Tide turning on Global AlGoring?

"In talks, articles and blog entries that have appeared since his film and accompanying book came out last year, these scientists argue that some of Mr. Gore’s central points are exaggerated and erroneous. They are alarmed, some say, at what they call his alarmism."

So begins part of the lead-in to a news story about Al Gore and how there is an increasing swell of credible critics who accuse him of exaggeration, inaccuracies, and playing fast and loose with the facts. One points out that Gore's famous film alludes to sea levels rising 20 feet or more, inundating many cities, whereas the latest U.N. report (which in itself has been challenged as exaggerated) suggests possible sea level rises of 23 inches, maximum. That's a huge difference, Al -- most places wouldn't even notice a rise of 23 inches.

Of course there have been lots of articles critical of Al Gore and his breathless alarmism, but what took me aback is the source of this article: the New York Times. The NYT is virtually the journal of record of the mainstream Left in the U.S. and has been a long, loud, and consistent cheerleader of Al Gore's crusades and of global-warming advocates in general. For the Times to run a story like this criticizing Gore and echoing many of the things global-warming skeptics have been saying for years is a real shocker.

The story goes on to detail one after another of the criticisms of Gore's claims: Biologists who undercut his claim that global warming is spreading malaria, climatologists who point out the flaws in his claims about increasing hurricanes, geologists who debunk Gore's claim of our warm time being in any way unique or unprecedented, those who object to Gore's claims that global-warming thesis is undisputed, those who angrily resent Gore's charges that those who disagree are only stooges for oil companies.

The writer treats Gore himself with soft gloves, but it's clear that many of those quoted in criticism of Gore are credible, authoritative, and extremely unhappy with Gore's distortion of the facts.

And now that the Grey Lady of the Left has come forward and validated that it's not just conservatives who find fault in Gore's scaremongering, I suspect more such critics may start coming forward, feeling less afraid to speak out about what some say is becoming an embarrassment to the scientific community. Maybe that will help start restoring balance to this important debate that of late has turned into a bare-knuckles attempt by proponents to intimidate and silence the skeptics, even to the point of death threats, ostracism, denial of funding, and name-calling. This is not how science or public policy should be debated, and a drive for balance is way overdue. Let's hope.