MORANO, M

see Morano 2 for newer content; tag is inhofe414 capt=

MMFA tag; <a href="http://mediamatters.org/tags/marc-morano">http://mediamatters.org/tags/marc-morano</a>

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<h1 style=" margin-top: 0; padding-top: 0;">Climate Change Misinformer Of The Year: Marc Morano</h1>

<h5><a href="http://mediamatters.org/research"> Research </a> <time datetime="2012-12-27T09:04:25-05:00" itemprop="datePublished">December 27, 2012 </time>JILL FITZSIMMONS & SHAUNA THEEL</h5>

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ClimateDepot.com founder Marc Morano has been called "<a href="http://weirddream.com/">the Matt Drudge of climate denial</a>," the "<a href="http://www.cfact.org/2009/12/17/cfacts-morano-king-of-the-skeptics/">king</a> of the skeptics," and "<a href="http://weirddream.com/">a central cell of the climate-denial machine</a>," and he revels in these descriptions. Although he has no scientific expertise, he is adamant that manmade global warming is a "<a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=climate-cyber-bullying">con job</a>" based on "subprime science." Morano gained prominence working for two of the most vocal climate deniers in the U.S.: Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), who <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXcribQLjeE">notoriously called</a> climate change "the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people," and Rush Limbaugh, who we <a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/2011/12/19/rush-limbaugh-climate-change-misinformer-of-the/185495">named</a> Climate Change Misinformer of the Year in 2011 for his steadfast denial of climate science and wild conspiracy theories about the climate change "hoax."

These days Morano is paid by an <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/11/28/meet-the-climate-denial-machine/191545#morano">industry-funded</a> group [cfact?] to run the climate denial website ClimateDepot.com. At Climate Depot, Morano serves as the de facto research department for the right-wing media's attacks on climate science, and mobilizes his readers to target individual scientists and reporters for telling the public about climate change threats. The site was instrumental in manufacturing the 2009 "Climategate" controversy, which Morano incorrectly <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/13852/Climategate-20-Scientists-frankly-admit-to-each-other-that-much-of-the-science-is-weak-and-dependent-on-deliberate-manipulation-of-facts-and-data">claimed</a> exposed "deliberate manipulation of facts and data" by climate scientists. Morano is a darling of the organization most committed to climate denial, the <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/11/28/meet-the-climate-denial-machine/191545#heartland">Heartland Institute</a>. He regularly speaks at their conferences and <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/15922/Climate-Depots-Morano-Every-day-now-skeptics-are-compared-to-Holocaust-deniers--the-media-yawns--MSM-Condemns-Heartlands-Billboard-Ignores-What-Alarmists-Do-Everyday">defended</a> their controversial billboard comparing those who accept climate science to "murderers, tyrants, and madmen" including the Unabomber Ted Kaczynski.

Due to his history of smears and lies, Morano's media influence is usually confined to <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/12859/Rush-Limbaugh-Praises-Climate-Depot-You-remember-Our-Man-in-Washington-Marc-Morano-Hes-now-a-global-warming-watchdog-and-hes-got-a-website-called-Climate-Depot">Rush Limbaugh</a>, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/video/2011/04/29/morano-linking-extreme-weather-to-climate-chang/179208">Fox</a> <a href="http://mediamatters.org/video/2011/08/08/fox-hosts-morano-to-announce-death-of-a-thousan/182335">News</a>, and conspiracy theorist <a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/2010/10/11/who-is-alex-jones/171722">Alex Jones</a>. But in December, CNN invited him to "<a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/12/05/cnn-gives-climate-change-denial-a-platform/191686">debate</a>" Bill Nye on climate science, and in doing so elevated his marginal views to the mainstream press for the first time all year. For all this, Marc Morano has earned the distinction of 2012 Climate Change Misinformer of the Year.

<h2>Morano: A Professional Climate Denier</h2>

Morano Worked In Communications For Climate Deniers Rush Limbaugh And Sen. James Inhofe. Marc Morano is not a scientist and has no scientific background. Prior to starting Climate Depot, he worked as a producer for Rush Limbaugh in the 1990s where he was known as Limbaugh's "Man in Washington." Limbaugh continues to use Morano's material on his radio show to misinform his millions of listeners.

<img src="/513efae7-45bf-58e2-a380-0a6909ace05e.jpg"/>[via <a href="http://www.esquire.com/features/marc-morano-0410-2">Esquire</a>]

Morano went on to work for Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, who has called climate change the "greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people." As Inhofe's communication director, Morano fed misleading talking points on global warming to climate contrarians, conservative bloggers, and right-wing think tanks like the Heartland Institute. [Esquire, <a href="http://www.esquire.com/features/marc-morano-0410-2">3/20/10</a>] [Climate Depot, <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/12859/Rush-Limbaugh-Praises-Climate-Depot-You-remember-Our-Man-in-Washington-Marc-Morano-Hes-now-a-global-warming-watchdog-and-hes-got-a-website-called-Climate-Depot">9/18/11</a>] [Media Matters, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/2011/12/19/rush-limbaugh-climate-change-misinformer-of-the/185495">12/19/11</a>] [Think Progress, <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2009/02/17/174248/marc-morano-jokers/">2/17/09</a>]

Morano Relished When His Blog Was Called "Toxic And Divisive" By A NY Times Reporter. Morano now runs the climate denial website ClimateDepot.com, which distorts climate science and often attacks individual scientists. New York Times science reporter Andrew Revkin called Morano's blog "divisive and toxic," to which Morano responded: "<a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/15795/New-York-Times-journalist-Andrew-Revkin-Fumes-Climate-Depots-Morano-is-divisive-and-toxic">If by 'divisive and toxic' you mean Climate Depot is serving to derail the man-made global warming agenda and its sub-prime science and politics, I happily plead guilty!</a>" [ClimateDepot.com, <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/15795/New-York-Times-journalist-Andrew-Revkin-Fumes-Climate-Depots-Morano-is-divisive-and-toxic">5/8/12</a>]

Morano Said Climate Scientists "Deserve To Be Publicly Flogged." Morano seized on the 2009 "Climategate" controversy to call climate change a "con job" and accuse scientists of "ginning up a crisis." He told The Daily Climate that he saw the controversy as an opportunity to sow doubt about climate science, saying: "I seriously believe we should kick them while they're down. They deserve to be publicly flogged." [Scientific American, <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=climate-cyber-bullying&page=2">3/1/10</a>]

Morano Defended Billboard Comparing Those Who Accept Climate Science To The Unabomber. Morano has close ties to the Heartland Institute, an industry-funded organization that hosts regular conferences and dispatches "experts" to deny that manmade global warming is a serious problem. To promote a recent conference, Heartland sponsored a billboard that associated acceptance of climate science with Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber. When Heartland faced backlash from corporate donors and even some of its own staff, Morano defended the billboard, calling it "edgy":

This is so silly. Every day now, skeptics are compared to Holocaust deniers and the media yawns. But <a href="http://www.heartland.org/" title="Heartland">Heartland</a> does an edgy billboard accurately reflecting the views of those featured in it and the media acts as though they are offended?

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Heartland has received funding from the Charles Koch Foundation, ExxonMobil and other corporations with a financial interest in confusing the public on climate science. Morano has spoken at five Heartland Institute conferences, and is featured on Heartland's list of global warming "experts." He received an award from Heartland in 2011. [Media Matters, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/11/28/meet-the-climate-denial-machine/191545#heartland">11/28/12</a>] [Heartland Institute, <a href="http://climateconferences.heartland.org/marc-morano/">accessed</a> <a href="http://heartland.org/experts?page=1&title=&term_node_tid_depth=34">12/12/12</a>] [Heartland Institute, <a href="http://blog.heartland.org/2012/05/msm-condemns-heartlands-experimental-billboard-ignores-what-alarmists-do-everyday/">5/15/12</a>] [Heartland Institute, <a href="http://cfact.eu/2011/06/30/cfacts-morano-receives-award-at-6th-climate-conference/">6/30/11</a>]

Morano Gloated That More Americans Believed In Haunted Houses Than Global Warming, Saying "Science Wins." In 2010, Morano received an award from Accuracy in Media, a group that has defended legislation in Uganda that threatened the death penalty for the "offense of homosexuality" and promoted conspiracy theories including that President Obama was not born in the U.S. In his acceptance speech, Morano touted that in "the fall of 2009, more Americans believed in haunted houses than manmade global warming, and I'm not making that up. Science wins in the end." Morano also said that he didn't "understand" why Energy Secretary Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize winning physicist, is "taken seriously." [YouTube video uploaded by Accuracy in Media, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apjAsonHFpg">2/18/10</a>] [Media Matters, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/2012/02/07/cbs-to-receive-award-from-fringe-group-at-cpac/185339">2/7/12</a>] [Accuracy in Media, <a href="http://www.aim.org/press-release/andrew-breitbart-marc-morano-to-receive-reed-irvine-accuracy-in-media-award/">2/16/10</a>]

<h2>Morano Uses Any Media Platform He Is Given To Distort Climate Science</h2>

Fox News Hosted Morano To Discuss Climate Change At Least 5 Times In 2012. A search of Nexis and Media Matters' internal TV archive reveals that Morano appeared on Fox News' Your World With Neil Cavuto at least five times in 2012 to spew misinformation on climate change. Here are a few highlights:

<ul>

<li>Climate Change Is A "Primitive Form Of Science." In November, Morano dismissed the link between climate change and extreme weather, saying "every time there's a bad weather event the global warming activists think we need more taxes and regulations to somehow stop bad weather. This is a primitive form of science." He went on to compare climate models to doomsday predictions, saying: "This has now reached the level of the Mayan calendar and Nostradamus when it comes to science." [Fox News, Your World With Neil Cavuto, 11/26/12, via Nexis]</li>

<li>Global Warming Predictions Are "Akin To Medieval Witchcraft." In August, Morano claimed climate change predictions are "failing" and compared them to "medieval witchcraft, where we used to blame witches for controlling the weather." [Fox News, Your World With Neil Cavuto, 8/2/12, via Nexis] </li>

<li>The Public Increasingly Doesn't Believe In Climate Change "As The Science Crumbles." In August, Morano declared that climate change has proven to be based on "subprime science," and that the "whole movement has collapsed." He added that "the public continues to believe less and less, as they should, as the science crumbles." [Fox News, Your World With Neil Cavuto, 8/2/12, via Nexis]</li>

<li>UN Climate Treaties Are "Very Orwellian." Morano claimed in July that the goal of UN climate negotiations is "global governance" and wealth redistribution, adding: "Its very Orwellian... This is stuff Orwell couldnt conceive of, your home energy use, your travel, your train travel, airline travel all monitored by international agencies. It`s not the stuff of science fiction." [Fox News, Your World With Neil Cavuto, 7/6/12, via Nexis]</li>

