Peter Lang,
I agree with you completely on the issue of why guests appear on talk shows. And please note I had nothing negative to say about what Dr. Curry said in those interviews. My comments were directed to her dismissive comments about those two hosts in particular.
Not to beat this to death (OK, too late), but I commented on her referring to Levin and Santelli as “clueless.on climate change.” I asked for examples, and described a history Dr. Curry has had of being dismissive of conservatives. When some other denizens reacted and tried to answer my question, I responded, but none ever posted a quote supporting her comment.
When Dr. Curry responded, which I appreciate, she wrote that it was her feeling that the hosts were not prepared, but she also did not post any quotes from the interviews in support of her comment. Nor has she herself denied her history of making such comments in the past.
Her latest response is that she has googled Mark Levin climate change, and did not find anything very impressive. Which is fine, but is not a quote showing he is ‘clueless’ on the issue of climate change. And I suspect Dr. Curry in thinking in terms of scientific arguments about “climate change”, a truly non-descriptive term so that may be some of the source of the problem.
But this is way too much ado about nothing. I said what I had to say, many responded, and none has answered my initial question. It is possible to disagree, even on a blog.
The ‘climate change debate’ has been around since conservatives found out what the actual policy agenda was, and who was behind the ‘science’. Were it not for conservatives, Copenhagen would have enshrined, in the west, the progressive decarbonization agenda.
It is nice to have lukewarmers and ‘moderates’ of all kinds on our side now, but they are late to the party. And I just think that those who are gaining more prominence than ever as a result of conservatives giving them a platform for their ideas, ought to consider leaving their condescension behind.
I had these arguments at Keith Kloor’s blog back when it was interesting, and he finally asked me to stop commenting there, in two emails – not on the blog, because I kept asking him for examples of the “racism” he all too frequently claimed was common in the comments of prominent conservatives. He got more than a little irritated when I kept pointing out that he wasn’t posting examples as I requested, but only the opinions of those who agreed with him that conservatives are racist.
In my opinion, Dr. Curry was just repeating another meme about how conservatives in general are clueless, without knowing the history of the conservative commenters (I think Santelli is more libertarian, but I am not sure).
I appreciate her responding to my comments, and actually looking into the views of some conservative talk hosts. I doubt that many other bloggers would put in such an effort.
All that (way too much) being said, I responded to your comment because you are always so gracious in your comments to me. I also want to dispute the claims that I am somehow attacking Dr. Curry by disagreeing with her. But I think the topic is well done. And unless someone says something really outrageous, I am as well on this subject.
