revelations of its own improprieties.
…
Most impressive, however, in Heartland’s campaign to spin this reputational catastrophe was its creation of the website www.fakegate.org.
…
Yet, in less than a week, it picked the its favourite meme “fakegate,” and ran up an entire website inlcuding everything from a section dedicated to inciting people to harass Heartland critics to a solicitation for funding for Heartland’s “legal defence.”
Clearly this was not a fair contest. How could DeSmogBlog expect to compete with Heartland when it came to messaging, it’s not like they’re a PR firm or anything. Oh, wait:
The DeSmogBlog team is led by Jim Hoggan, founder of James Hoggan & Associates, one of Canada’s leading public relations firms. By training a lawyer, by inclination a ski instructor and cyclist, Jim Hoggan believes that integrity and public relations should not be at odds – that a good public reputation generally flows from a record of responsible actions. His client list includes real estate development companies, high tech firms, pharmaceutical, forest industry giants, resorts and academic institutions. He is also a Board Member of the David Suzuki Foundation.
In case you were wondering, I’m pretty certain it was DeSmog who put the PR in pratfall.
For bonus comedy, here’s the strategy statement from Hoggan and Associates web page:
1. Do the right thing.
2. Be seen to be doing the right thing.
3. Don’t get #1 and #2 mixed up.
We know that recognizing “the right thing” can be difficult. Sometimes what’s right is a matter of perspective. Sometimes it means taking a short-term hit to ensure long-term gain. But in a climate of mistrust, where people have learned to recognize authenticity, we believe that doing the right thing, and being seen to do the right thing, is a sure strategy for success.
Good luck with that long-term gain, hippies.
NOTE: Thanks to Anthony Watts for the link, and welcome Wattsians. I didn’t know traffic could go to 11, but it can.
Stark Dickflüssig:
February 27th, 2012 at 10:00 am
“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” Matthew 6:5
Grumpy Old Man (UK):
February 27th, 2012 at 10:27 am
They’re all at it. This little gem from Bishop Hill. Climate activists tread a high and lonely path and are not as other people.
http://www.bishop-hill.net/blog/2012/2/27/lying-and-deception-can-be-justified-says-climate-change-eth.html
Did anyone ever tell these people, “when in a hole, stop digging”?
Grumpy Old Man (UK):
February 27th, 2012 at 10:28 am
Sorry. My entry for HOTW
Grumpy Old Man (UK):
February 27th, 2012 at 11:29 am
Even the guardianistas can see the wrong in Wily Gleiky, Super Genius.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/feb/27/peter-gleick-heartland-institute-lie?commentpage=3#comment-14877411
The greenie apologists are losing out big time in the comments.
JeffC:
February 27th, 2012 at 11:54 am
1. Do the right thing.
2. Be seen to be doing the right thing.
I would point out if you do #1 then you don’t need to do #2 …
Greg:
February 27th, 2012 at 12:30 pm
“The debate about what Gleick did to acquire the internal documents from Heartland will surely rage on. It will make good fodder for university students in ethics and journalism classes for years to come. ”
Yeah, it’ll be interesting to see what lengths those professors go to in making Gleick and Co into heroes.
More on funding of the evil denial machine (/snark:) http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2012/02/wither-transparency.html
BREAKING: Gleick Confesses | Watts Up With That?:
February 27th, 2012 at 1:14 pm
[...] 10:10AM 2/27 Fakegate: DeSmogBlog’s epic fail – You almost have to feel sorry for the folks at [...]
Katabasis:
February 27th, 2012 at 1:21 pm
There’s just no possibility of rational interchange with these people anymore, so I clipped this segment especially for them:
George:
February 27th, 2012 at 1:26 pm
“in a climate of mistrust” — LOVE the unintended pun.
Ron Manley:
February 27th, 2012 at 1:32 pm
Jeff C says, in effect, if you “Do the right thing.” you don’t need to “Be seen to be doing the right thing.” You seem to forget that this comes from a PR company – being seen is the important thing.
TorresD30:
February 27th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
One of the definitions of good character is “to do the right thing even when no one is looking”. So how does #2 fit with what is expected from someone with good character?
Steptoe Fan:
February 27th, 2012 at 2:07 pm
Feel sorry for the scum ? You MUST be joking, right ? !
The eco-facists, these watermelons deserve NO pity, nothing !