<li>The "Global Warming Apocalypse... Isn't Happening." In April, Morano claimed that renewable energy is unnecessary because the "global warming apocalypse... isn't happening." He added that "even the big green gurus are reconsidering ... the reason we have the wind mandates which is fear of manmade global warming." [Fox News, Your World With Neil Cavuto, 4/30/12]</li>

</ul>

Morano Often Appears On Conspiracy Theorist Alex Jones' Show. Alex Jones is a radio host who thinks that a "New World Order" of secretive elites is trying to take over the world, impose an authoritarian government and "exterminate 80% of the world's population." Jones, who was one of the most prominent 9/11 truthers, has made outlandish claims, including that the government is trying to "encourage homosexuality with chemicals" in items like juiceboxes, and that Bill Gates is promoting vaccines because he is a eugenicist trying to sterilize people. Morano often appears on Jones' show to promote conspiracy theories of his own:

<ul>

<li>Morano Agreed Obama "Might Start A War" To Win Re-Election. After Morano predicted that Romney would win the election, Jones said that Obama might "start a war" to win re-election. Morano responded, "they could try to do that, yes, that's always possible." [YouTube video posted by TheAlexJonesChannel, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ePwKtRAtlvY#t=28m14s">9/1/12</a>]</li>

<li>Morano Fearmongered About UN Establishing A "Global EPA." Morano claimed that the UN climate summit in Rio was pushing a "global EPA" that is "going to be able to police the world." He added, "Think of our own EPA that speaks French. If that doesn't send chills up your spine, I don't know what will." Morano's fearmongering played into Jones' New World Order conspiracy theory. [YouTube video posted by TheAlexJonesChannel, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD3A53Epuis#t=4m48s">2/7/12</a>]</li>

<li>Morano Denied That July Was The Hottest Month On Record. Morano claimed scientists used "data that had been monkeyed around with" to state that July 2012 was the hottest month on record in the continental U.S. [YouTube video posted by TheAlexJonesChannel, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ePwKtRAtlvY#t=18m04s">9/1/12</a>]</li>

<li>Morano Accused Scientists Of "Cover[ing] Up" "Dropping" Sea Levels. Morano claimed that the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a leading body of thousands of scientists assessing climate change, is a "small group of scientists" that was "blocking studies that disagreed, blocking data that disagreed, and then essentially, sometimes, generating studies that did." He later added that scientists are trying to "cover up the fact that sea level not only isn't accelerating, it's dropping." In fact, sea levels have been rising for decades and have studies indicate this rise is accelerating.  [YouTube video posted by TheAlexJonesChannel, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAjZ1HqhLbs#t=10m39s">2/8/12</a>] [Columbia University, accessed <a href="http://www.columbia.edu/%7Emhs119/SeaLevel/">12/17/12</a>]</li>

<li>Morano: UN Climate Panel Trying To "Contro[l] The World." Morano said that those concerned about global warming are attempting to exert "a level of control that George Orwell didn't contemplate," adding: "He who controls carbon, and controls land use policy, and even the oceans, controls the world. And that's what they're going for. And this isn't conspiracy talk, this is in their documents." [YouTube video posted by TheAlexJonesChannel, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyqbRf65Lcw#t=6m53s">12/10/11</a>]</li>

</ul>

[Media Matters, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/2011/02/25/caution-alex-jones-is-using-sheen-related-media/176928">2/25/11</a>]

CNN Hosted Morano To "Debate" Bill Nye On Climate Science. In December CNN's Piers Morgan hosted a "debate" on climate change between Marc Morano and Bill Nye "The Science Guy" without disclosing that Morano has no scientific background and is paid by an industry-funded organization. During the segment, Morano misleadingly claimed that "we've gone 16 years without global warming according to UN data," adding:

MORANO: On my Web site there's literally -- it demolishes the idea of a hockey stick, new peer-reviewed study, so the idea that Bill Nye is just going around saying CO2 is up, therefore global warming is dangerous, we should be concerned, it's not. It's not dangerous.

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In a blog highlighting the segment, CNN identified Morano as an "expert" on the issue and said he "presented an alternate theory regarding the impact, and concern, associated with carbon dioxide." The blog did not clarify that the vast majority of scientists agree that global warming is a problem and is driven by human activity. [Media Matters, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/12/05/cnn-gives-climate-change-denial-a-platform/191686">12/5/12</a>]

<h2>Morano Helped Enforce Climate Denial Litmus Test For 2012 Election</h2>

Morano's Advice To GOP Candidates Who Accept Climate Science: "Keep Your Mouth Shut." During the Republican primary season, Morano told E&E News: "You can believe in the science of global warming if you're a GOP presidential contender if you keep your mouth shut about it and you advocate no quote-unquote solution to the problem." [E&E News, <a href="http://www.eenews.net/public/EEDaily/2011/05/23/1?page_type=print">5/23/11</a>]

Morano Blasted Gingrich For "Accepting The Science." Morano has repeatedly criticized Newt Gingrich for appearing in a 2008 Alliance for Climate Protection ad with Rep. Nancy Pelosi in which he said "our country must take action to address climate change." Morano called the ad "toxic" to Gingrich's presidential campaign, and complained that Gingrich was "accepting the science":

He's acknowledging the problem. He's accepting the science. He hasn't backed away from endorsing Al Gore's approach to man-made global warming. That's why he's going to have a problem. Newt Gingrich was not just giving aid and comfort to the opposition. He was the opposition to the global warming skeptics. [E&E News, <a href="http://www.eenews.net/public/EEDaily/2011/05/23/1?page_type=print">5/23/11</a>]

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Morano Pressured Gingrich To Cut Climate Chapter From His Book. When atmospheric scientist Katharine Hayhoe was identified as a contributor to Newt Gingrich's book of environmental essays, for which she was asked to write an introductory chapter on climate change, Morano went on the attack. He dismissed her work as "trash science" and encouraged readers to contact her directly by repeatedly posting her email address on his blog. Morano also blasted Gingrich as a "long-time warmist" who shows "no signs of recanting," adding: "This is how Newt uses his intelligence?" Ranting on ClimateDepot.com, Morano wrote:

Gingrich has revealed beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is, & always has been - -a committed believer in man-made climate fears! The fact that Hayhoe was chosen to write a chapter in his new book is all we need to know. Will Hayhoe be his potential pick for climate advisor?! Gingrich has never left Pelosi's couch! If the GOP can only come up with Newt or Mitt -- is an Obama 2nd term all that scary when it comes to climate? Just asking...

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Gingrich later scrapped Hayhoe's chapter after Rush Limbaugh -- Morano's former boss -- highlighted the story on his radio show. Morano celebrated the news with the following headline:

[Media Matters, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/01/04/rush-limbaugh-serving-as-de-facto-editor-of-gin/185766">1/4/12</a>] [ClimateDepot.com, <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/14084/Oh-No-Gingrich-is-a-mess-Warmist-climate-advisor-Hayhoe-touts-resources--like-Skeptical-Science%3Chr%20/%3ERealClimateorg--She-also-touts-UN-IPCC--a-book-by-Ed-Begley-Jr">12/9/11</a>] [ClimateDepot.com, <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/14291/Hayhoe-gets-the-heaveho-Gingrich-boots-warmist-professor-from-new-book-after-Limbaugh-reads-Climate-Depot-report-on-radio-ndash-Newt-Kills-Chapter-on-Climate">12/30/11</a>]

Morano Raised "Concerns" About Romney's Stance On Climate Change. At the Heartland Institute's 7th climate change conference, Morano raised "concerns" that some of Mitt Romney's advisors accept the science of climate change, saying "it's a little bit scary who he's surrounding himself with." He added, "It's very frustrating for global warming skeptics when you realize who is the Republican standard bearer right now and how far we've come... We need a president who actually can stand up to this whole global warming brigade." [ClimateCrocks.com, <a href="http://climatecrocks.com/2012/05/30/marc-morano-interview-we-may-lose-the-war-in-the-end/">5/30/12</a>]

Morano Falsely Suggested That Former Romney Global Warming Advisor Favored Forced Sterilization. Last year on Alex Jones' show, Morano expressed concern that Romney would accept manmade global warming if he were elected President, noting that he was advised by John Holdren -- now President Obama's senior science advisor -- while he was governor of Massachusetts. Morano went on to suggest that Holdren supported forced sterilization, when in fact he had merely co-authored a book 32 years prior that catalogued such methods among many others but did not endorse them. From The Alex Jones Show:

MORANO: [Romney] had John Holdren as one of his advisors in Massachusetts when Romney was on his global warming kick.

[...]

AARON DYKES, ALEX JONES GUEST HOST: So just for the viewers who may not be following the name game here. You're talking about John P. Holdren, Obama's global warming and white house czar, who calls for a $4 billion 4 billion person genocide over overpopulation and is experimenting with this geoengineering in the atmosphere -

MORANO: Yes.

DYKES: --over global warming.

[...]

MORANO: Romney is getting a free ride in these [Republican primary] debates. John Holdren was partnered up with Paul Ehrlich. Paul Ehrlich proposed forced sterilization agents in our drinking water in the 1960's and 70's. [YouTube video uploaded be TheAlexJonesChannel, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Di98Lqc1fME#t=9m10s">10/24/11</a>] [Media Matters, <a href="http://mediamattersaction.org/smears/200909170018">9/17/09</a>]

</blockquote>

Morano Urged Romney To Pick VP Who Denied Climate Science. Responding to rumors that Mitt Romney was considering Condoleezza Rice as his running mate in 2012, Morano told Politico:

Why, oh why would Romney choose a V.P. who is smitten with the U.N. climate process[?] The stench of the carcass of the U.N. global climate treaty process is overwhelming, and despite this, Rice in 2011 regretted that Pres. Bush rejected it. Romney could do so much better than to pick Sec. Rice. [Politico, <a href="http://www.politico.com/morningenergy/0712/morningenergy538.html">7/13/12</a>]

</blockquote>

He later cheered Romney's selection of Rep. Paul Ryan, saying, "It will be so refreshing to have a VP candidate who actually understands how warmists... have perverted science and turned it into pure politics." [ClimateDepot.com, <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/17052/Climate-Depot-applauds-VP-pick-Paul-Ryans-climate-science-views-and-his-understanding-of-the-Climategate-scandal">8/11/12</a>]

