In Fact…

In Fact…

Copy Link
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Bluesky
Pocket
Email

BUSH’S SHADE OF GREEN

Chris Floyd writes: It’s no mystery why the Bush Administration engineered the ouster of Robert Watson as chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in April. The White House had received an unsigned “recommendation” from ExxonMobil that Watson, who has been outspoken in the fight against global warming, had to go. But many were puzzled by the White House arm-twisting on behalf of Watson’s replacement: Indian environmentalist R.K. Pachauri, who is a strong backer of the Kyoto treaty and even voiced approval of a campaign to boycott ExxonMobil. Why embrace such a candidate? Perhaps because Pachauri is something of an oilman himself. In January 1999 he was appointed to a three-year term on the board of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. Pachauri’s Tata Energy Research Institute has also formed a partnership with Monsanto to develop genetically modified mustard oil and collaborated with the Global Technology Strategy Project, an “environmental” group sponsored by BP Amoco, Toyota–and Mobil. Finally, as a member of a panel investigating India’s Dabhol Power Plant, he voted against setting up a judicial inquiry into alleged illegalities involving government officials and the developer–a little ol’ Texas company called Enron.

WATCH WHAT YOU SAY TO THE POST!

Schmidtgate began when mediawhoresonline.com published a link to a Susan Schmidt article in the March 20 Washington Post on special prosecutor Robert Ray’s final Monicagate report. MWO regards Schmidt as hopelessly biased against the Clintons and in favor of their prosecutors. Seeing her Ray piece as a typical example of her bias, MWO urged readers to contact Schmidt. MWO then published an e-mail from one of the letter writers, claiming Schmidt had forwarded his letter, with a snide comment, to his immediate supervisor and the president of the college that employs him. Shortly thereafter another letter writer, an attorney at a prominent New York City law firm, gave a similar account of Schmidt’s forwarding his letter to his supervisors. The Post‘s ombudsman, Michael Getler, then wrote a piece titled “Uncivil Wars” (April 21) focusing on the bad manners of some letter writers to the Post rather than on the substance of the complaints. Getler’s only reference to the Schmidt matter came at the end, where he claimed that “too much” of the e-mail sent to Schmidt “falls into the crude to obscene bracket.” So the Post has failed to take a position on the issue of one of its reporters trying to get letter writers fired because she didn’t like the tone of their criticisms. The ombudsman declined to respond to an extremely polite e-mail inquiring about his silence.

Support independent journalism that exposes oligarchs and profiteers


Donald Trump’s cruel and chaotic second term is just getting started. In his first month back in office, Trump and his lackey Elon Musk (or is it the other way around?) have proven that nothing is safe from sacrifice at the altar of unchecked power and riches.

Only robust independent journalism can cut through the noise and offer clear-eyed reporting and analysis based on principle and conscience. That’s what The Nation has done for 160 years and that’s what we’re doing now.

Our independent journalism doesn’t allow injustice to go unnoticed or unchallenged—nor will we abandon hope for a better world. Our writers, editors, and fact-checkers are working relentlessly to keep you informed and empowered when so much of the media fails to do so out of credulity, fear, or fealty.

The Nation has seen unprecedented times before. We draw strength and guidance from our history of principled progressive journalism in times of crisis, and we are committed to continuing this legacy today.

We’re aiming to raise $25,000 during our Spring Fundraising Campaign to ensure that we have the resources to expose the oligarchs and profiteers attempting to loot our republic. Stand for bold independent journalism and donate to support The Nation today.

Onward,

Katrina vanden Heuvel

Editorial Director and Publisher, The Nation

Ad Policy
x