08 Nov 2007 Think Progress Slams Conservative Bloggers for Citing a Mere Weatherman on Climate Issues, Yet It Cites a Politician Over a Climatologist

The ridiculous Think Progress is slamming John Coleman for expressing his opinion on climate change because — get this — Coleman is a just a weatherman:

The conservative blogosphere is pushing Coleman’s junk science today. Matt Drudge links to NewsBusters’ “marvelous” take on Coleman this morning. Red State [sic], Qando [sic], Sister Toldjah, and the Free Republic also join in by approvingly linking to Coleman’s piece.

The right wing should check Coleman’s credentials before touting his “scientific” work. As Coleman admits, his “expertise” is in weather — not climate change science. In fact, he “has been a TV weatherman since he was a freshman in college in 1953.”

Think Progress doesn’t believe a mere “weatherman” should speak his mind on climate, but…

…as recently as November 5, Think Progress promoted the climate views of a politician over those of a bona fide climatologist:

This morning, former vice president Al Gore appeared on NBC’s Today Show to talk about global warming. Host Meredith Vieira brought up a Nov. 1 Wall Street Journal op-ed by climate skeptic John Christy, a former member of the IPCC. In the op-ed, Christy wrote, “I see neither the developing catastrophe nor the smoking gun proving that human activity is to blame for most of the activity we see.”

When Vieira asked about the op-ed, Gore noted that Christy “no longer belongs to the IPCC” and is “way outside the scientific consensus.” He also sharply criticized the media for giving so much air time to such climate skeptics…

As Gore noted, scientists such as Christy are outliers, yet the media continue to give them an overblown amount of airtime. Last month, for example, Colorado State University professor Dr. William Gray sharply criticized Gore, saying that he is “brainwashing our children” on global warming.

Christy has a B.A. in mathematics and an M.S. and Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences. Gore earned a degree in government and then attended divinity school and law school.

If conservative bloggers are foolish for citing a mere weatherman on climate issues, what does that make a website that cites a politician?

The headline for the Think Progress piece, by the way, is “Right Wing Trumpets Global Warming Denial Of Discredited ‘TV Weatherman.'” When was Coleman “discredited”?

I’m wondering if the Think Progress staff just made that part up.

Full Disclosure: I cited meterologist John Coleman’s remarks yesterday, and would do it again.
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Labels: Climate, Conservatives, Environment, Liberals