<h2>Morano Has A Sordid History Of Spreading Smears</h2>

At CNS News, Morano Uncritically Broke "Swift Boat" Story Smearing Sen. John Kerry. Before working for Sen. Inhofe, Morano worked as a reporter for Cybercast News Service (CNS), which is owned by the right-wing Media Research Center. In 2004, Morano broke the story about the attacks coming from the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth, uncritically repeating unfounded accusations that Sen. John Kerry did not deserve the Purple Heart award he earned in Vietnam. But FactCheck.org noted that "the veterans who accuse Kerry [of lying to receive his war medals] are contradicted by Kerry's former crewmen, and by Navy records." Morano also repeated claims that Kerry accused soldiers of war crimes "knowing that was a lie." But Kerry simply relayed the stories of other Vietnam veterans, and he intended them as an indictment of military leadership rather than a condemnation of soldiers. [CNSNews.com, <a href="http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/5/3/92240.shtml">5/3/04</a>, via Newsmax] [FactCheck.org, <a href="http://www.factcheck.org/republican-funded_group_attacks_kerrys_war_record.html">8/6/04</a>] [Media Matters, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/2004/08/23/buchanan-echoed-swift-boat-vets-latest-distorte/131705">8/23/04</a>] [CNSNews.com, uploaded <a href="http://cnsnews.com/news/article/new-harvard-study-heats-global-warming-debate">7/7/08</a>] [CNSNews.com, uploaded <a href="http://cnsnews.com/news/article/heat-fox-news-global-warming-special">7/7/08</a>]

Morano Led "Swift Boat" Effort On Vietnam Veteran Murtha. In early 2006, Morano co-authored a story for CNS accusing Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), a critic of the war in Iraq, of exaggerating injuries suffered in Vietnam and lobbying for undeserved service awards. The article was seen by many as an ad hominem political attack meant to obscure legitimate policy discussion. Morano's story was also criticized for relying on convoluted sources, many of them potentially tinged by political bias, and recycling years-old uncorroborated charges. Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), former Secretary of the Navy in the Reagan administration, pointed out that Murtha's service awards had actually been subject to extensive and well-documented Marine Corps approval decades earlier, and blasted "extremist Republican operatives" and others for "denigrating the service of those with whom they disagree." [CNS News, <a href="http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1557630/posts">1/13/2006</a>] [Washington Post, 1/17/2006, via Nexis] [Media Matters, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/2006/01/17/wash-post-gave-prominent-play-to-right-wing-mur/134642">1/17/2006</a>] [Huffington Post, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/murray-waas/the-washington-posts-repo_b_13860.html?">1/15/2006</a>] [ConWebWatch, <a href="http://conwebwatch.tripod.com/stories/2006/cnsmurtha.html">1/18/2006</a>] [New York Times, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/18/opinion/18webb.html">1/18/2006</a>] [Boston Globe, <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/08/05/republican_activists_take_aim_at_murtha_reelection_bid/">8/5/2006</a>]

Morano Used "Climategate" To "Swift Boat" Climate Scientists. Morano played a key role in fueling the "Climategate" controversy, seizing on hacked emails to accuse scientists of "corruption" and "fraud" and to declare that global warming is nothing more than a "con job." Even after multiple investigations cleared scientists of these charges, Morano continues to claim that Climategate exposed "collusion" and "deliberate manipulation of facts and data" by UN scientists. Penn State climate scientist Michael Mann, who has been relentlessly attacked by Climate Depot, recently said that Morano is paid by "vested interests to 'swiftboat' climate scientists, to try to distort our work, to try to undermine the public's credibility in the science." [ClimateDepot.com, <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/3943/Read-All-About-it-Climate-Depot-Exclusive--Continuously-Updated-ClimateGate-News-Round-Up">11/20/09</a>] [ClimateDepot.com, <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/5420/Rare-ABC-News-TV-Debate-Climate-Depot-Vs-Center-For-Am-Progress--UN-IPCC-was-a-political-organization-masquerading-as-a-science-group-Its-been-exposed">2/17/12</a>] [Scientific American, <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=climate-cyber-bullying">3/1/10</a>] [Conservative Roundtable, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB0yLOAMSqU">5/7/10</a>] [ClimateDepot.com, <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/13852/Climategate-20-Scientists-frankly-admit-to-each-other-that-much-of-the-science-is-weak-and-dependent-on-deliberate-manipulation-of-facts-and-data">11/23/11</a>] [ClimateDepot.com, <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/18683/Mann-v-Morano-Climategates-Michael-Mann-debates-Climate-Depots-Morano-on-Live-BBC-Radio-Mann-Moranos-a-hired-assassin--Morano-Mann-plays-the-part-of-martyr-very-well">12/3/12</a>]

Morano Smeared Gay Attendees Of AIDS Fundraiser. In 1996, Morano attended a fundraiser for AIDS victims on behalf of the Family Research Council, an organization that has been labeled a "hate group" for its factually-challenged attacks on LGBT people. In a column for Human Events, Morano claimed that during the dance party there was "evidence of illegal drugs" because "Snorting could be heard" through the bathroom stalls. But then-Rep. Steve Gunderson (R-WI), who sponsored but did not attend the event, testified that no complaints were lodged with security. Morano also claimed to have witnessed "illegal sexual activity" in the main auditorium, which was used by conservative columnist Armstrong Williams to say that the event was an "orgy" and a "homosexual free-for-all." But as Rep. Gunderson stated, "Absolutely no one but Mr. Morano claims to have seen this incident. But one must wonder why he did not film it. One must wonder why he did not report it to security." Morano later claimed that he tried to capture it on camera but was unsuccessful. The Washington Times reported that "no participant contacted by The Washington Times confirmed" Morano's claim that he "saw men engaged in sexual relations." Morano's column, which was identified as an example of "the journalism of bigotry and prejudice" by Rep. Gunderson, further promoted stereotypes about gay people:

The image of young active health conscious men, drinking bottled water and consuming fruit [at the fundraiser] is a study in contrast. The reckless lifestyle inherent in the gay experience results in a notably reduced life span. The life expectancy of a homosexual male is estimated to be no more than about 41 years old, regardless of AIDS. The homosexual community's credo seems to be ``Die young and leave a pretty corpse.'' [Congressional Testimony, <a href="http://www.c-spanvideo.org/appearance/597021837">5/14/96</a>] [Congressional Record, <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-1996-05-15/html/CREC-1996-05-15-pt1-PgH5138.htm">5/15/1996</a>] [Southern Poverty Law Center, accessed <a href="http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/groups/family-research-council">12/12/12</a>] [Seattle Post-Intelligencer, <a href="http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-64662167.html">5/2/96</a>, via Nexis] [The Washington Times, 5/5/96, via Nexis] [The Advocate, <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=hWMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT13&lpg=PT13&dq=gunderson+morano&source=bl&ots=fw2XPIELEJ&sig=UiJ-Xu1ZalSIf4RZKYD9FDsWFe4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=AbPIULLoAYzO0QGqzIF4&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA">6/25/96</a>]

</blockquote>

<h2>Morano Is Paid By An Industry-Funded Advocacy Group</h2>

Morano Is Paid Over $150,000 A Year By An Oil-Funded Organization. Climate Depot is sponsored by the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT), a conservative policy and lobbying organization that has received funding from ExxonMobil and Chevron. CFACT also received over $300,000 in 2011 from Donor's Trust, an anonymously funded group that PBS called the "number one supporter of the groups" that deny climate change. CFACT's 2011 financial disclosure form lists Morano as its highest paid employee at over $150,000 a year. [Media Matters, <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/11/28/meet-the-climate-denial-machine/191545#morano">11/28/12</a>]

CFACT Claims "Global Warming Claims Are Failing." CFACT denies that there is a scientific consensus on manmade climate change and claims that "real world evidence" shows that "global warming claims are failing." [CFACT.org, accessed <a href="http://www.cfact.org/issues/climate-change/">12/11/12</a>]

Max Greenberg contributed to this post.

</div>

==

mma:

<h1 style=" margin-top: 0; padding-top: 0;">CNN Gives Climate Change Denial A Platform</h1>

<h5><a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog"> Blog </a>››› <time datetime="2012-12-05T10:08:19-05:00" itemprop="datePublished"> December 5, 2012 10:08 AM EST </time> ››› SHAUNA THEEL</h5>

</div>

UPDATE: In a blog highlighting the segment, CNN <a href="http://piersmorgan.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/05/clips-from-last-night-bill-nye-vs-marc-morano-on-global-warming-newt-gingrich-on-the-fiscal-cliff/?hpt=pm_mid">claims</a> it invited "a pair of experts" to discuss climate change, without noting that Morano has no scientific expertise. The blog says Morano "presented an alternate theory regarding the impact, and concern, associated with carbon dioxide,"ignoring that the vast majority of scientists agree that carbon dioxide emissions are driving global warming and that the public should be <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2011/07/07/heartland-institutes-climate-contrarians-enjoy/185131#surveys">worried</a> about the impacts of it.</div><div class="clear"><div itemprop="articleBody" class="item-body">

CNN anchor Piers Morgan hosted a "debate" on climate science between Bill Nye "The Science Guy" and professional climate misinformer <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/11/28/meet-the-climate-denial-machine/191545#morano">Marc Morano</a>. As Morano spewed myths about climate change, CNN failed to disclose that he has no scientific training and is paid by an industry-funded organization.

Offering two "viewpoints" about temperature data and suggesting that scientific facts are up for "debate" is misleading in and of itself. During the segment, Morano claimed that we "have gone 16 years without global warming according to UN data." Nye pushed back, saying "This will be the hottest two decades in history, in recorded history. So when you throw around a statement like the UN says it's not the hottest 20 years, I got to disagree with you." But the audience was left unaware that Morano was highlighting a <a href="http://mediamatters.org/research/2012/10/15/fox-falls-for-tabloid-science/190630">short</a> time period to obscure the overall warming trend, as illustrated by this <a href="http://www.skepticalscience.com/going-down-the-up-escalator-part-1.html">chart</a> from Skeptical Science:

If the role of the media is to inform its audience, anchors must recognize how people are informed and misinformed. When people are repeatedly exposed to a myth, it becomes more <a href="http://skepticalscience.com/Debunking-Handbook-Part-2-Familiarity-Backfire-Effect.html">familiar</a> and they are more likely to believe it. By giving Morano a platform to claim that average temperatures have not warmed in nearly 20 years, Morgan enabled him to familiarize CNN's audience with climate myths.

It's not surprising that Morano seized the opportunity to spread confusion about climate change. Morano is <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2012/11/28/meet-the-climate-denial-machine/191545#morano">paid</a> over $150,000 by the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow, an organization that has received funding from oil companies.* As New York Times reporter Andrew Revkin <a href="http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/on-balance-hype-climate-and-the-media/">explained</a>, "industry-funded groups have used the media's tradition of quoting people with competing views to convey a state of confusion even as consensus on warming has built." Morano has promoted extreme attacks on climate scientists and those that accept global warming. His website often <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/02/01/416510/price-of-truth-limbaugh-operatives-encourage-abusive-hate-mail-at-female-evangelical-climate-scientist/">publishes</a> the email addresses of scientists, leading to a barrage of hate mail, and he defended a billboard campaign comparing those who accept climate science to the Unabomber, <a href="http://blog.heartland.org/2012/05/msm-condemns-heartlands-experimental-billboard-ignores-what-alarmists-do-everyday/">saying</a> it was "edgy."

