Press Secretary Robert Gibbs: 'No Scientic Basis for Dispute' Over Global Warming

It's really bad. Watch the video. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs demonstrates his total amateurism in responding to questions on the CRU "Climaquiddick" scandal. World Net Daily has more, "Gibbs: 'No Dispute' on Global Warming: Dismisses 31,000 Scientists Who Signed Petition Challenging 'Consensus'."

But see also, Douglas Keenan, at Pajamas Media, "The Fraud Is Everywhere: SUNY Albany and Queens University Belfast Join Climategate":

Some of the emails leaked in Climategate discuss my work. Following is a comment on that, and on something more important.

In 2007, I published a peer-reviewed paper alleging that some important research relied upon by the IPCC (for the treatment of urbanization effects) was fraudulent. The emails show that Tom Wigley — one of the most oft-cited climatologists and an extreme warming advocate — thought my paper was valid. They also show that Phil Jones, the head of the Climatic Research Unit, tried to convince the journal editor not to publish my paper.

After my paper was published, the State University of New York — where the research discussed in my paper was conducted — carried out an investigation. During the investigation, I was not interviewed — contrary to the university’s policies, federal regulations, and natural justice. I was allowed to comment on the report of the investigation, before the report’s release.

But I was not allowed to see the report. Truly Kafkaesque.

The report apparently concluded that there was no fraud. The leaked files contain the defense used against my allegation, a defense obviously and strongly contradicted by the documentary record. It is no surprise then that the university still refuses to release the report. (More details on all of this — including source documents — are on my site.)

My paper demonstrates that by 2001, Jones knew there were severe problems with the urbanization research. Yet Jones continued to rely on that research in his work, including in his work for the latest report of the IPCC.

More at the link.

See also, the Wall Street Journal, "Climategate: The Fallout Continues from CRU Hacking," and Bret Stephens, "Climategate: Follow the Money."

Salahis Speak Out on 'Today Show', Play Victim Card: 'Our Lives Have Been Destroyed'; Matt Lauer Gives Party Crashers Free Pass on Islamist Ties!

Gateway Pundit has the headline, "The Radical Salahis Stick With Their Story – Say They Were Invited to White House."

But check the video:

The key moment is at about 1:30 minutes. Matt Lauer asks the couple if they've been "mischaracterized" by the media. Tareq and Michaele plead they've been devastated: "Our lives have been destroyed." The couple is totally evasive throughout the entire interview, and Lauer -- who asks some pointed questions -- lets these fame-seekers off the hook. He asks only one follow up question, saying he wants to be "more specific," but is stonewalled again by the Salahis. They plead the the truth will come out in the Secret Service investigation, but the couple's radical ties to ATFP never come up. Lauer drops the ball and skips any mention of the White House's epic security breach, and especially the key role that Desiree Rogers -- the Obamas' hand-groomed Social Secretary and flak-catcher -- had in creating the scandal.

Give Lauer credit for exposing the Salahis' fraud in the early part of the interview, where they refuse to respond to questions about their Pentagon e-mails. Otherwise, way too sweet of an appearance. These people are not victims. They're glamor-seekers, and stuff's hitting the fan now. As Michelle Malkin indicated today, there's lots more here than meets the eye. See, ""Crashergate, Desiree Rogers, and the Chicago Way: Land of no consequences; Update: House Panel to Hold Hearing."

More at Hot Air, "Video: Crashers Deny Crashing White House party." Also, the Los Angeles Times, "State Dinner Crashers Exchanged E-Mails with Pentagon Official." (via Memeorandum).

ADDED: Linked at Common Sense Political Thought, "Oh, the Poor Dears! See also, Camp of the Saints, "A FISHY MAIN COURSE."

Desiree Rogers to Face Homeland Security Panel: Obama's Gal at Center of Salahi Scandal; Gatecrashers Claim Pentagon Appointee Approved Dinner Invite!

From the Washington Post, "House Republicans Ask Desiree Rogers to Join Party-Crasher Hearing":

Republican members of the House Homeland Security committee have invited White House social secretary Desirée Rogers to testify Thursday, a committee aide said Monday night, about how a couple from Northern Virginia slipped into the White House last week for a state dinner, despite not being on the guest list.

