This week, prominent climate scientist Michael Mann (author of the famed/maligned “hockey stick” graph) was cleared by the National Science Foundation’s Inspector General of any misconduct as a result of the “ClimateGate” (non-)scandal.

This marks at least seven investigations into supposedly falsifying climate science data as a result of those hacked emails. All of them have resulted in the same conclusion: The scientists are innocent.

I took a guess yesterday that clearing Dr. Mann’s name (and his colleagues’ names) would get considerably less coverage than the made-up scandal did, because we enjoy a good witch hunt here in these parts. I was right. And, dependable as always, Fox News proves it!

• April 6, 2010: Fox News publishes an EXCLUSIVE on their website of nearly 1,000 words (and devotes countless hours of programming) on how Penn State’s investigation into Dr. Mann won’t be “the last word” and that the upcoming Inspector General’s investigation would allow ClimateGate emails to be  ” … scrutinized by an independent government organization with the skill and tools to investigate effectively.” 

So whatever this “effective” investigation found should be important, and perhaps even serve as a final word on the matter, right?

• August 24, 2011: Fox News regurgitates an AP wire piece announcing that Dr. Mann has been cleared of all charges by the Inspector General. It shows up nowhere on their front page. It checks in at 112 words.

Another example of not covering what doesn’t fit the narrative.

Fox News is behaving like a Doomsday Alien Cult. You declare that the world will end and spaceships will beam you up because you are the true messenger and everyone needs to follow you. But when the day comes, and nothing happens, you don’t admit that you were wrong … you just say the aliens decided to forgive everyone, and you claim victory. Or don’t cover it at all.