While Morgan tried to pin down Morano to acknowledge certain facts -- that the earth is <a href="http://climate.nasa.gov/warmingworld/globalTemp.cfm">warming</a> and the <a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2011/07/07/heartland-institutes-climate-contrarians-enjoy/185131#surveys">vast majority</a> of climate scientists agree that burning fossil fuels is the major cause of this warming -- Morano seemed to be stuck in an alternate universe, making the on-air exercise a waste of time. Or as Nye concluded at the end of the segment, "We just don't agree on facts. So we aren't getting anywhere."

*This post has been updated to include Morano's salary.</div>

===

salary: <a href="http://www.legistorm.com/person/Marc_P_Morano/25608.html">http://www.legistorm.com/person/Marc_P_Morano/25608.html</a>

sw

Marc Morano runs the climate website <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ClimateDepot.com" title="ClimateDepot.com" class="mw-redirect">ClimateDepot.com</a> for the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Committee_for_a_Constructive_Tomorrow" title="Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow">Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow</a>, a conservative environmental <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Think_tank" title="Think tank" class="mw-redirect">think tank</a>. Until spring of 2009, Morano served as communications director for the Republicans on the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S._Senate" title="U.S. Senate">U.S. Senate</a> Committee on Environment and Public Works. Morano commenced work with the committee under Senator <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=James_Inhofe" title="James Inhofe" class="mw-redirect">James Inhofe</a>, who was majority chairman of the committee until January 2007 and is now minority ranking member. In December 2006 Morano launched a blog on the committee's website that largely promotes the views of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_change_skeptics" title="Climate change skeptics" class="mw-redirect">climate change skeptics</a>.

Morano is a former journalist with <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Cybercast_News_Service" title="Cybercast News Service">Cybercast News Service</a> (CNS), which is owned by the conservative <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Media_Research_Center" title="Media Research Center">Media Research Center</a>. CNS and Morano were the first source in May 2004 of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Swift_Boat_Veterans_for_Truth" title="Swift Boat Veterans for Truth">Swift Boat Veterans for Truth</a> claims against <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_Kerry" title="John Kerry" class="mw-redirect">John Kerry</a> in the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S.presidential_election,2004" title="U.S. presidential election, 2004">2004 presidential election</a> <a href="http://gadflyer.com/flytrap/index.php?Week=200503#1407" class="external autonumber" title="http://gadflyer.com/flytrap/index.php?Week=200503#1407" rel="nofollow">[1]</a> and in January 2006 of similar smears against Vietnam war veteran <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_Murtha" title="John Murtha" class="mw-redirect">John Murtha</a>.

Morano was "previously known as <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Rush_Limbaugh" title="Rush Limbaugh">Rush Limbaugh</a>'s 'Man in Washington,' as reporter and producer for the Rush Limbaugh Television Show, as well as a former correspondent and producer for <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Investigator" title="American Investigator">American Investigator</a>, the nationally syndicated TV newsmagazine."<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_note-0" title="">[1]</a>

<h2>Contents</h2>

[<a href="javascript:toggleToc()" class="internal" id="togglelink">hide</a>]</div>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#First_generation_Swiftboater">1 First generation Swiftboater</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#John_Kerry">1.1 John Kerry</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#John_Murtha">1.2 John Murtha</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#Climate_change_skepticism">2 Climate change skepticism</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#Profiles">3 Profiles</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#Articles_and_resources">4 Articles and resources</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#Related_SourceWatch_articles">4.1 Related SourceWatch articles</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#References">4.2 References</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#External_resources">4.3 External resources</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#External_articles">4.4 External articles</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#By_Morano">4.4.1 By Morano</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-3"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#Other_articles">4.4.2 Other articles</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2>First generation <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Swiftboating" title="Swiftboating">Swiftboater</a></h2>

"As a reporter for the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Conservative" title="Conservative">conservative</a> Cybercast News Service from 2001 until earlier [in 2006], Morano peppered his <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_change" title="Climate change">climate</a> reporting with <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_change_skeptics" title="Climate change skeptics" class="mw-redirect">skeptics</a>' views that have surfaced as themes in [James] <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=James_Inhofe" title="James Inhofe" class="mw-redirect">Inhofe</a>'s recent press attacks. Earlier this year, for example, Morano wrote about <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=NASA" title="NASA">NASA</a> scientist <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=James_E.Hansen" title="James E. Hansen">James Hansen</a>'s contributions to the 2004 <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Democratic_Party" title="Democratic Party" class="mw-redirect">Democratic</a> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=U.S.presidential_election,_2004" title="U.S. presidential election, 2004">presidential nominee</a>, Sen. John Kerry (Mass.). ...

"Morano, who worked as a producer in the mid-90s for radio commentator <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Rush_Limbaugh" title="Rush Limbaugh">Rush Limbaugh</a>, was also among the first reporters to write about the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign scrutinizing Kerry's Vietnam War record. And earlier this year, Morano penned an article questioning the Purple Heart medals of Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), a leading critic of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=George_W._Bush" title="George W. Bush" class="mw-redirect">Bush</a>'s <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Iraq" title="Iraq">Iraq</a> policy." <a href="http://blog.sciam.com/index.php?title=senator_inhofe_s_pet_weasel&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1" class="external autonumber" title="http://blog.sciam.com/index.php?title=senator_inhofe_s_pet_weasel&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1" rel="nofollow">[2]</a>

<h3>John Kerry</h3>

On May 3, 2004, Morano penned the CNS article <a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/SpecialReports/archive/200405/SPE20040503a.html" class="external text" title="http://www.cnsnews.com/SpecialReports/archive/200405/SPE20040503a.html" rel="nofollow">"Kerry 'Unfit to be Commander-in-Chief,' Say Former Military Colleagues"</a>. See <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Swift_Boat_Veterans_for_Truth" title="Swift Boat Veterans for Truth">Swift Boat Veterans for Truth</a> article for details.

<h3>John Murtha</h3>

It was also Morano, with CNS's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Randy_Hall" title="Randy Hall">Randy Hall</a>, who penned the January 2006, articles <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_note-1" title="">[2]</a><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_note-2" title="">[3]</a> for CNSNews.com casting aspersions on Rep. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=John_Murtha" title="John Murtha" class="mw-redirect">John Murtha</a>'s Vietnam War record and rehashing his involvement in the early-1980s Abscam scandal. See <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Swiftboating_John_Murtha" title="Swiftboating John Murtha">Swiftboating John Murtha</a> for details.

<h2>Climate change skepticism</h2>

Before leaving CNS, Morano wrote an article featuring attacks on <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=NASA" title="NASA">NASA</a> global warming scientist <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=James_E.Hansen" title="James E. Hansen">James E. Hansen</a> by <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=George_C.Deutsch" title="George C. Deutsch">George C. Deutsch</a>, a former NASA press aide accused of censoring Hansen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_note-3" title="">[4]</a>

Morano was hired in Spring 2006 as the Director of Communications to US Senator James Inhofe (R-OK). Senator Inhofe is a member and the former Chair of the Senate Committee for the Environment and Public Works, and has compared <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Tom_Brokaw" title="Tom Brokaw">Tom Brokaw</a>'s climate change documentary to the "Big Lie," a Third Reich propaganda technique. Inhofe also claimed that "if we were to embrace the Kyoto treaty [on climate change], it would shut down agriculture, military and oil production in Oklahoma..." <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_note-4" title="">[5]</a>

Many believe that is it Morano who has been behind Inhofe's latest attacks on the scientific theory of man made climate change <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_note-5" title="">[6]</a>, and this was confirmed by an appearance of Morano at the 2006 Society of Environmental Journalists, where Morano was on a climate change panel with Andrew Revkin (New York Times) and Bill Blakemore (ABC News). <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_note-6" title="">[7]</a>

An August 2007 entry by Morano on Inhofe's EPW Committee blog claimed that "proponents of man-made global warming have been funded to the tune of $50 BILLION in the last decade or so, but the Magazine chose instead to focus on how skeptics have reportedly received a paltry $19 MILLION from ExxonMobil over the last two decades."<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_note-7" title="">[8]</a> Morano offered no documentation to support the "$50 BILLION" claim, and cited only one figure to support the "$19 MILLION" claim -- a statement that "skeptics have reportedly received a paltry $19 MILLION from ExxonMobil over the last two decades," falsely suggesting that ExxonMobil was the only source of funding for global warming "skeptics."<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_note-8" title="">[9]</a>

Writing in the New York Times, Leslie Kaufman noted that Morano, while working for Inhofe, had authored a report titled More than 700 International Scientists Dissent Over Man-Made Global Warming Claims. One of those cited in the report was Steve Rayner, from Oxford University. However, Rayner -- who doesn't dispute global warming though has been critical of the Kyoto Protocol -- described his inclusion as “quite outrageous" and had asked for his name to be removed from the report. Despite being told by an Inhofe staffer that it would be removed, it hasn't. Morano is unrepentant , claiming instead that Rayner must be "not to be remembering this clearly." <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_note-9" title="">[10]</a>

<h2>Profiles</h2>

"As a CNSNews.com correspondent, Morano has traveled to such destinations as South America and Africa. Marc was also a reporter and producer for the Rush Limbaugh Television Show from 1992 to 1996, his biographical note states. <a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/corporate/staffbios.asp" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.cnsnews.com/corporate/staffbios.asp" rel="nofollow">[3]</a>

Morano was "a producer and correspondent for the nationally syndicated television newsmagazine American Investigator." <a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/corporate/staffbios.asp" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.cnsnews.com/corporate/staffbios.asp" rel="nofollow">[4]</a> In 2000 Marc Morano went to the Brazilian Amazon rainforests to film a documentary for American Investigator. Featured in the film was <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Patrick_Moore" title="Patrick Moore" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 102);">Patrick Moore</a>, former <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Greenpeace" title="Greenpeace">Greenpeace</a> activist turned corporate consultant. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_note-10" title="">[11]</a>

<h2>Articles and resources</h2>

<h3>Related SourceWatch articles</h3>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ClimateDepot.com" title="ClimateDepot.com" class="mw-redirect">ClimateDepot.com</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Committee_for_a_Constructive_Tomorrow" title="Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow">Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Cybercast_News_Service" title="Cybercast News Service">Cybercast News Service</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=James_Inhofe" title="James Inhofe" class="mw-redirect">James Inhofe</a></li>

</ul>

<h3>References</h3>

<li id="cite_note-0"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_ref-0" title="">↑</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20080124215759/www.changingworldviews.com/GuestCommentaries/marcmoranocom.htm" class="external text" title="http://web.archive.org/web/20080124215759/www.changingworldviews.com/GuestCommentaries/marcmoranocom.htm" rel="nofollow">"Marc Moranao"</a>, Changing Worldviews.com, archived from February 2008.</li>