This is a war now, and to expose the liberals and destroy their climate lies, is all that matters.
WTF are you thinkin ?
Alix James:
February 27th, 2012 at 2:52 pm
“JeffC
February 27, 2012 at 11:54 am
1. Do the right thing.
2. Be seen to be doing the right thing.
I would point out if you do #1 then you don’t need to do #2 …”
Well, no, most of us wouldn’t.
But c’mon, you can’t expect to raise much money if nobody sees you do the right thing…
Something tells me that a PR firm that has to tell you how good it is, isn’t very good.
Old Hoya:
February 27th, 2012 at 3:06 pm
I am looking forward to seeing how the old “getting in the way of public consensus” defense works in a federal civil or criminal trial. What could possibly go wrong with that approach?
Alan Wilkinson:
February 27th, 2012 at 3:55 pm
Result from the 2012 Weblogs:
Best Australian blog: JoNova
Best Canadian blog: Climate Audit
Best European blog: Tallbloke
Best Science of Technology blog: WattsUpWithThat
Lifetime Achievement blog: WattsUpWithThat
Clean sweep of winners for sceptic blogs.
CAGW blogs absolutely nowhere. Hardly surprising since they only allow their mates to comment – and they are getting fewer by the day. Good riddance to the corruption of science for political purposes.
dailybayonet:
February 27th, 2012 at 4:00 pm
Steptoe Fan: there’s an ‘almost’ in the sentence for a reason
dailybayonet:
February 27th, 2012 at 4:03 pm
Thanks Alan, below are the winners with links.
Best Science or Technology weblog: Watts Up with That
Best Australian or New Zealand weblog: JoNova
Best European weblog: Tallbloke Talkshop
Best Canadian weblog: Climate Audit
Lifetime Achievement Award: Watts Up with That
Old & busted: alarmist blogs and Joe Romm. New hotness: skeptic blogs and Anthony Watts.
It’s consensus we can believe in.
Rod McLaughlin:
February 27th, 2012 at 4:10 pm
Old Hoya’s reference to Iron Felix is very funny to those who know who he was
“Gets in the way of public consensus”
You can’t make it up, can you?
David Ball:
February 27th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
So smearing those who disagree with you is “doing the right thing”? I struggle to comprehend the disparity between what they say and what they do.
TRM:
February 27th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Wattsians? Is that what people are called just because they want to follow the scientific method? Sounds good and is much shorter! Wattsistas would be my choice. A guerrilla movement for truth.
dailybayonet:
February 27th, 2012 at 5:28 pm
David: I agree, it’s confusing. At DeSmog, ‘doing the right thing’ is actually doing the left thing to do in the right wing, or something.
John Blake:
February 27th, 2012 at 5:48 pm
To “Old Hoya,” re post at 1505L on 2/27/12 (Mon): Good call. Anyone familiar with Felix A. Dzerzhinsky, 1877 – 1926, as the genocidal fanatic who presided over Lenin and Stalin’s mass-murdering Committee for State Security (KGB) recognizes his affinities with Warmists’ totalitarian mindset: Evil exists, it lives.
Ulrich Elkmann:
February 27th, 2012 at 5:51 pm
“The Ethics of Climate Change”. Now everybody knows what these words stand for. Right up there with “An offer you cannot refuse”.
Laugh of the day – where’s that DDT when you really need it? | Watts Up With That?:
February 27th, 2012 at 7:37 pm
[...] at DeSmog blog, the hilarity from the Daily Bayonet Story earlier today [...]
Budgenator:
February 27th, 2012 at 7:47 pm
Somehow it doesn’t seem sporting to skewer people on a bayonet after they self-inflicted much greater wounds on themselves. Up until recently I really thought most of the team was pimping for research grants; I’ve read so many abstracts of reasonably valuable research that threw in a “due to global warming” as an after-thought, but these guys in the core cadre of alarmist climate science really believe this stuff!
Laugh of the day – where’s that DDT when you really need it? | TaJnB | TheAverageJoeNewsBlogg:
February 27th, 2012 at 7:54 pm
[...] at DeSmog blog, the hilarity from the Daily Bayonet Story earlier today [...]
