Couric & Co.
February 26, 2007 6:29 PM

Katie: Gore Warms Up Hollywood

By
Katie Couric
Topics
Field Notes
(CBS)
Along with millions of other people, I was watching the Oscars last night, checking out the dresses. (Personally, I found Penelope Cruz's the most beautiful and tasteful of the night...)

But as the throngs of celebrities greeted Al Gore as a secular saint, I wondered if this might usher in a backlash against environmentalists. It wasn't too long ago, afterall, that environmentalists were decried as tree-huggers, and former President Bush railed against them — trying to say it was the spotted owl against logging interests and jobs in the West.

Gore has repeatedly said the environment is not a Democratic or Republican issue; it's a moral issue. But now that Hollywood has so completely embraced the former vice president, one wonders if this issue will be associated only with liberal causes. The Oscars may give Gore's critics ammunition to reject a school of thought that's been validated by countless scientists worldwide. Some people I know latched on to a recent Gore global warming conference that was cancelled because of a snowstorm.

And yet, after a period of time of not conceding global warming even exists, President Bush used the term "climate change" for the first time and has talked about a way to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. It seems like we're reaching critical mass when it comes to this issue. And all the experts agree. Well, almost every expert. (There are a handful of scientists — many of them on the payroll of big oil companies — who wonder if global warming is a reality.)

But my fervent hope is that Hollywood's embrace of Al Gore doesn't give people an excuse to condemn and mock the effort — and oppose taking steps that we as a society need to take to deal with the issue of climate change. Some people find anything trendy repugnant, but this is a trend that's really important.

Senator Barbara Boxer, the new chairman of the Environment Committee, told us that "global warming is not just a warm day in January, it is a threat to the delicate balance of the planet." And many conservatives, too, share this view. Conservatives like Brent Scowcroft, the former Bush national security adviser, Lee Thomas, Ronald Reagan's EPA Administrator, and Theodore Roosevelt IV. All of them — and many others — would say exactly what Gore says.

Add a Comment See all 161 Comments
by dircktn March 1, 2007 5:30 PM EST
Katieis right when she says Gore has been sainted, but there's nothing secular about it.

That's because Climate Change Alarmism is a religion, not science. Lightly educated politicians and media personalities can't tell a scientist from a huckster.

http://***********/2hhplm

The hucksters win adherents among people who like the idea of completely revamping the world economy and giving enormous power to some remote, central bureaucracy. These are the same types who were sympathetic to the Soviet Union in the 50s and 60s, and the same people who think places like Cuba and Venezuela are great today. It doesnt matter what is actually going on, they will always be interested in ways to reduce individual liberties

http://***********/32e5uz



Reply to this comment
by heyrob4449 March 1, 2007 2:53 PM EST
Ms. Couric,

You are right about Gore saying "the environment is not a Democratic or Republican issue; it's a moral issue." my parents taught me as I teach my children, that lying is morally wrong. Therefore it is immoral for Gore and the media to keep perpetuating lies about global warming having been "validated by countless scientists worldwide".

Let me state a fact for you THERE IS NO CONCENSUS ON ANTHROPOGENIC CAUSED GLOBAL WARMING. To state that it has been validated by "countless scientists" is a lie.

There are countless scientists who disagree with the idea, most of which actually study climate and how it works, not just the effects of it. Theses are very different areas of research; cause vs. effect. The supposed "consensus" is made up primarily of the latter or worse yet, totally unrelated fields.

You talking heads continue to dismiss the dissenters with comments like "There are a handful of scientists %u2014 many of them on the payroll of big oil companies %u2014 who wonder if global warming is a reality." I would bet that nearly all real scientists who support this theory are on someone's payroll too, but with a different political agenda.

The majority of those who oppose this junk science have no affiliation to any special interest. However, most are reluctant to voice an opinion for fear of being attacked or labeled in the fashion you used here.

Science is about provable facts and there just aren't any on your side of the debate.
Reply to this comment
by heyrob4449 March 1, 2007 2:50 PM EST
Ms. Couric,

You are right about Gore saying "the environment is not a Democratic or Republican issue; it's a moral issue." my parents taught me as I teach my children, that lying is morally wrong. Therefore it is immoral for Gore and the media to keep perpetuating lies about anthropogenic global warming having been "validated by countless scientists worldwide".

Let me state a fact for you, THERE IS NO CONCENSUS ON ANTHROPOGENIC GLOBAL WARMING. To state that it has been validated by "countless scientists" is a lie.

There are also countless scientists who disagree with the idea, most of which actually study climate and how it works, not just the effects of it. Theses are very different areas of research; cause vs. effect. The supposed consensus is made up primarily of the latter or worse yet,those in totally unrelated fields.

You talking heads continue to dismiss the dissenters with comments like "There are a handful of scientists %u2014 many of them on the payroll of big oil companies %u2014 who wonder if global warming is a reality." I would bet that nearly all real scientists who support this theory are on someone's payroll also, simply with a different political agenda.

