HuffPo's rendering of Dan Rather's climate change denier monument a great burial marker for journalism

The same media types who have been crowing about fake news for a month insist on remaining completely self-aware. We’re not going to argue with the Huffington Post’s description of Dan Rather as a legendary newsman, although we likely disagree on just what he’s legendary for.

The pioneer of fake news, it seems, pitched on his Facebook page an “amusingly grim” idea for a new national monument to climate change deniers:

I think we should erect a monument built from materials impervious to the elements and list the names of all the elected officials and others in positions of power today in the United States who refuse to stand with the science on climate change.

Rather’s post goes on to note that “science is not a conclusion” but a process, and he’s right — that’s actually a great way to set straight anyone who insists that “the science is settled” when it comes to climate change or anything else.

HuffPo seized on the idea and produced its own rendering of the monument, for which Rather gave his thanks.

Thanks to @HuffingtonPost for providing a visual representation to my idea for an Anti-Climate Change Monument. https://t.co/mEPgyCJrv2

— Dan Rather (@DanRather) December 15, 2016

It’s not visible in the tweet above, but clicking over to the Huffington Post rewards the effort with a larger version, complete with the HuffPost Comedy tag in the bottom corner.

So there you have it: fake comedy about a fake crisis from a fake newsman.