<li id="cite_note-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_ref-1" title="">↑</a> Randy Hall and Marc Morano, <a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=%5CPolitics%5Carchive%5C200601%5CPOL20060113d.html" class="external text" title="http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=\Politics\archive\200601\POL20060113d.html" rel="nofollow">"Murtha's Anti-War Stance Overshadows Abscam Past"</a>, CNSNews.com, January 13, 2006.</li>

<li id="cite_note-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_ref-2" title="">↑</a> Marc Morano and Randy Hall, <a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=%5CSpecialReports%5Carchive%5C200601%5CSPE20060113a.html" class="external text" title="http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=%5CSpecialReports%5Carchive%5C200601%5CSPE20060113a.html" rel="nofollow">"Murtha's War Hero Status Called Into Question"</a>, CNSNews.com, January 13, 2006.</li>

<li id="cite_note-3"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_ref-3" title="">↑</a> Marc Morano, <a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewSpecialReports.asp?Page=/SpecialReports/archive/200604/SPE20060417a.html" class="external text" title="http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewSpecialReports.asp?Page=/SpecialReports/archive/200604/SPE20060417a.html" rel="nofollow">"Media Darling on 'Global Warming' Assailed by Colleagues</a>, CNSNews.com, April 17, 2006.</li>

<li id="cite_note-4"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_ref-4" title="">↑</a> <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/inhofe-and-the-art-of-exaggeration" class="external text" title="http://www.desmogblog.com/inhofe-and-the-art-of-exaggeration" rel="nofollow">"Inhofe and the art of exaggeration"</a>, DeSmogBlog.com, July 28, 2006.</li>

<li id="cite_note-5"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_ref-5" title="">↑</a> <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E2DC1030F931A25753C1A9609C8B63" class="external text" title="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E2DC1030F931A25753C1A9609C8B63" rel="nofollow">"Doubting Inhofe"</a>, The New York Times, October 12, 2006.</li>

<li id="cite_note-6"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_ref-6" title="">↑</a> <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/hot-off-the-press-inhofes-mini-me-morano-burned-by-climate-change-reality" class="external text" title="http://www.desmogblog.com/hot-off-the-press-inhofes-mini-me-morano-burned-by-climate-change-reality" rel="nofollow">"Hot off the Press: Inhofe's Mini-Me Morano burned by climate change reality"</a>, DeSmogBlog, October 27, 2006.</li>

<li id="cite_note-7"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_ref-7" title="">↑</a> <a href="http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=38d98c0a-802a-23ad-48ac-d9f7facb61a7" class="external text" title="http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=38d98c0a-802a-23ad-48ac-d9f7facb61a7" rel="nofollow">"Newsweek's Climate Editorial Screed Violates Basic Standards of Journalism"</a>, Inhofe EPW Press Blog, August 5, 2007.</li>

<li id="cite_note-8"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_ref-8" title="">↑</a> Terry Krepel, <a href="http://conwebwatch.tripod.com/stories/2007/morano.html" class="external text" title="http://conwebwatch.tripod.com/stories/2007/morano.html" rel="nofollow">"Lies, Conservatives and Statistics: Marc Morano's Fantasy"</a>, ConWebWatch, August 23, 2007.</li>

<li id="cite_note-9"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_ref-9" title="">↑</a> Leslie Kaufman, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/us/politics/10morano.html?r=2&hp" class="external text" title="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/us/politics/10morano.html?r=2&hp" rel="nofollow">"Dissenter on Warming Expands His Campaign"</a>, New York Times, April 9, 2009.</li>

<li id="cite_note-10"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano#cite_ref-10" title="">↑</a> <a href="http://web.pitas.com/leonews/may_2000.html" class="external text" title="http://web.pitas.com/leonews/may_2000.html" rel="nofollow">"Eco-Scientists Deny Amazon's in Danger"</a>, New York Post, May 31, 2000.</li>

</ol>

<h3>External resources</h3>

<h3>External articles</h3>

<h4>By Morano</h4>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/SpecialReports/archive/200405/SPE20040503a.html" class="external text" title="http://www.cnsnews.com/SpecialReports/archive/200405/SPE20040503a.html" rel="nofollow">"Kerry 'Unfit to be Commander-in-Chief,' Say Former Military Colleagues,"</a> May 3, 2004.</li>

<li><a href="http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewCulture.asp?Page=%5CCulture%5Carchive%5C200406%5CCUL20040618a.html" class="external text" title="http://www.cnsnews.com//ViewCulture.asp?Page=%5CCulture%5Carchive%5C200406%5CCUL20040618a.html" rel="nofollow">"'Bored Out of Our Skulls' by Clinton Memoir, Goldberg Says,"</a> June 18, 2004.</li>

<li>With Randy Hall, <a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=%5CPolitics%5Carchive%5C200601%5CPOL20060113d.html" class="external text" title="http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=\Politics\archive\200601\POL20060113d.html" rel="nofollow">"Murtha's Anti-War Stance Overshadows Abscam Past,"</a> January 13, 2006.</li>

<li>With Randy Hall, <a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=%5CSpecialReports%5Carchive%5C200601%5CSPE20060113a.html" class="external text" title="http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=%5CSpecialReports%5Carchive%5C200601%5CSPE20060113a.html" rel="nofollow">"Murtha's War Hero Status Called Into Question,"</a> January 13, 2006.</li>

<li>Marc Morano, <a href="http://www.heartland.org/bin/media/newyork09/PowerPoint/Marc_Morano.ppt" class="external text" title="http://www.heartland.org/bin/media/newyork09/PowerPoint/Marc_Morano.ppt" rel="nofollow">"Prospects for Cap-and-Trade Legislation in the New Congress"</a>, Presentation to the Heartland Institute's <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=International_Conference_on_Climate_Change_%282009%29" title="International Conference on Climate Change (2009)" class="mw-redirect">International Conference on Climate Change (2009)</a>, March 9, 2009. (PowerPoint)</li>

</ul>

<h4>Other articles</h4>

<ul>

<li>Sarah Posner, <a href="http://gadflyer.com/flytrap/index.php?Week=200503#1407" class="external text" title="http://gadflyer.com/flytrap/index.php?Week=200503#1407" rel="nofollow">"Not So Slim Pickens,"</a> The Gadflyer, January 21, 2005.</li>

<li>Hunter, <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/6/29/19958/8138" class="external text" title="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/6/29/19958/8138" rel="nofollow">"Murtha-Bashing CNSNews Hack Now On Senate Payroll, Denies Climate Change,"</a> Daily Kos, June 29, 2006.</li>

<li>Bob Kall, <a href="http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_rob_kall_060711_brokaw_and_global_wa.htm" class="external text" title="http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_rob_kall_060711_brokaw_and_global_wa.htm" rel="nofollow">"Brokaw AND Global Warming Attacked by Gov Paid Media Attack Artist,"</a> OpEdNews, July 11, 2006.</li>

<li>David Roberts, <a href="http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2006/7/13/9244/51055" class="external text" title="http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2006/7/13/9244/51055" rel="nofollow">"Inhofe press flacks 'worst people in the world',"</a> Grist Magazine, July 13, 2006. See MSNBC <a href="http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=f8e8e659-5ef8-4704-8e20-05357d71be90&f=00&fg=copy" class="external text" title="http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=f8e8e659-5ef8-4704-8e20-05357d71be90&f=00&fg=copy" rel="nofollow">video</a>.</li>

<li>John Rennie, <a href="http://blog.sciam.com/index.php?title=senator_inhofe_s_pet_weasel&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1" class="external text" title="http://blog.sciam.com/index.php?title=senator_inhofe_s_pet_weasel&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1" rel="nofollow">"Senator Inhofe's Pet Weasel,"</a> ScientificAmerican.com, July 20, 2006.</li>

<li>Terry Krepel, <a href="http://conwebwatch.tripod.com/stories/2007/morano.html" class="external text" title="http://conwebwatch.tripod.com/stories/2007/morano.html" rel="nofollow">"Lies, Conservatives and Statistics: Marc Morano's Fantasy"</a>, ConWebWatch, August 23, 2007.</li>

<li>Leslie Kaufman, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/us/politics/10morano.html?r=2&hp" class="external text" title="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/us/politics/10morano.html?r=2&hp" rel="nofollow">"Dissenter on Warming Expands His Campaign"</a>, New York Times, April 9, 2009.</li>

</ul>

<div class="printfooter">Retrieved from "<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano</a>"</div>

<div id="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories">Categories</a>: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:Climate_change" title="Category:Climate change">Climate change</a> | <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:United_States" title="Category:United States">United States</a> | <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:Blogging_and_Bloggers" title="Category:Blogging and Bloggers">Blogging and Bloggers</a> | <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:Environment" title="Category:Environment">Environment</a> | <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Category:People" title="Category:People">People</a></div>

</div>

-----

A top aide for Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) will be leaving his Senate post after a <a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/tag/morano/">Wonk Room investigation</a> revealed how he coordinates the right-wing climate denial machine. Marc Morano, Inhofe’s environmental communications director, joined the Senate in 2006 to promote Sen. Inhofe’s <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/09/inhofe-debate-gw/">denial of manmade global warming</a> via the <a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/02/19/drudge-morano-jokers/">Drudge Report</a> and other <a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/02/17/marc-morano-jokers/">right-wing outlets</a>. E&E News reports that Morano will <a href="http://eenews.net/EEDaily/print/2009/03/06/3">return to the conservative media network</a> as a blogger for Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT):

Marc Morano, the spokesman for Senate Environment and Public Works Committee ranking member James Inhofe (R-Okla.), will leave the committee later this month to become executive director and chief correspondent for a fledgling Web site that will serve as a “clearinghouse and one-stop shopping” for climate and environmental news.

</blockquote>

Morano joined the Senate, with a <a href="http://www.legistorm.com/person/Marc_P_Morano/25608.html">$134,000 a year</a> salary, from the rightwing website Cybercast News Service (CNS), where he <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20040519061111/http://www.cnsnews.com/SpecialReports/archive/200405/SPE20040503a.html">launched the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign</a> against Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) in 2004 and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Cybercast_News_Service#Attack_on_John_Murtha">attacked the war record</a> of Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) in 2006. Morano was Rush Limbaugh’s “<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20040514201516/http://changingworldviews.com/GuestCommentaries/marcmoranocom.htm">Man in Washington</a>” in the 1990s. Limbaugh, of course, <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/05/wolcott200705">still promotes global warming denial</a>.

Both CNS — a subsidiary of Brent Bozell’s <a href="http://www.mediatransparency.org/recipientgrants.php?recipientID=203">Media Research Center</a> — and <a href="http://www.mediatransparency.org/recipientgrants.php?recipientID=1379">CFACT</a> are part of the <a href="http://www.mediatransparency.org/funderprofile.php?funderID=3">Scaife network</a> of conservative front groups, supported by the Richard Mellon Scaife family fortune and corporations like Exxon Mobil. CFACT and the Media Research Center are co-sponsors of the Heartland Institute’s <a href="http://www.heartland.org/events/NewYork09/newyork09.html">International Conference on Climate Change</a>, a global warming denier extravaganza that begins Sunday, March 8.