Rogers acknowledged to the Associated Press last week that no one from her office was at a security checkpoint Nov. 24 to assist Secret Service agents in determining whether partygoers should be admitted to the mansion. Tareq and Michaele Salahi were waved through the checkpoint and later came face-to-face with President Obama in a receiving line.

Michael Shearer, at Swampland, tries to get Ms. Rogers' off the hook, "Piling On Desirée Rogers—Is The Social Secretary To Blame For Two Ticketless Boobs At The White House?" (via Memeorandum).

Michelle Malkin's got the devasting exposé, "Crashergate, Desiree Rogers, and the Chicago Way: Land of no consequences; Update: House Panel to Hold Hearing":

As I noted in Chapter 2 of Culture of Corruption, Rogers sees herself not merely as a party planner, but as the overseer of the White House “strategy for events.” While she pays lip service to exercising restraint in Washington (“As we go through our struggle, there is a need to be prudent”), Rogers defended the lavish “Camelot” scene that quickly became an Obama hallmark in the economically-stressed first 100 days. The celebrity-filled cocktail nights and conga lines are a means to end, she explained to National Public Radio:

“My belief is that we don’t always get everything accomplished over a meeting table,”” Rogers says. “Many times it’s over cocktails, it’s over dinner and so the other piece to our work will be what kind of events can we create?”

Fittingly, Ms. Rogers’ personal motto is laissez les bon temps rouler: Let the good times roll. With her savvy fundraising skills, she helped keep Team Obama rolling in dough during the 2008 presidential campaign. According to left-wing watchdog Public Citizen, Rogers bundled more than $200,000 for Obama and contributed $28,500 to committees supporting her good friend. A Harvard MBA and former Allstate Financial executive, Rogers spent 2004 to -2008 as head of Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, a $1.1 billion natural gas utility in Chicago. During her tenure, the utility’s parent company was sued for artificially inflating gas prices; a settlement with Illinois regulators required the firm to refund $100 million to consumers. Separate actions resulted in fines of $500,000 for a backlog of overdue meter safety inspections and $1 million for failing to properly inspect distribution pipes. In April 2009, financial disclosure forms revealed that Rogers “collected more than $1 million for her work as president of two gas companies for part of 2008. Later, she earned a $350,000 salary from Allstate Financial as president of its social-networking division, and $150,000 in board fees from Equity Residential, a real-estate investment trust in which she also holds at least $250,000 in stock.”

Rogers has known Mr. and Mrs. O for more than a decade. How did they meet? Ivy League connections – —the same connections that Michelle Obama griped would keep her “on the periphery.” Rogers’ ex-husband, John W. Rogers, Jr., played basketball with Michelle O’s brother, Craig Robinson, at Princeton. As I’ve mentioned previously, Mr. Rogers also served as a campaign finance bundler for Team Obama. The Rogerses were among 79 top fundraisers who, according to the Washington Post, tapped their personal networks to raise at least $200,000 each. The bundlers recruited a total of more than 27,000 donors to write maximum-limit checks for $2,300 each.

Plus, at the Los Angeles Times, "State Dinner Crashers Exchanged E-Mails with Pentagon Official":

Federal authorities say Tareq and Michaele Salahi were mistakenly admitted by Secret Service agents who failed to verify that they were on the guest list. But authorities acknowledged Monday that in the weeks leading up to the dinner, the Salahis traded e-mails with Michele S. Jones, a top Obama political appointee at the Pentagon, in hopes of scoring an invitation.

One source close to the investigation said the couple produced the e-mails at the security checkpoint last Tuesday to show that they had been invited to the event. The Secret Service, which has interviewed the Salahis as part of its own investigation, has obtained copies of the e-mails.

On Monday night, the White House released a statement in which Jones said she did nothing to help the couple get into the dinner.

"I did not state at any time, or imply that I had tickets for ANY portion of the evening's events," according to the statement from Jones, whose title is special assistant to the Secretary of Defense and White House liaison. "I specifically stated that they did not have tickets and in fact that I did not have the authority to authorize attendance, admittance or access to any part of the evening's activities. Even though I informed them of this, they still decided to come."

Jones, who did not return calls seeking comment, is a retired Army major who was appointed in July.

Plus, "State Dinner Crashers Waved E-Mails From Pentagon Official at Checkpoint."