The Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler has a new column out on “how the Wuhan lab-leak theory suddenly became credible”:
Fact Checker | Timeline: How the Wuhan lab-leak theory suddenly became credible https://t.co/rA8oJbQajT
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 25, 2021
This would be the same Kessler from April 30 last year who was one of the biggest and loudest voices saying the lab-leak theory was “doubtful”:
Watch this amazing video by @mmkelly22 @SarahCahlan Was the new coronavirus accidentally released from a Wuhan lab? It’s doubtful. –>https://t.co/fmxQywwzAI pic.twitter.com/kSfN7df5Bh
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) May 1, 2020
Back then, journos were very quick to debunk then President Trump’s promotion of the theory:
Trump'a answer on Wuhan lab's role is more about how China handled the virus but not about what possible role the lab had. We interviewed top scientists, who say an accidental outbreak via the lab is unlikely –> https://t.co/ihkr4j9QHZ
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) May 4, 2020
The video now has over 2 million views:
More than 1.6 million views—-> Did coronavirus accidentally escape from a Wuhan lab? It’s doubtful. | The Fact Checker – YouTube https://t.co/JDxVECQqeO
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) May 2, 2020
You know, now that the financial incentive to dunk on Trump is gone journos can “suddenly” practice journalism again?
Maybe one of the reasons why we're now "suddenly" finding the lab leak theory credible is that there's no longer a financial incentive dunking on Trump? https://t.co/J1n0u2pIoC
— Greg Pollowitz (@GPollowitz) May 25, 2021
Of note, missing from Kessler’s timeline in his piece today is any mention of HIS debunking of the lab-leak theory:
And there’s no mention of all the people who condemned Sen. Tom Cotton:
Wuhan lab timeline by @GlennKesslerWP would be far more complete if it contained the entirety of the condemnations @SenTomCotton received when he advance the Wuhan lab theory, referred to in our interview of 2/18/20. https://t.co/jjArMFSgBx Glenn's piece: https://t.co/XM65nH3Bgq
— Hugh Hewitt (@hughhewitt) May 25, 2021
Maybe add an update to your earlier fact-check, Glenn?
@washingtonpost, might be time to update this one. https://t.co/ZL46EqaKUw
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) May 24, 2021
And Kessler really owes Ted Cruz an apology over this snarky tweet:
I fear @tedcruz missed the scientific animation in the video that shows how it is virtually impossible for this virus jump from the lab. Or the many interviews with actual scientists. We deal in facts, and viewers can judge for themselves. https://t.co/TprMnaHSZL
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) May 1, 2020
And here’s Cruz’s whole prescient thread from May 2020:
1/x “Amazing” is definitely right word for this video. WaPo “abandoning all pretenses of journalism to produce CCP propaganda” would be another way to put it. If this reporter submitted this video in a freshman logic class, it wouldn’t receive a passing grade. Let’s review facts. https://t.co/IWjl5kIlMq
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 1, 2020
2/x FACT 1: WaPo admits two separate labs in Wuhan were studying coronaviruses derived from bats. One lab was just 300 yards from Wuhan wet market. FACT 2: WaPo admits bats with similar coronaviruses “live in caves 1000 miles away.” FACT 3: WaPo admits both labs had SERIOUS…
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 1, 2020
3/x …safety concerns, resulting in multiple US Dept wires—before this crisis—warning that shoddy safety protocols could lead to a global coronavirus pandemic. FACT 4: WaPo admits China DESTROYED the lab samples after the pandemic started (raising the natural inference…
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 1, 2020
4/x …that they were afraid what the samples, if examined, would show. ALL OF THESE FACTS strongly suggest the virus escaped from one of these CCP labs. At this point, the evidence is circumstantial (because the CCP is hiding/blocking any direct evidence). BUT what is WaPo’s…
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 1, 2020
5/x…conclusion? “The balance of scientific evidence strongly suggest the conclusion that the new coronavirus emerged from nature, be it in the Wuhan market or somewhere else.” This is a non sequitur. None of the aforementioned evidence leads to that conclusion. What’s WaPo’s…
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 1, 2020
6/x…basis? WaPo COUNTER-FACT ONE: The CCP and the lab director (who initially wrote “could [the pandemic virus] have come from our lab?”) now deny it. “Shi, her team & the Chinese govt have adamantly denied that it could have come from this lab.” WaPa takes that denial as true.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 1, 2020
7/x WaPo COUNTER-FACT TWO: They quote Dr. Peter Daszak, the head of “EcoHealth Alliance” as saying “China’s been incredibly open. I believe it’s because it’s a scientific collaboration & in China they’re really proud of their science; they do good work, especially in virology.”
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 1, 2020
8/x That’s it. Those two counter-facts form 100% of the basis for WaPo’s “fact check.” And #2, the claim that “China’s been incredibly open,” is laughably absurd. They DESTROYED THE LAB SAMPLES. They PUNISHED & SILENCED the pandemic whistleblowers. And who is this objective…
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 1, 2020
9/x …source, Dr. Daszak? Well, his organization, “EcoHealth Alliance” was receiving (now cancelled) US taxpayer $$ to support bat coronavirus research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology! Why does WaPo NOT disclose his enormous bias, litigation exposure & conflict of interest??
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 1, 2020
10/x And is it relevant that WaPo is owned by Jeff Bezos, the richest man in the world, who stands to make billions in China if he pleases the communist overlords? Whatever WaPo is doing, this is NOT journalism. It is apologizing for the CCP, trying to cover up their culpability.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 1, 2020
***
Join the conversation as a VIP Member