<div class="post_update">Update Morano has spent this week promoting Roger Pielke Jr's <a href="http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheus/a-conversation-with-a-climate-scientist-5019">selective quotation</a> of a conversation he had with climate scientist Michael Tobis. Pielke misinterpreted something Tobis said; Morano promoted Pielke's misinterpretation; Glenn Beck then <a href="http://initforthegold.blogspot.com/2009/03/for-second-day-in-row.html">further distorted Tobis's comments</a> on his radio and television show.</div>

<h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading">Climate Depot</h1>

<h3 id="siteSub">From SourceWatch</h3>

</div>

ClimateDepot.com is the website of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Committee_for_a_Constructive_Tomorrow" title="Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow">Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow</a> employee <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano" title="Marc Morano">Marc Morano</a>, a conservative global warming skeptic who previously served as environmental communications director for Sen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=James_Inhofe" class="mw-redirect" title="James Inhofe">James Inhofe</a>. Launched in spring 2009, Climate Depot is intended to be "the Senate EPW website on steroids," and "the most comprehensive information center on climate news and the related issues of environment and energy."<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot#cite_note-Launch-0" title="">[1]</a>

<h2>Contents</h2>

[<a id="togglelink" href="javascript:toggleToc()" class="internal">hide</a>]</div>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot#Launch_Hype">1 Launch Hype</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot#Funding">2 Funding</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot#Articles_and_resources">3 Articles and resources</a>

<ul>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot#Related_SourceWatch_articles">3.1 Related SourceWatch articles</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot#References">3.2 References</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot#External_resources">3.3 External resources</a></li>

<li class="toclevel-2"><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot#External_articles">3.4 External articles</a></li>

</ul>

</li>

</ul>

</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2>Launch Hype</h2>

"ClimateDepot.com, spearheaded by Morano, will serve as an information clearinghouse and one stop shopping for reporters, policymakers, students, scientists and concerned citizens to get the latest information on global warming and other key environmental and energy issues. The news center will offer a balanced perspective and serve as an ombudsman of the 4th Estate’s Eco-Reporting. The news center is a special project of CFACT, a Washington, D.C.-based public policy organization that has been working since 1985 to infuse the environmental debate with a balanced perspective, and to promote market-based and safe technological solutions to various public-interest concerns," Morano stated in the media release announcing the project.<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot#cite_note-Launch-0" title="">[1]</a>

According to Web site traffic site Compete.com, Climate Depot had as many as <a href="http://siteanalytics.compete.com/climatedepot.com/" class="external text" title="http://siteanalytics.compete.com/climatedepot.com/" rel="nofollow">168,000 unique visitors</a> in a month.

Morano has also established a presence on Twitter as "climatedepot" (<a href="http://twitter.com/climatedepot" class="external free" title="http://twitter.com/climatedepot" rel="nofollow">http://twitter.com/climatedepot</a>).

<h2>Funding</h2>

ClimateDepot.com is being financed by the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Committee_for_a_Constructive_Tomorrow" title="Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow">Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow</a>, a nonprofit in Washington that advocates for free-market solutions to environmental issues. Public tax filings for 2003-7 (the last five years for which documents are available) show that the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=ExxonMobil" class="mw-redirect" title="ExxonMobil">ExxonMobil</a> Foundation and foundations associated with the billionaire <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Richard_Mellon_Scaife" title="Richard Mellon Scaife">Richard Mellon Scaife</a>, a longtime financier of conservative causes, including being the primary source of money used to fund attacks against <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Bill_Clinton" title="Bill Clinton">Bill Clinton</a> during the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Whitewater&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Whitewater (page does not exist)">Whitewater</a> and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Monica_Lewinsky" title="Monica Lewinsky">Monica Lewinsky</a> eras of his presidency <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/us/politics/10morano.html?r=2" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/us/politics/10morano.html?r=2" rel="nofollow">[1]</a>. According to a <a href="http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/global_warming/exxon_report.pdf" class="external text" title="http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/global_warming/exxon_report.pdf" rel="nofollow">report</a> issued by the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Union_of_Concerned_Scientists" title="Union of Concerned Scientists">Union of Concerned Scientists</a>, from 1998-2005, approximately 23% of the total ExxonMobil funding for the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow was directed by ExxonMobil for climate change activities [p. 32].

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Craig_Rucker&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Craig Rucker (page does not exist)">Craig Rucker</a>, a co-founder of the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow, said the committee got a third of its money from other foundations. However, Rucker would not identify them or say how much his foundation would pay Marc Morano. Rucker did say that ExxonMobil did not contribute anything to the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow in 2008 <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/us/politics/10morano.html?r=2" class="external autonumber" title="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/us/politics/10morano.html?r=2" rel="nofollow">[2]</a>.

<h2>Articles and resources</h2>

<h3>Related SourceWatch articles</h3>

<ul>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Global_warming" title="Global warming">Global warming</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Global_warming_skeptics" title="Global warming skeptics">Global warming skeptics</a></li>

<li><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Marc_Morano" title="Marc Morano">Marc Morano</a></li>

</ul>

<h3>References</h3>

<li id="cite_note-Launch-0">↑ <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot#cite_ref-Launch_0-0" title="">1.0</a> <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot#cite_ref-Launch_0-1" title="">1.1</a> Marc Morano, <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/40/ClimateDepotcom-Launch-Aims-Tonbsp-Redefine-Global-Warming-Reporting" class="external text" title="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/40/ClimateDepotcom-Launch-Aims-Tonbsp-Redefine-Global-Warming-Reporting" rel="nofollow">ClimateDepot.com Launch Aims To Redefine Global Warming Reporting: Climate Clearinghouse to Challenge Mainstream Media’s Eco-Reporting"</a>, ClimateDepot.com, April 6, 2009.</li>

</ol>

<h3>External resources</h3>

<h3>External articles</h3>

<ul>

</ul>

</div>

<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot">http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Climate_Depot</a>

----

A 71-year old former insurance executive, Inhofe has never been shy about confronting climate scientists, environmentalists, Hollywood producers and fellow senators. But in setting his sights on the press, Inhofe appears to be incorporating a strategy hatched by the committee's new communications director, Marc Morano.

As a reporter for the conservative Cybercast News Service from 2001 until earlier this year, Morano peppered his climate reporting with skeptics' views that have surfaced as themes in Inhofe's recent press attacks. Earlier this year, for example, Morano wrote about NASA scientist James Hansen's contributions to the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, Sen. John Kerry (Mass.). Inhofe's press release questions why Brokaw failed to mention the political ties of Hansen and other scientists interviewed for the Discovery report.

During the 2004 United Nations conference in Buenos Aires, Morano wrote how environmental activists chastised him for asking skeptical questions about science during a session on global warming's effects on inhabitants of the Arctic Circle. Inhofe's release challenging the Associated Press included a demand for a list of the skeptics who the news service contacted to review Gore's film.

Morano, who worked as a producer in the mid-90s for radio commentator Rush Limbaugh, was also among the first reporters to write about the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign scrutinizing Kerry's Vietnam War record. And earlier this year, Morano penned an article questioning the Purple Heart medals of Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), a leading critic of Bush's Iraq policy.

In an interview, Morano said Inhofe's latest statements target journalists because they have focused so heavily on the effects of global warming when the science is still open for debate. "The media has essentially white-washed the whole issue," Morano said. "There has been a love fest in the media on this." Morano insisted the press does not give a fair shake to skeptics, particularly news organizations with reporters who he says have a financial stake in the issue. For example, he questioned The New York Times' coverage of climate since one of its science reporter, Andrew Revkin, has written a book on the effects of global warming on the North Pole. Sales of Revkin's book, Morano argued, would be enhanced by his paper's coverage of climate. "We're not just shooting arrows," Morano said.

---

desmog short bio

http://www.desmogblog.com/marc-morano

<h2>Marc Morano</h2>

<h3>Morano and Climate Depot</h3>

In 2009 Marc Morano became the executive director and chief correspondent of a new climate change website, <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/">ClimateDepot.com</a>.  ClimateDepot is news website that publishes information denying the existence of human-induced global warming.  ClimateDepot is a project of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Committee_for_a_Constructive_Tomorrow">Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow</a>—a conservative think tank, based out of Washington, D.C.

<h3>Morano and Senator Jim Inhofe</h3>

From 2006 to 2009 Morano was the communications director for Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the <a href="http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.WelcomeMessage">minority chair</a> of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Prior to the last election, Inhofe was the majority chair of the EPWC.

In the 2002 election cycle, Inhofe received <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/inhofe-savaging-sound-science#comment-141612">more in donations</a> from the oil and gas sector <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.asp?Ind=E01&Cycle=2002&recipdetail=S&Mem=Y&sortorder=U">than any other Senator.</a> According to the latest available election financing data, in the last five years <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cid=N00005582&cycle=2008">Inhofe has received</a> just over $3.4 million in donations from 20 industry sectors—almost $1 million (29%) is from the Energy/Natural Resources Sector and their respective <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_action_committee">PACS</a>.

Sen. Inhofe is well known for his <a href="http://inhofe.senate.gov/pressreleases/climateupdate.htm">infamous quote</a> that "the threat of catastrophic global warming the "greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people," and as his communications director, Mornano has spent the last two years perpetuating this message.

Other contentious statements by Inhofe include: "If we were to embrace the Kyoto treaty, it would shut down agriculture, military and oil production in Oklahoma..." and commenting on Tom Brokaw's recent climate change documentary: "It kind of reminds . . . I could use the Third Reich, the big lie."

<h3>Morano and the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth</h3>

Prior to working for Senator Inhofe, Morano was a journalist with <a href="http://www.cnsnews.com/">Cybercast News Service,</a> which is owned and operated by the Media Research Center (MRC). The MRC is supported in part by right-wing foundations and funding from industry, including over <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=110">$200,000 </a>from oil-giant ExxonMobil.

According to Sourcewatch, CNS and Morano were the first source of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Swift_Boat_Veterans_for_Truth">"Swift Boat Veterans for Truth"</a> campaign against presidential nominee Senator John Kerry. In the run up to the official launch of the Swiftboat campaign, Morano wrote, "[h]undreds of former commanders and military colleagues of presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry are set to declare in a signed letter that he is 'unfit to be commander-in-chief.'"

<h3>Morano and Rush Limbaugh</h3>

From 1992 to 1996, Morano worked as a producer for the Rush Limbaugh Television Show and was known as "<a href="http://www.changingworldviews.com/GuestCommentaries/marcmoranocom.htm">Limbaugh's man in Washington</a>."

