brought to you by www.energyboom.com
 
“An imperative read for a successful future.”
~LEONARDO DICAPRIO  
 
Clearing the PR Pollution that Clouds Climate Science

Desmog Video

You need Flash player 8+ and JavaScript enabled to view this video.


 



Marc Morano's Climate Denial Echo Machine

marc-morano

One of the oldest public relations trick in the book is called the "echo chamber" and it plays off the idea that if you repeat something often enough it becomes the truth. Senator James Inhofe's political spindoctor Marc Morano knows this technique well and he has been using for years to shotgun blast out misinformation on global warming to right-wing media and bloggers for years.

In turn, these bloggers and media outlets blast out their own rendition and before you know it the misinformation is bouncing around the internet and inboxes all over the world.

 

 

Researchers at Thinkprogress have released the list of climate doubters Morano relies on for his echo chamber. According to Brad Johnson who wrote the Thinkprogress article:

"Promoted on the Drudge Report and Fox News, Morano’s moronic misinformation enters mainstream discourse through columns by Barnes, George Will, Robert Samuelson, and others. Many in the Morano gang are funded by right-wing think tanks, though a few are committed activists, conspiracy theorists who believe their homebrew interpretations of climate data. Others are aging scientists with strong conservative beliefs, motivating them to challenge action on global warming not because they disbelieve its existence, but because they are ideologically opposed to regulation of pollution."

Couldn't have said it better myself. You can download a PDF version of the Morano list here: Morano Denier Gang. We'll be adding more information about each of the individuals and their organizations over the coming days.


This month we're giving away FREE copies Nobel Laureate Dr. Andrew Weaver's new book Keeping Our Cool: Canada in a Warming World.

Go here to find out more details about DeSmogBlog's monthly book give-away.

AttachmentSize
Morano Denier Gang.pdf618.13 KB
What's next?

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
#703281
Jason Leggett. +1; Tue, 2009-02-17 13:18; my taxes at work

What a waste of taxpayer money!  This guy is one of the greatest sources of misinformation on climate change, and he works for our government.  His sole purpose as communications director for Inhofe is to put together these lists of deniers and to publicize any and all misinformation on the subject, even including creating his own distortions of the truth.  What's most depressing is that his drivel is viewed by many Americans as a valid counterpoint to scientific sources, such as the IPCC AR4, forcing the scientific community to fight an uphill battle, despite the fact that nearly all scientific research is on their side.

We won't convince Marc, because he's paid to think otherwise.  Neither will we convince the many bloggers and inactivists, who have picked a side for ideological reasons, as you cannot reason a person out of a position that he did not reason himself into.  Hopefully, there are enough reasonable people out there with some minimal ability to think critically, who can still be persuaded that climate scientists might actually know what they're talking about, and that an economist's opinion on the matter is irrelevant.  As it is, public opinion does not reflect the present disparity in scientific evidence.

About the climate cover-up

About the climate cover-up

Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.

There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.

Although all public relations professionals are bound by a duty to not knowingly mislead the public, some have executed comprehensive campaigns of misinformation on behalf of industry clients on issues ranging from tobacco and asbestos to seat belts.

Lately, these fringe players have turned their efforts to creating confusion about climate change. This PR campaign could not be accomplished without the compliance of media as well as the assent and participation of leaders in government and business.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Like what you read here? Get our top five stories in your inbox every week. » here's a preview
Enter your email and subscribe now!



DeSmog Tip Jar

DeSmog Tip Jar

Flickr Photos

Flickr Photos
Hoggan, Robertson, HarcourtRichard LittlemoreJames Hoggan - Black and WhiteJames Hoggan - Colour

Member of the Progressive Bloggers Network

MEMBER OF THE PROGRESSIVE BLOGGERS NETWORK

Progressive Bloggers