Dems: Virginia Station Won't Air GOP Climate Change Ad, Citing Factual Errors (VIDEO)

Congressional Republicans were dealt a setback Thursday in their attempt to punish Democrats in swing districts for voting for climate change legislation in the House last week.

WDBJ-TV, a Roanoke television station, will not air a National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) ad attacking freshman Rep. Tom Perriello (D-Va.), citing factual inaccuracies, according to Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee communications director Jen Crider. A source familiar with the station's decision confirmed Crider's account; WDBJ general manager Jeff Marks confirmed that the ad would not run, but declined to say why.

"The ad is not running, be we have not characterized why that is," said Marks. "We don't characterize why an ad is not running. We looked into the complaints [from national Democrats], but other than saying that, you really need to find out from the NRCC."

An NRCC source said that Democrats are mischaracterizing the station's decision. "One station has temporarily pulled the ad. The station manager has also informed us that he plans to notify the DCCC about their mischaracterization of what exactly has transpired. The ad is still set to run on the other stations in the local market," said the source.

Marks said the station has made no public statement saying that it rejected the ad for factual reasons. He confirmed that he notified Democrats that he had made no public statements about the ad. He did not reject the assertion that the ad was pulled because it was inaccurate, declining to comment instead.

Earlier, the nonpartisan organization FactCheck.org called the ad "wrong."

Adjudicated FactCheck:

The ad says the bill will result in lost jobs and cost "middle class families" $1,870 a year. That sounds pretty dire, until you consider that this week we posted an item about the Office of the Republican Whip Eric Cantor's claim that the same bill would "impose a national energy tax of up to $3,100." So is the cost of the legislation going down? Did the NRCC make a mistake in its math?

Hardly. While it may seem curious that House Republicans would flog two different cost figures for the proposed legislation, it is indicative of the difficulty in determining how a cap on carbon emissions could affect Americans' electricity bills. The NRCC ad credits a Washington Times editorial for its claim that the Waxman-Markey bill would make electricity prices "skyrocket," costing families $1,870 a year. But the NRCC is wrong.

Here's the ad:

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Comments

[tomasedison]

The anti-science party is up in arms.

[PrezNoExperience]

i am a creationist

[LeighAnnes]

No surprise there.

[J242]

So the concept that pollution remaining in our atmosphere causes changes to our weather systems with various warming and cooling of different zones based on location is utterly implausible to you. I find this highly amusing considering you can put faith behind a giant mythological "father figure" in the sky having created everything as it is exactly with nothing but uneducated religious texts to "support" (and I use the term VERY loosely) this ridiculous claim?

"Intelligent design", welcome to the new "Flat earth society"!

[Patriot86]

The only people that believe in man made global warming, whoops, now man made climate change, are the people who live off the grants, or people that are sheeple. I think we should get off fossil fuel for many reasons, number one is the countries that supply it. But let us not think for one minute that it has anything to do with climate change. I am old enough to remember, the next ice age, killer bees, overpopulation, ozone hole, top soil erosion. All of these emergencies proved to be unfounded. But people have to believe they are part of some greater good. I wonder what the next scare will be? Anyone willing to make guesses?

[SayLessDoMore]

Sure. The exponentially increasing stupidity of our some Americans, led by people whose lack of critical thinking skills is exceeded by their fear to acknowledge problems that we have the ability and need to confront.

Another ostrich.

[PrezNoExperience]

next scare- obama caught dddiddling hisself

[polarcap2]

I'd say that's a pretty good observation of the present administration and of who put them there

[PrezNoExperience]

next scare- obama caught diddling hisself

[J242]

Overpopulation IS a problem. More people using more and more resources is a bad thing. In nature if a herd of animals outgrows the food supply that is available in their environment, they start dying off until the herd is back to a manageable size that the local environment can support.

We humans are the ONLY species on the planet (Other than parasites) who don't function within our habitat this way. We use any and all resources with complete disregard to the future, only thinking in the now. This has never worked for any other species, why would it work for us?

As we become more and more overpopulated we get more and more vicious strains of influenza, new diseases, different and more aggressive forms of cancer and more genetic defects that are weakening the species. Food allergies? Unheard of 100 years ago, commonplace now with a higher % of the population being born with them every generation. Autism? Case numbers are doubling every generation.

Just because you are too dense to understand what is happening around you doesn't mean it isn't happening, it just means you aren't paying attention.

[RomeoMD25]

"Climate Change" really is. Natural cycles. Nothing more, nothing less.
I have point out the fact that more and more scientists are coming out and telling you that it is a scam.
That there is no real science in it. It's Scaryence.­." Doom and gloom. So they came up with a plan.

What if the people ask for proof? "Just tell them that all the Scientist agree that it is real, and they are smarter then
them, so they need just accept it. Any Scientists that say it's not real are just kooks, or bought off by big oil."

"They have succeeded to a certain degree. Many people
have just become Sheeple that accept the Scaryence as real science.