<h3>Morano and the Heartland Institute</h3>

Morano is a regular speaker at the Heartland Institute's annual International Conference on Climate Change. Morano is also <a href="http://www.heartland.org/about/profileresults.html?profile=EDD4338A6C68267F527FF0882F57C08E&directory=3B532E2483EE9165FD810C4DF38DBAEA">listed</a> on Heartland's website as a "global warming expert"

The Heartland Institute  has received <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=41">$676,500</a> from ExxonMobil since 1998, in addition to <a href="http://www.mediatransparency.org/scaifeaggregate.php">$335,000</a> from <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Scaife_Foundations">Scaife Foundations</a> and <a href="http://www.mediatransparency.org/kochaggregate.php">$77,578</a> from <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Koch_Family_Foundations">Koch Foundations</a>. They have also received over <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Heartland_Institute">$200,000</a> from the tobacco giant Philip Morris.

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<h1>Dissenter on Warming Expands His Campaign </h1>

<div class="byline">By <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/k/leslie_kaufman/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More Articles by Leslie Kaufman">LESLIE KAUFMAN</a></div>

<div class="timestamp">Published: April 9, 2009</div>

WASHINGTON — Marc Morano does not think <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/science/topics/globalwarming/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="Recent and archival news about global warming.">global warming</a> is anything to worry about, and he brags about his confrontations with those who do.

<h2>Times Topics: <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/marc_morano/index.html">Marc Morano</a></h2>

</div>

For example, Mr. Morano said he once spotted former Vice President <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/g/al_gore/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Al Gore.">Al Gore</a> on an airplane returning from a climate conference in Bali. Mr. Gore was posing for photos with well-wishers, and Mr. Morano said he had asked if he, too, could have his picture taken with Mr. Gore.

He refused, Mr. Morano said.

“You attack me all the time,” Mr. Gore said, according to Mr. Morano.

“Yes, we do,” Mr. Morano said he had replied.

Mr. Gore’s office said Mr. Gore had no memory of the encounter. Mr. Morano does not care. He tells the story anyway.

As a spokesman for Senator <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/i/james_m_inhofe/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about James M Inhofe.">James M. Inhofe</a> of Oklahoma, the ranking Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, Mr. Morano was for years a ceaseless purveyor of the dissenting view on climate change, sending out a blizzard of e-mail to journalists covering the issue. Now, with Congress debating legislation to curb carbon dioxide emissions, Mr. Morano is hoping to have an even greater impact. He has left his job with Mr. Inhofe to start his own Web site, <a href="http://ClimateDepot.com" target="_">ClimateDepot.com</a>.

The site, scheduled to debut this week, will be a “one-stop shop” for anyone following climate change, Mr. Morano says. He will post research he thinks the public should see, as well as reported video segments and ratings of environmental journalists.

Supporters see Mr. Morano as a crucial organizing force who has taken diffuse pieces of scientific research and fused them into a political battering ram.

“Before Marc, efforts to debunk global warming were scattered and disorganized,” said John Coleman, a weather broadcaster who helped found the Weather Channel and who has called global warming “a scam.”

And environmentalists and mainstream climate scientists, however much they disagree with Mr. Morano’s views, still pay attention to what he does.

Kert Davies, the research director of <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/g/greenpeace/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More articles about Greenpeace">Greenpeace</a>, said he would like to dismiss Mr. Morano as irrelevant, but could not.

“He is relentless pushing out misinformation,” Mr. Davies said. “In denying the urgency of the problem, he definitely slows things down on the regulatory front. Eventually, he will be held accountable, but it may be too late.”

In his work with Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Morano, whose thick build fills out his suit like a bulldog in a restraining jacket, did not hesitate to go after journalists he saw as biased. He promoted any study or statement that could be construed as cutting against the prevailing view that heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide contribute to global warming. Peter Dykstra, a former executive producer for CNN’s science, environment and technology unit, recently called him the “drum major of the denial parade.”

Mr. Morano may be best known for compiling a report listing hundreds of scientists whose work he says undermines the consensus on global warming.

But environmental advocates and bloggers say that many of those listed as scientists have no scientific credentials and that their work persuaded no one not already ideologically committed.

Mr. Morano’s new Web site is being financed by the <a href="http://www.cfact.org/site/default.asp">Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow</a>, a nonprofit in Washington that advocates for free-market solutions to environmental issues.

Craig Rucker, a co-founder of the organization, said the committee got about a third of its money from other foundations. But Mr. Rucker would not identify them or say how much his foundation would pay Mr. Morano. (Mr. Morano says it will be more than the $134,000 he earned annually in the Senate.)

Public tax filings for 2003-7 — the last five years for which documents are available — show that the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the ExxonMobil Foundation and from foundations associated with the billionaire <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/richard_mellon_scaife/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Richard Mellon Scaife.">Richard Mellon Scaife</a>, a longtime financer of conservative causes best known for its efforts to have President <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/c/bill_clinton/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Bill Clinton.">Bill Clinton</a> impeached. Mr. Rucker said Exxon had not contributed anything last year.

Mr. Morano grew up in a conservative household in Northern Virginia with an affinity for nature and animals — his basement was home to a menagerie of reptiles, including a boa constrictor.

“I used to tell people I was Republican except on the environment,” he said.

After college, Mr. Morano worked as a reporter for <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/l/rush_limbaugh/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about Rush Limbaugh.">Rush Limbaugh</a>, where he said he had learned the satisfactions of poking at the “liberal establishment.” He made a documentary on the Amazon <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/science/topics/forests_and_forestry/rain_forests/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="More articles about rain forests.">rain forest</a>, he said, because it annoyed him that celebrities like Sting could dictate what people think about the issue. They vastly exaggerated the problem of deforestation, he concluded.

He then jumped to Cybercast News Service, where he was the first to publish accusations from Vietnam Swift-boat veterans that Senator <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/k/john_kerry/index.html?inline=nyt-per" title="More articles about John Kerry.">John Kerry</a> of Massachusetts, then the Democratic presidential nominee, had glorified his war record. Many of the accusations later proved unfounded.

Mr. Morano is proud of his work, which he says is not advocacy but truth seeking.

“Even in the Senate, I’d put up any of the stories we did against any pablum Time or <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/n/newsweek_inc/index.html?inline=nyt-org" title="More articles about Newsweek.">Newsweek</a> has put out on global warming,” he said. “We’d link to the other side; we’d present their arguments. They do one-sided screeds.”

In 2007, he points out, the Republican <a href="http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=10fe77b0-802a-23ad-4df1-fc38ed4f85e3" title="Web site for the Republican Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee">Web site</a> of Mr. Inhofe’s committee won an award from the independent Congressional Management Foundation.

But some scientists and environmental advocates who have made it their business to monitor Mr. Morano see his reports — the most recent was titled “More than 700 International Scientists Dissent Over Man-Made Global Warming Claims” — as far from balanced.

Kevin Grandia, who manages <a href="http://Desmogblog.com" target="_">Desmogblog.com</a>, which describes itself as dedicated to combating misinformation on climate change, says the report is filled with so-called experts who are really weather broadcasters and others without advanced degrees.

Chris Allen, for example, the weather director for WBKO-TV in Kentucky, is listed as a meteorologist on the report, even though he has no degree in meteorology. On his Web site, Mr. Allen has written that his major objection to the idea of human-influenced climate change is that “it completely takes God out of the picture.” Mr. Allen did not respond to phone calls.

Mr. Grandia also said Mr. Morano’s report misrepresented the work of legitimate scientists. Mr. Grandia pointed to Steve Rayner, a professor at Oxford, who was mentioned for articles criticizing the Kyoto Protocol, the 1997 international treaty on curbing carbon dioxide emissions.

Dr. Rayner, however, in no way disputes the existence of global warming or that human activity contributes to it, as the report implies. In e-mail messages, he said that he had asked to be removed from the Morano report and that a staff member in Mr. Inhofe’s office had promised that he would be. He called his inclusion on the list “quite outrageous.”

Asked about Dr. Rayner, Mr. Morano was unmoved. He said that he had no record of Dr. Rayner’s asking to be removed from the list and that the doctor must be “not to be remembering this clearly.”

Many scientists, Mr. Morano said, are afraid that appearing on the list will have political fallout.

And political fallout, for him, is the point.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: April 14, 2009

An article on Friday about Marc Morano a leading climate dissenter who has started a new Web site to promote a skeptical view of global warming misstated the name of a company that once employed him. It is Cybercast News Service, not Cyber News Service

<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/us/politics/10morano.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/us/politics/10morano.html</a>

</div>

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Marc Morano, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK)’s environmental communications director, sits at the center of the right-wing global warming denier propaganda machine — of fifty-two people. Conservative columnist <a href="http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/02/barnes_global_warming_isnt_man_made--but_i_wont.php">Fred Barnes recently refused to tell TPM Muckraker</a> who’s informed him “the case for global warming” is falling apart, but all signs point to <a href="http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2009/2/9/154852/8948">Marc Morano</a>. Morano’s “entire job,” Gristmill’s David Roberts explains, “is to aggregate every misleading factoid, every attack on climate science or scientists, every crank skeptical statement from anyone in the world and <a href="http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2009/2/9/154852/8948">send it all out periodically in email blasts</a>” to the right-wing echo chamber. The Wonk Room has acquired Morano’s email list, and we can now reveal the pack of climate skeptics, conservative bloggers, and corporate hacks who feed the misinformation machine.

