Climategate, Fact Checked

In this amazing video, Mother Jones lifts the curtain and shows the long, arduous process of fact-checking reporter Kate Sheppard's new feature on the Climategate scandal.

Specifically, the video focuses on fact-checker Jaeah Lee's research on the famous (and stupidly controversial) "hockey stick graph" that Sheppard's piece—and much of Climategate—revolves around. If you have four and a half minutes to arm yourself with every defense you'll need to shut up anyone who brings up Climategate, watch this video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZWQtjrgcqg

And, yes, part of us just loves that there's a video out there "starring" fact checkers, who we in the magazine business owe for our credibility. Sheppard's feature on Climategate, by the way, is reason enough to order yourself up a subscription to Mother Jones right away. It's a champion piece of journalism. Or, you know, read it for free online. They've also got a nice timeline of the so-called "scandal."