The majority of those who oppose this junk science have no affiliation to any special interest. However, most are reluctant to voice an opinion for fear of being attacked or labeled in the fashion you did here.

Science is about provable facts and there just aren't any on your side of the debate.
Reply to this comment
by justtex-2009 March 1, 2007 6:01 AM EST
Well Katie, now that all those Inconvenient posts indicating the real Inconvenient Truth of the false science encompassing the Faith of anthropogenic (man-made for your regular readers) "Global Warming", when are you and C-BS going to lay into Al Gore for his wasteful ways, of using 24X the amount of energy in his home, as an average American's home?

I'll bet you're going to jump on Gore faster than Dan Rather chasing a fake Bush National Guard document, in a hurricane?

I'll believe you aren't biased whenever you stop being biased.

Btw, how's Bernard Goldberg doing? Isn't it time to interview him about one or two of his books about "Media Bias"? I know those books are hard to come by ( http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/home.php ), being they have only been out a few years http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/home.php ), but can't one of your producers just borrow a copy to read?
Reply to this comment
by justtex-2009 March 1, 2007 5:57 AM EST
Well Katie, now that all those Inconvenient posts indicating the real Inconvenient Truth of the false science encompassing the Faith of anthropogenic (man-made for your regular readers) "Global Warming", when are you and C-BS going to lay into Al Gore for his wasteful ways, of using 24X the amount of energy in his home, as an average American's home?

I'll bet you're going to jump on Gore faster than Dan Rather chasing a fake Bush National Guard document, in a hurricane?

I'll believe you aren't biased whenever you stop being biased.

Btw, how's Bernard Goldberg doing? Isn't it time to interview him about one or two of his books about "Media Bias"? I know those books are hard to come by ( http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/home.php ), being they have only been out a few years http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/home.php ), but can't one of your producers just borrow a copy to read?
Reply to this comment
by justtex-2009 March 1, 2007 5:33 AM EST
Well Katie, now that all those Inconvenient posts indicating the real Inconvenient Truth of the false science encompassing the Faith of anthropogenic (man-made for your regular readers) "Global Warming", when are you and C-BS going to lay into Al Gore for his wasteful ways, of using 24X the amount of energy in his home, as an average American's home?

I'll bet you're going to jump on Gore faster than Dan Rather chasing a fake Bush National Guard document, in a hurricane?

I'll believe you aren't biased whenever you stop being biased.

Btw, how's Bernard Goldberg doing? Isn't it time to interview him about one or two of his books about "Media Bias"? I know those books are hard to come by ( http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/home.php ), being they have only been out a few years http://www.bernardgoldberg.com/home.php ), but can't one of your producers just borrow a copy to read?
Reply to this comment
by perleyx March 1, 2007 1:33 AM EST
It's interesting how Ms. Couric will comment on how Al Gore is being attacked for his stand on global warming, but there is no mention of the fact that his mansion in Nashville uses 20 times the amount of energy used by the average American. Al Gore's hypocrisy is, of course, not reported by the media. At best, such news is usually hidden somewhere on page 25 of the New York Times. All Americans should be aware of the truth. Al Gore is telling us to "do as I say, not as I do". There is nothing wrong with a reasonable approach to protect our planet; however, hiding the truth about Al Gore's hypocrisy by the media is simply irresponsible. It only shows the bias of the mainstream media and Ms. Couric. Thank goodness for the internet. It allows us to get all sides of the issues, not just Katie Couric's opinion.
Reply to this comment
by perleyx March 1, 2007 1:28 AM EST
It's interesting how Ms. Couric will comment on how Al Gore is being attacked for his stand on global warming, but there is no mention of the fact that his mansion in Nashville uses 20 times the amount of energy used by the average American. Al Gore's hypocrisy is, of course, not reported by the media. At best, such news is usually hidden somewhere on page 25 of the New York Times. All Americans should be aware of the truth. Al Gore is telling us to "do as I say, not as I do". There is nothing wrong with a reasonable approach to protect our planet; however, hiding the truth about Al Gore's hypocrisy by the media is simply irresponsible. It only shows the bias of the mainstream media and Ms. Couric. Thank goodness for the internet. It allows us to get all sides of the issues, not just Katie Couric's opinion.
Reply to this comment
by linehand March 1, 2007 12:02 AM EST
Katie (Perky) - Read this stupid piece again and think for a moment - Why are your ratings in the toilet and swirling down? Surely you (and your bosses) must begin to realize that news reporting means reporting what is happening, and not your arrogant opinions. Keep it up and we wont have to listen or read your tripe too much longer!
Reply to this comment
by spsanders-2009 February 28, 2007 11:51 PM EST
No such thing as media bias huh? You've got to be kidding me Katie.
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