Promoted on the Drudge Report and Fox News, Morano’s moronic misinformation enters mainstream discourse through columns by Barnes, <a href="http://www.climatesciencewatch.org/index.php/csw/details/george_will_disinformation/">George Will</a>, <a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2008/06/03/samuelson-deceptive-climate/">Robert Samuelson</a>, 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:

Marc Morano’s Pack Of Climate Denial Jokers

see also <a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/researching-marc-moranos-climate-denier-gang">http://www.desmogblog.com/researching-marc-moranos-climate-denier-gang</a>

</th></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style=" text-align: center;">Marc Morano, Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), Committee on the Environment and Public Works</td></tr><tr style="color: white;"><th colspan="3" style="text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase;">The Scientists</th></tr><tr style="font-style: italic;"><th>Name</th><th>Website</th><th>Affiliations</th></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/rm-bob-carter">Bob Carter</a></td><td> </td><td>James Cook University, Queensland, Australia</td></tr><tr><td>John Christy</td><td> </td><td>University of Alabama at Huntsville</td></tr><tr><td>David Deming</td><td> </td><td>University of Oklahoma /

National Center for Policy Analysis</td></tr><tr><td>David Douglass</td><td> </td><td>University of Rochester</td></tr><tr><td>Don Easterbrook</td><td> </td><td>Western Washington University</td></tr><tr><td>Stanley Goldenberg</td><td> </td><td>NOAA</td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/vincent-gray">Vincent Gray</a></td><td> </td><td>New Zealand Climate Science Coalition /

Natural Resources Stewardship Project</td></tr><tr><td>William Gray</td><td> </td><td>Colorado State University (ret.)</td></tr><tr><td>Ben Herman</td><td> </td><td>University of Arizona</td></tr><tr><td>Craig Idso</td><td><a href="http://co2science.org">co2science.org</a></td><td>Arizona State University /

Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change</td></tr><tr><td>Richard Lindzen</td><td> </td><td>Massachusetts Institute of Technology</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td>Roger Pielke</td><td> </td><td>Colorado State University (ret.)</td></tr><tr><td>James A. Peden</td><td> </td><td>Extranuclear Laboratories (ret.)</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td>Hans Schreuder</td><td><a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/02/17/marc-morano-jokers/ilovemycarbondioxide.com">ilovemycarbondioxide.com</a></td><td>Rocky Mountain Research Station</td></tr><tr><td>Thomas P. Sheahen</td><td> </td><td>Western Technology, Inc.</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/s-fred-singer">Fred Singer</a></td><td> </td><td>University of Virginia (ret.) /

Science and Environmental Policy Project /

National Center for Policy Analysis</td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/roy-spencer">Roy Spencer</a></td><td><a href="http://drroyspencer.com/">drroyspencer.com</a></td><td>University of Alabama at Huntsville /

Marshall Institute /

Interfaith Stewardship Alliance</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td>Philip Stott</td><td> </td><td>University of London (ret.)</td></tr><tr><td>Willie Wei-Hock Soon</td><td> </td><td>Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics /

Marshall Institute /

Fraser Institute /

Science and Public Policy Institute</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td>Brian Valentine</td><td> </td><td>Department of Energy</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(6, 53, 122); color: white;"><th colspan="3" style="text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase;">The Bloggers</th></tr><tr><td>Michael Asher</td><td><a href="http://dailytech.com">dailytech.com</a></td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/joseph-bast">Joseph Bast</a></td><td><a href="http://globalwarmingheartland.org">globalwarmingheartland.org</a></td><td>Heartland Institute</td></tr><tr><td>Edward John Craig</td><td><a href="http://planetgore.nationalreview.com">planetgore.nationalreview.com</a></td><td>National Review</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/dan-gainor">Dan Gainor</a></td><td><a href="http://newsbusters.org">newsbusters.org</a></td><td>Media Research Center</td></tr><tr><td>Barry Hearn</td><td><a href="http://junkscience.com">junkscience.com</a></td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td>Steven Milloy</td><td><a href="http://junkscience.com">junkscience.com</a></td><td>Competitive Enterprise Institute</td></tr><tr><td>Tom Nelson</td><td><a href="http://tomnelson.blogspot.com">tomnelson.blogspot.com</a></td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td>Lubos Motl</td><td><a href="http://motls.blogspot.com">motls.blogspot.com</a></td><td>Harvard University (ret.)</td></tr><tr><td>Roger Pielke, Jr.</td><td><a href="http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu">sciencepolicy.colorado.edu</a></td><td>University of Colorado</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td>Jon Jay Ray</td><td><a href="http://jonjayray.blogspot.com">jonjayray.blogspot.com</a></td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>Gabriel Rychert</td><td><a href="http://co2sceptics.com">co2sceptics.com</a></td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td>Marc Sheppard</td><td><a href="http://opinioneditorials.com">opinioneditorials.com</a></td><td>Frontiers of Freedom</td></tr><tr><td>Noel Sheppard</td><td><a href="http://newsbusters.org">newsbusters.org</a></td><td>Media Research Center</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td>Matthew Sheffield</td><td><a href="http://newsbusters.org">newsbusters.org</a></td><td>Media Research Center</td></tr><tr><td>Anthony Watts</td><td><a href="http://wattsupwiththat.com">wattsupwiththat.com</a>

<a href="http://surfacestations.org">surfacestations.org</a></td><td> </td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(6, 53, 122); color: white;"><th colspan="3" style="text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase;">The “Think Tankers”</th></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/dennis-avery">Dennis Avery</a></td><td><a href="http://hudson.org">hudson.org</a></td><td>Hudson Institute</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td>Mike Burita</td><td><a href="http://accf.org">accf.org</a></td><td>American Council for Capital Formation</td></tr><tr><td>Terry Dunleavy</td><td><a href="http://www.climatescience.org.nz">climatescience.org.nz</a></td><td>New Zealand Climate Science Coalition</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td>Robert Ferguson</td><td><a href="http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org">scienceandpublicpolicy.org</a></td><td>Science and Public Policy Institute</td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/tom-harris">Tom Harris</a></td><td><a href="http://climatescienceinternational.org">climatescienceinternational.org</a></td><td>International Climate Science Coalition</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/christopher-monckton">Christopher Monckton</a></td><td><a href="http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org">scienceandpublicpolicy.org</a></td><td>Science and Public Policy Institute</td></tr><tr><td>Craig Rucker</td><td><a href="http://cfact.org">cfact.org</a></td><td>Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow</td></tr><tr><td>James Taylor</td><td><a href="http://heartland.org">heartland.org</a></td><td>Heartland Institute</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(6, 53, 122); color: white;"><th colspan="3" style="text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase;">The Weathermen</th></tr><tr><td>William M. Briggs</td><td><a href="http://wmbriggs.com">wmbriggs.com</a></td><td>statistician</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/richard-s-courtney">Richard S. Courtney</a></td><td> </td><td>CoalTrans International (ret.)</td></tr><tr><td>Joseph D’Aleo</td><td><a href="http://icecap.us">icecap.us</a></td><td>Weather Channel (ret.)</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td><a href="http://www.desmogblog.com/art-horn">Art Horn</a></td><td><a href="http://theartofweather.com">theartofweather.com</a></td><td>weatherman (ret.)</td></tr><tr><td>Alan Siddons</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td>George E. Smith</td><td> </td><td>Monsanto, Hewlett Packard (ret.)</td></tr><tr><td>James Spann</td><td><a href="http://jamesspann.com">jamesspann.com</a></td><td>weatherman, ABC 33/40</td></tr><tr style=" background-color: rgb(227, 227, 238);"><td>Herb Stevens</td><td> </td><td>weatherman (ret.)</td></tr></tbody></table>

– The Scientists: Ph.D.s, often with strong industry ties, who may or may not have experience in climate science, but are ready to denounce the scientific consensus

– The Bloggers: They flood the Web with “news” and opinion, ready to be picked up by Drudge, Fox News, and the rest of the right-wing echo chamber

– The “Think Tankers”: Ready spokesmen associated with impressive-sounding organizations, often founded by themselves

– The Weathermen: Meteorologists, statisticians, and corporate scientists not associated with a think tank or university, but happy to give reporters their “expert” opinion

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<h1><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2010/07/15/206423/uk-guardian-slams-morano-for-cyber-bullying-and-for-urging-violence-against-climate-scientists/">UK Guardian slams Morano for cyber-bullying and for urging violence against climate scientists</a></h1>

By <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/author/joe/">Joe Romm</a> on Jul 15, 2010 at 9:59 am

I have previously written about <a title="Permanent Link to The rise of anti-science cyber bullying" rel="bookmark" href="http://climateprogress.org/2010/03/02/the-rise-of-anti-science-cyber-bullying/">The rise of anti-science cyber bullying</a> and the role played by <a href="http://climateprogress.org/2009/04/07/swift-boat-smearer-marc-morano-global-warming-denie/">Swift Boat smearer</a> Marc Morano “” who believes climate scientists should be publicly beaten.

The UK Guardian has posted an <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2010/jul/13/climate-sceptic-morano-award">outstanding piece</a> slamming Morano’s “warped world vision” and the ‘award’ he just won:

But that this award was announced within hours of Morano posting on his <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/">Climate Depot</a> website the email addresses of a climate scientist next to a link to <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/05/hate-mail-climategate">my story from last Monday</a> about the said climate scientist, Stanford University’s <a href="http://stephenschneider.stanford.edu/">Professor Stephen Schneider</a>, receiving death threats and hate mail should cause you to throw down that coffee in disgust.

Here’s what <a href="http://www.climatedepot.com/a/7228/Warmist-Prof-Stephen-Schneider-accuses-skeptics-of-telling-Hitlerian-lies-about-climate-scientists--Complains-of-hundreds-of-hate-email--shswebsitelistsstanfordedu-or-shsstanfordedu">he wrote (juxtaposed beneath a picture of Adolf Hitler on Climate Depot’s homepage)</a>:

Warmist Prof Stephen Schneider accuses sceptics of telling ‘Hitlerian lies about climate scientists’ – Complains of ‘hundreds’ of hate email – [Morano supplied two email addresses for Schneider here]

Schneider: ‘I get scared that we’re now in a new Weimar republic where people are prepared to listen to what amounts to Hitlerian lies about climate scientists’

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[NB: Schneider didn't actually accuse sceptics of telling "Hitlerian lies" - he was speaking of a neo-Nazi website that had included his name on a "death list" - but Morano somewhat conveniently failed to mention this rather important point.]

So, what possible reason could Morano have for prominently displaying these email addresses – as he does for many other stories that involve climate scientists he evidently despises – other than to encourage his readers who lap up his warped world vision to “get in touch”? I’ll let you fill in the gaps. But it might be worth bearing in mind that Morano <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=climate-cyber-bullying">has said some rather choice things himself</a> about climate scientists in the past:

I seriously believe we should kick them while they’re down. They deserve to be publicly flogged.

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If this is what Doctors for Disaster Preparedness means by “demonstrating courage and achievement in defence of scientific truth and freedom” then it has a rather different interpretation of the words “courage” and “defence” than I do.

Here’s how Jane Orient, DDP’s president, introduced Morano to the stage to receive his award:

It’s given to those who speak out courageously, even though it might be politically incorrect, to support the truth that is essential for our progress in science. Our recipient this year has been particularly effective in winning victories in this field. And he also uses with great effectiveness one of Petr Beckmann’s best weapons – humour.

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I’m sure Professor Schneider, and all the other climate scientists who have been receiving death threats and hate mail in recent months, must be tickled sick with humour by the vicious irony of this award.

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Hear!  Hear!

UPDATE:  I see via <a href="http://scienceblogs.com/deltoid/2010/07/the_hate_mail_campaign_against_1.php">Deltoid</a> more on “<a href="http://scienceblogs.com/deltoid/2010/02/the_hate_mail_campaign_against.php">the hate mail campaign against Australian climate scientists</a>” and more from the Guardian on “<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/05/hate-mail-climategate">the hate mail campaign against US climate scientists</a>.”

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<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2010/07/15/206423/uk-guardian-slams-morano-for-cyber-bullying-and-for-urging-violence-against-climate-scientists/">http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2010/07/15/206423/uk-guardian-slams-morano-for-cyber-bullying-and-for-urging-violence-against-climate-scientists/</a>

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MORANO, M

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