Evidently, Mann, Schmidt, Oppenheimer & Romm are having a press conference today. Roger Jr. posted some snippets of the announcement which also happens to be posted
at google groups The time is given as 11 am today (I assume eastern standard time). I don’t know who is invited, but the call info and subject are:
Call Info: *877-210-8943
*Conference ID: *45259408
***Please be sure to provide the Conference ID number.**What:* Press Conference Call to with three leading climate scientists to
discuss the state of climate science against the backdrop of the
Climategate/email affair. The panel will explain the context for some of the
emails and why they do not alter the overwhelming scientific understanding
of the danger posed by unrestricted greenhouse gas emissions — an
understanding that has only grown stronger in recent years.Please contact Suzi Emmerling at 202-481-8224 or
I guess reporters will be fed the “tribe’s” notion of the context for the emails. Expect this to influence news reports over the coming weeks.
Let me guess… they won’t be taking any questions, unless the questioners are “pre-screened” to make sure they focus on “the science”.
Roger’s analysis is right: blatant political advocacy will only hurt their credibility even more. Either they are very slow learners, or they figure that we lesser minds don’t have the right to make valid political decisions.
Steve F predicts:
“they won’t be taking any questions”
My guess is they will generously offer to take your questions at RC.
SteveF– You could try phoning.
Evidently, the operator is going to ask questions. I’m on hold. Bag this — I hate being on hold.
If it’s a press conference, I’m sure the press will be permitted questions. Otherwise, the member of the 4th estate will be mighty pissed off!
They know that 90% of news articles are just quotes. The goal is probably to have the press quote the soundbites tomorrow and over the next few days.
The Team continue to underestimate their opponents. It started with underestimating Climate Audit, ranging from ignoring via being annoyed to outright rage and obsession.
Now they are underestimating the general public. Who do they think they are? We live in internet days, everybody by now knows what’s going on, do they really think they can turn the tide? All they’ll be saying will only make their case look even worse.
After a decade of hacking freely away within the safe walls of academic society guarded by incestious peer review, they find themselves now in the open being attacked by a pack of wolves to which they clearly they don’t know (or have experience) how to survive. It only has begun.
Also– clearly, someone is paying for the phone charges and the call. Is this Mann/Schmidt/Oppenheimer/Romm themselves? Or some other entity? That would be interesting to learn.
Probably out of an overhead account.
Lucia,
It is a press conference, but the Team does not normally allow unfriendly reporters to question them. If it really is open to everyone, then they will face some rather pointed questions which they normally avoid.
My guess is that If asked a question they don’t like they will say the question is “off topic” and will refuse to answer (a la RealClimate).
From your ‘at google groups’ link:
Jim Prall View profile
More options Dec 4, 11:47 am
From: Jim Prall
Date: Fri, 4 Dec 2009 11:47:32 -0500
Local: Fri, Dec 4 2009 11:47 am
Subject: Re: [Planet 3.0: 2162] Climategate call w Mann, Schmidt, Oppenheimer
I’m listening to the conference call, and they’ve got many reporters from MSM asking questions.
Gavin just gave a big pitch on the independent lines of evidence apart from CRU’s, and at one point said “they all show the climate is cooling … whoa, I mean *warming* – (gee, where did that come from?)”
The denialists could have a field day with that as a freudian slip, I
suppose. I’d say he’s just been hearing the contrarian talking points
a bit too often lately.
Now Mike Mann is pointing out the Anthony Watts effort to reanalyze the GISS temp history, taking out all the stations they deemed unreliable (a la surfacestations) – and when they were done, the result basically matched the IPCC results, so “then they went quiet about this.”
Who are the “Center for American Progress”?
I am a bit puzzled why anyone would wish to hold a press conference if it is to say that the science is not in question, if the science is not in question.
I hope that they do not further alienate the merely doubtful by implying that we are the stooges of dark reactionary forces.
They seem to be engaged in a “War on Doubt”, I find that the use of the phrase ” unequivocal scientific evidence” particularly unsettling, because it directly excludes the possibility of doubt or missunderstanding, which impies that my position is that of a liar or lunatic. I also object to it because it is unscientific and perhaps a euphemism for “unequivocal dogmatic group-speak”.
I also object to the lack of anything that can be tested, I know that these people are convinved that global temperatures are on a one way trip to visit a global mass extinction but I really do wonder if there could be any evidence to the contrary that they would consider challenges their point of view. To my mind it has become an unrefutable hypothesis, not due to strong evidence but because it is impossible to test.
I really believe that my lifestyle ticks all the relevant green boxes, or at least, all the ones that I already can, and I intend to tick more, and that has nothing to do with the threat of global warming. I think my position is one that prizes movement towards general sustainabiliy, so I would characterise the growth in AGW dogma as just another manifestation of single issue fanaticism, and one that merely seeks to medicate a symptom without attempting a cure.
I do not know if mine is a lone voice but if it is not then they have alienated the likes of me at their peril.
Alex
Roger has good coverage on who is sponsoring this PC
http://rogerpielkejr.blogspot.com/2009/12/your-politics-are-showing.html#comments
Our socialist progressive betters with assistance from Fenton Communications
“Center for American Progress” website says:
.
“We combine bold policy ideas with a modern communications platform to help shape the national debate, expose the hollowness of conservative governing philosophy, and challenge the media to cover the issues that truly matter.”
They are an extreme leftist think tank, who attempt to shout down anyone who disagrees with their political agenda.
They advocate high and very progressive income tax rates, confiscation of most accumulated wealth at death, wealth transfer, nationalized health care, unionization of all workforces, and tight government control on the operation of companies…. along with forced reductions in energy use. Oh, and they oppose all sources of energy except solar and wind.
Super group.
A recording of the conference has been posted at Climate progress. I haven’t listened. Too close to lunch.