More and more people are actually starting to listen to the FACTS and deciding that it makes no sense whatsoever.
They are starting to question it. Well, they can't have THAT. Why? Because they can't win an intelligent fact and science based argument.
They can not win because there is NO real Science in it. There are no PROVABLE facts to back up what they say.

Al Gore has been telling us we only have ten years left for about 15 years.
All the predictions are completely wrong, every time the give them. More frequent and severe storms.
Well, the last two years? Warmer and dryer winters. Well, this year? Fake pictures, fake facts

Why do you think they SAY there is a scientific consensus Just accept it?

[SayLessDoMore]

"Climate Change ... is a scam."

Pretty pathetic. Let's argue the politics of blame, and ignore anything that we, as humans, might do to make our environment more stable.

It doesn't matter if you accept that human industry is the prime mover in climatic change over the last century, or if you cling to the notion that it's a natural phenomenon. Either way, the thermal loading of our atmosphere and, more critically, our oceans is measurable and poses catastrophic risk to existing geography and life. But hey, let's just keep babbling about whether Al Gore is "right" about the timeline, or that the poles aren't melting fast enough.

Howl away all you want. The changes in ocean temperature, loss of glacial ice, and changes in weather patterns are observable, measurable, and are facts. But don't worry. There's going to be more and more sand available for you to stick your head into.

[urweatherman]

Your statement is totally false....I am a 30 plus years experienced meteorologist, researcher, and climatologist and I tell you, exact climate change is still unproven, and certainly not a result of man-made influences. The earth is cooling in reality! Please check your figures again, but look where they are coming from before you make misinformed statements­......

[PrezNoExperience]

it is a scam but if u can make $$$$ of it it is a good scam. gore and hussein are getting rich from it.

[309blank]

i recommend going through these videos and maybe get back to me when you will learn how science actually works

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oCYW4ScUnw&feature=channel

[J242]

You want proof? Take a large terrarium, spay just one little 1/10th burst of exhaust into it every week. Within a month, the plants will be dying and the animals inside will be ill and dying off as well. That's just the pollution, now with the heating model, take a much larger staging ground like a zoo with solar bulbs. Put out the same equivalent of CO2, Methane and CO over the course of the week and you can accurately measure an increase in temperature on the ground and near the lights themselves do to the small about of pollutants trapping the heat in. It's not a night and day difference of 20 degrees or anything, but it's measurable and that shows it is a valid test. The long term effects we are still learning about, however the arctic ice runoff and melting is speeding up. Ice that has been there for MILLIONS of years is now melting. The sea levels are slowly rising and are currently already higher than they were even 100 years ago.

It take a much larger leap of faith to ignore all of these issues than to pay attention to them.

[RomeoMD25]

As the so-called consensus on anthropogenic global warming continues to collapse, fantasist Al Gore is afraid to debate those who dare to question his theories, Maybe Gore doesn’t want to discuss the millions and millions of dollars he stands to make if the job-killing carbon emissions controls he wants are imposed.

[realpolitic]

i always wonder how much you guys are paid to post here?

[polarcap2]

nothing - we continue to believe that we can educate the uneducateable

[litegrrl]

We keep jumping over the general stupidity of BURNING our petroleum supply. It is the major ingredient in the manufacture of thousands and thousands of products, especially plastic. Burning our finite supply is the stupidest thing we do every day.

[Nancy84]

Wow.... what a world it would be if outlets actually fact checked ads before allowing them to run. If that's what happened here then I give hoorah's to the station.

[urweatherman]

Lets see who is getting the horrah's when we wind up paying double or even triple the amount mentioned in the ads! Just wait and see who is really lying. I don't want to hear any progressives crying or complaining reality hits!

[PrezNoExperience]

there was no fact checking. this was a political decision. boycott the station. any station for that matter that obstructs free speech. free speech seems to be no longer protected under this administration.

[polarcap2]

the ad was a tape segment of a Bambam campaign speech - I guess the station didn't want to embarrass him - nothing about facts, just politics

[FormerReaganite]

I wonder when all of the uninvited visitors from the planet "Denialos" are going to leave?

[rfshunt]

When the industry shill money runs out

[lady49]

Why would you want to repeat the GOP negativity Huffpo?

[dennisrs]

You don't like hearing all sides of a story lady49?

[polarcap2]

no

[goddess1871]

Really? Factual errors? Wow, someone grew a set and decided that that wasn't OK. Amazing!

[lady49]

If the TV station in Virginia had enough class not to run it on their station----why are you running it here, Huffpo????

[Cybersquirt]

because it's news now?

[walkonsatisfied]

I love the climate hoax people here. Sounds a lot like people in the 1800's saying there are plenty of whales or other now endangered animals. Forethought is not in their vocabulary.

[judiNJ]

Or the world is flat.

[StevenevetS]

Great point walkon! That is a good example to use.

[urweatherman]

Yeah...or how about Y2K? That was such a nightmare wasn't it? Wise up!

[XME]

I live in Roanoke, and am glad to see a station use discresion! They are running ads against health care reform though, claiming that "millions" could lose their private insurance if a public option is allowed.