Streetcred:
February 27th, 2012 at 7:55 pm
“The DeSmogBlog team is led by Jim Hoggan, founder of James Hoggan & Associates, one of Canada’s leading public relations firms. [ ... ] Jim Hoggan believes that integrity and public relations should not be at odds – that a good public reputation generally flows from a record of responsible actions. His client list includes real estate development companies, high tech firms, pharmaceutical, forest industry giants, resorts and academic institutions. He is also a Board Member of the David Suzuki Foundation.”
Now wouldn’t it be ironic if Hoggan’s client list were to suddenly shrink as a consequence of his defence of unethical practices ? For example, the last thing a property developer client needs is more ‘ethical’ bad press regarding its PR firm.
MattN:
February 27th, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Not only did they not “do the right thing” they have “been observed doing” the exact opposite of “the right thing”. You can’t screw up that mission statement any worse than that.
First time caller here from wattsupwiththat. Nice place. I’ll be back more often….
Francis:
February 27th, 2012 at 8:19 pm
MattN: first time here? Don’t miss the “Round up”, every Thursday at noon. A firework, every time.
ExWarmist:
February 27th, 2012 at 10:21 pm
@Budgenator
February 27, 2012 at 7:47 pm
WRT the core cadre…
And their belief is their weakness – it means that they are unable to adapt to the changing circumstances brought on by the failure of their predictions. They most likely will not go out with a bang, but with a whimper.
Their handlers are a different kettle of fish, they will seek to move on and co-opt the next movable feast of unearned revenue.
peterj:
February 27th, 2012 at 11:57 pm
Almost feel sorry for all the disillusioned greenies. Almost. Brainwashing is so very hard to undo. Gore is down to recruiting children in schools and Suzuki is down to gimicks, like trying to scare kids into believing the North Pole is melting and Santa will have to find a new home. Their fallback position of endangered polar Bears fell apart when proved they where breeding like flies. Poor bastards. Logic and common sense are so evil. Carbon seems like a poor long term investment. Taxing nothing seemed so hopeful.
Russell C:
February 28th, 2012 at 12:03 am
Don’t forget who has worked at Desmogblog almost as long as its founder…….
“In Case of Heart[land] Attack, Break Glass” http://junkscience.com/2012/02/19/in-case-of-heartland-attack-break-glass/
Excerpt: “There is not one thing new about DeSmogBlog’s attack on the Heartland Institute; in fact, elements of it go all the way back to at least 1992, and one person has been involved in this throughout that entire stretch of time: anti-skeptic book author Ross Gelbspan.”
jones:
February 28th, 2012 at 2:29 am
May I please be called a ‘Watterati’?
Ta.
Jay299uk:
February 28th, 2012 at 6:26 am
I was struck by the similarity in appearance of Gleick and Malcolm from the “Modern Parents” strip in Viz. See:
http://www.tfheaven.free-online.co.uk/modernparents.jpg
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Modern_Parents
Similar views too.
A co-incidence?
dailybayonet:
February 28th, 2012 at 7:09 am
jones: Call yourself anything you like, but FYI – hippies might call a Watterati a water rat. Just sayin’.
John W.:
February 28th, 2012 at 7:44 am
First time here – followed the link from WUWT. I’m adding this site to my daily reads.
dtbronzich:
February 28th, 2012 at 8:36 am
Just read the story on WUWT, and will add this site to my favorites. Shared it on Facebook.
dailybayonet:
February 28th, 2012 at 11:20 am
Thanks to new readers for visiting and taking time to comment.
We don’t do math much around here, but we do know when something big happens:
Thanks again to Anthony for the linkage, though there’s a fair chance the steaming server took out another polar bear.
Chunga:
February 28th, 2012 at 8:14 pm
C’mon, you’re being too hard on them — what’s wrong with some madcap antics from a zany bunch of fun-loving warmists and PR flacks? Lighten up.
The Gleick Tragedy | Watts Up With That?:
February 28th, 2012 at 8:46 pm
[...] 10:10AM 2/27 Fakegate: DeSmogBlog’s epic fail – You almost have to feel sorry for the folks at [...]
The Gleick Tragedy | TaJnB | TheAverageJoeNewsBlogg:
February 28th, 2012 at 10:03 pm
[...] 10:10AM 2/27 Fakegate: DeSmogBlog’s epic fail – You almost have to feel sorry for the folks at [...]
Michael Larkin:
March 1st, 2012 at 3:11 pm
Nice blog. I’ll definitely be coming here again! :-)