The Scrutinator

From around 4:54 above:

Sen James Inhofe (R-OK): "The fact that this whole idea on the global warming, I'm glad that's over, gone, done. We won. you lost. Get a life." [Environment and Public Works Committee SD-406]

Jon Stewart: "By the way, that quote was from before he found out about the leaked e-mail story."

As though ClimateGate was the first evidence (Inhofe's attitude aside).

Not so: ClimateGate: 30 years in the making.

More, from Powerline. It didn't start with ClimateGate. Late Professor Frederick Seitz, 1996:

In my more than 60 years as a member of the American scientific community, including service as president of both the National Academy of Sciences and the American Physical Society, I have never witnessed a more disturbing corruption of the peer-review process than the events that led to this IPCC report.

Stewart's final point is an excellent one, um, kind of (profanity and ad hominem aside):

But that's the point: if you care about an issue and want to make it your life's work, don't cut corners! It's disheartening to people inclined towards the scientific method, and it's catnip to these guys...

I agree: don't cut corners. Also, don't commit outright fraud.

Interesting, though, that he phrases it "care about an issue..." What about "care about a field of study" or "care about a scientific discipline"? Innocent slip or deliberately confusing the two? You decide. And if the "issue" you care about is your predetermined conclusion about the science, how trustworthy should we consider you?

By The Scrutinator @ 3:46 PM