[dennisrs]

Many companies "will" drop the company provided insurance if another option is there for the employees. Our employee benefits department (mostly health insurance) has it's own floor!! Just the paper work is a nightmare for our company, they will gladly get out of the insurance "business. I am sure other feel the same.

[Servility]

Exactly. Walmart is a steller example of this... They have HR people go to the stores to help employees get on government healthcare programs rather than provide benefits to the employees. Who would have thunk Walmart was ahead of the curve on public healthcare option!?!?!?

[StevenevetS]

That is another great point to remember that doesn't get discussed much!

[yankees]

I guess Freedom of Speech and the right to express opposing views through an ad is now subjected to the Left Wing Media. Factually right, give me a break. You might as well take 90% of all Ads off the air with that reasoning.
No matter what side of the political spectrum you are on this action by the station should be condemned!

[walkonsatisfied]

This isn't about free speech as the ad is paid for. The station has a right to pick & choose which ads it shows. If the KKK wanted to run an ad for a membership drive, the station would have no free speech obligation to them.

[SignWave]

More intellectual relativism. You can allow peoiple to spew lies - but you don't have to give them a platform.

[rfshunt]

Yes, imagine just how factually incorrect it was. Those must have been some whoppers they were telling.

[polarcap2]

yes - it was a tape segment of one of Bambam's campaign speeches

[BassMent]

Reading the denial comments in this thread, I'd like to ask something of Polarcap et al. It's the one question that deniers can NEVER answer:

Let's start by accepting your premise that global warming is a hoax. Given the other environmental horrors of burning fossil fuels (asthma and other respiratory disease, acid rain, itcy burning watery eyes, stink, smoggy skies clouding the view of the landscape, auto emissions eating away at architectural treasures.­.. not to mention the environmental rape caused by extracting these fuels from the ground), WHAT precisely is WRONG with replacing filthy energy with clean energy?

If you are NOT sucking the teat of a big fossil fuel company to finance your own personal indulgences, then why are you people so TERRIFIED of cleaning up the environment? What is it about clean air and water that makes you lash out in anger and hatered? Why do you wake up screaming in the night with nightmares of wind farms and solar panels? Why do you panic at the thought that Exxon-Mobil may someday NOT own this nation outright? Why do you enounter progress with fear and trembling unto self-wetting?

And why (this goes for all neo-con babblers of fact-free talking points) do you ALWAYS resort to name-calling when you're unable to arugue with fact and reason? "Twit?" "Empty head?" Is this how you people learned to communicate with your fellow man in college? Or did you skip that life experience?

[damilitantone]

If liberals are for it then it must be unamerican and another attempt by the left to destroy America. This is the only line of reasoning that is at the core of their opposition.

[FormerReaganite]

The answer is that they are about fourteen years old. They have not ever been out from under mommy's wing, yet they purport to know everything. It's teenage rebellion, nothing more. We are debating mere children here.

[urweatherman]

No Former...y­ou are all unarmed combatants in a battle of wits!

[Citizen4honor]

Let me ask you something. Why if CO2 was causing all the global warming would California have put catalytic converters on all their cars which convert CO to CO2.

This so called bill available on line has nothing to do with energy and everything to do with control and making a few people very rich namely George Soros, GE.

Go read the bill - I did and report back. I am appalled at the controls that will be placed on everyone of us.

Global warming is a myth. Pollution is real.

This bill actually will INCREASE POLLUTION AND GREEN HOUSE GASES ... because we will be shipping jobs overseas where there are no controls.

Remember there are only new jobs in this bill for gov't regulators.

[FormerReaganite]

"Let me ask you something. Why if CO2 was causing all the global warming would California have put catalytic converters on all their cars which convert CO to CO2. "

Oh give me a break! Are you serious?

[FormerReaganite]

Guess what denialists: FUTURE SHOCK: All energy costs will go up: fossil fuels especially. (Don't think so?)

By starting up alternative energy sources now, I think we can mitigate some of the effect of rising fossil fuel prices. (Simply because there will be MORE overall energy available; remember the law of supply and demand from ECON 101?)

[Citizen4honor]

The only energy source that can replace fossil fuels in the amount needed is nuclear. It's not on the table. None of the other sources provide enough energy. Wind? lol it has an 80% loss rate. Solar? The panels are made using toxic materials and the technology just isn't there unless you can pay $1 million for a home.. Water or ethanol? We are running out of fresh water just for drinking. Not good choices.

Again this bill isn't for alternative energy. It's for control of everything we do.

[FormerReaganite]

Coal-to-electric is, at best, about 30% efficient. And that does not take into account the energy needed to mine and transport the fuel to the power plant. Cars are basically heat-pumps, operating within the Carnot Cycle. This is theoretically about 30% efficient. So fossil fuels are not exactly tops in efficiency, either. The efficiency argument itself is a very weak one.

[dennisrs]

Is anyone one is stopping you from putting up a windmill in your back (actually if you live in towncity your neighbors will have a lot say) now? Solar panels?