(hoax)Chamber of Commerce backs climate change bill

[kpete]

Source: Reuters

Reuters, the New York Times, and the Washington Post may all have been taken in by the hoax. A Reuters report on the "news" appeared on both papers' web sites.
A press release sent out under the banner of the Chamber of Commerce, announcing a major shift in the group's position on climate change, is a hoax.
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/announcement_of_chamber_shift_on_global_warming_is.php?ref=fpa


Chamber of Commerce backs climate change bill
Mon Oct 19, 2009 11:28am EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Chamber of Commerce said on Monday it will no longer opposes climate change legislation, but wants the bill to include a carbon tax.

The Chamber said it changed its position after several big companies left the group to protest the chamber's earlier opposition to legislation to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

"We believe that strong climate legislation is the best way to ensure American innovation, create jobs, and make sure the U.S. and the world are on track to reduce global carbon emissions, and to provide for the needs of the American business community for generations to come," said Chamber spokesman, Hingo Sembra.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE59I3DL20091019

---

White House plan: Neuter the Chamber
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/28445.html

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Does that mean they'll take their stinking ads of my TV?

[Jefferson23]

2. They changed their stand as many companies were bailing on them, in public.

[tomm2thumbs]

3. that's what both sides of your mouth is for I guess

'I was against the bush tax cuts before I was for them....' it is so ironic of them to borrow from McCain's before-and-after approach

[orbitalman]

4. This means I would want to rejoin them because

they've seen the lite? Wrrrrrong. Pay attention to history.

[Bumblebee]

5. False -- see TPM, just posted

Chamber Punk'd. Reuters Too

We're still trying to get the exact details. But the Chamber of Commerce this morning was apparently the victim (if you can call it that) of an elaborate hoax in which it was claimed that the Chamber had decided to go along with robust Climate Change legislation. Reuters seems to have fallen for it. And as we speak the Times and the Post both have wire stories up reporting the Chamber's dramatic shift. More shortly.

Late Update: The chamber confirms it was punk'd. We're nailing down the details on who was behind the hoax.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

[Jefferson23]

12. Hey thanks for that !!

[Hubert Flottz]

6. Check this out...

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/10/fake_chamber_press_release_dupes_reuters.php

[Hubert Flottz]

8. Chamber says climate change statement a "hoax"

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE59I3DL20091019

[pscot]

7. This is from The Onion, right?

That asshole Tom Donohue would throw himself out a high window before he signed off on this.

[Ichingcarpenter]

9. Its a hoax...... I wonder if the Yes Men did it. n/t

[Dr.Phool]

10. Probably... The Yes Men Fix The World....again.

:rofl: :spray: :rofl:

[clear eye]

11. Must have included a phony DC media phone #

so that reporters could call and check, and these august news sources used it w/o checking the Chamber website to see if it was real.

On another DU story today, I see these same sources reporting that Sen. Kerry is backing escalation in Afghanistan when he is actually advocating the opposite. Seems pointless to read the NYT anymore.

[brentspeak]

13. Pranksters stage Chamber of Commerce climate change event

Source: Washington Post

By David A. Fahrenthold
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, October 19, 2009; 1:44 PM

Environmental activists held a hoax press conference Monday morning, pretending to be the business group -- and pretending to announce that the chamber was dropping its opposition to climate-change legislation now in Congress.

The event, complete with fake handouts on chamber letterhead, at least a couple of fake reporters, and a podium adorned with the chamber logo, broke up when a spokesman from the real chamber burst in.

What followed was a spectacle not usually seen in the John Peter Zenger Room at the National Press Club: two men in business suits shouting at one another, each calling the other an impostor and demanding to see business cards.

"This guy is a fake! He's lying! This is a stunt that I've never seen before," said Eric Wohlschlegel, an official at the actual Chamber of Commerce, who said he'd heard about the hoax event from a reporter who'd mistakenly shown up at the chamber's headquarters.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/19/AR2009101901651.html

[NYC_SKP]

14. I'd love to have been there!

Good job, pranksters!

:P

[NewJeffCT]

15. that was a good idea

good job by the fake-out group.

[Wickerman]

16. Whoa! I want to see video! n/t

[Soylent Brice]

17. HAHA!

[EFerrari]

18. Nice going!

[Dr.Phool]

19. The Yes Men!

Fix The Planet....again!

[evenso]

20. Good prank....now come the lawsuits

[brentspeak]

21. video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYGcIhNGSIY

[AllyCat]

22. Was this the Yes Men?? They are wonderful!!!

[AsahinaKimi]

23. This seems to be a week for hoaxs..

lol

[Regret My New Name]

24. HAHAHA...

HE'S THE FAKE ONE!

NO HE IS THE FAKE ONE!!!