While not the big story of the week, the press has nonetheless been in a state of distemper over the news that Mark Zuckerberg announced that fact-checking will be removed from his social media platform. Many journalists have been in a state of frothing outrage over the decision, with Brian Stelter getting so incensed he let slip what has made him so mad on the matter: Those distasteful conservatives will be able to express their opinions!
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Hang it in the NEWSEUM… pic.twitter.com/k6Xk5n0aiB
— Brad Slager: CNN+ Lifetime Subscriber (@MartiniShark) January 9, 2025
Now, in what almost looks like an effort to show Zuckerberg made the wise call, CNN’s Daniel Dale strides in to pose as the authority on California’s water issues and run interference for those running things in that state – namely, top to bottom, Democrats. Dale however falls prey to his usual handicap, that being if Donald Trump said something, then he needs to race in and prove the man is lying. (We see no such energy from the same man who used to call himself a presidential fact-checker in regards to Joe Biden’s firehose of falsehoods.)
Daniel was on with CNN’s Abby Phillip to explain away the issue of firefighters reporting they have low water pressure when battling blazes and, in too many cases, hydrants providing no water at all. This was Dale literally carrying water for the Democrats who fumbled the issue of providing adequate water supplies. Daniel was given quotes from Donald Trump, who has long been discussing that the state needed to improve its fire preparedness, and he opted to go with describing those comments as “a staggering quantity of wrongness.” That phrase will prove to be a darkly ironic analysis from the “fact”-checker.
CNN reporter and in house fact checker, Daniel Dale @ddale8 debunking Trump’s false claim about California, the fire and water management system w/CNN Anchor @abbydphillip
1.9.25 1050 pm ET pic.twitter.com/HmRiDnvYN6
— Jeff Storobinsky (@jeffstorobinsky) January 10, 2025
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First, he disputes the claim that there is a shortage of water caused by the redirection of water supplies in the north into the Pacific Ocean to protect the Delta Smelt fish species. Dale claims experts told him the two matters are unrelated. Okay, if so, then what explains that shortage of water and the challenges firefighters are experiencing? According to CNN’s water management expert, Daniel tells us the water is there.
But number one, there is no shortage of water in the Los Angeles area. The reservoirs are at or above historical levels.
Yeah, about that, Danny. You say that you spoke to some water policy experts in California, but can you explain how at no point in your discussion on water availability they never brought up the fact that the closest water reservoir – in the heavily burned-out area of Pacific Palisades – was not even available as the fires broke out? It was down for maintenance and more than that – it was not just offline and could be started back up; it was empty.
Of course, LADWP CEO Janisse Quiñones, LA Mayor Karen Bass, LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley, Gov. Gavin Newsom, POTUS were all silent about this
BOMBSHELL: Key Reservoir Was EMPTY When Palisades Fire Started, Contributed to Loss of Homes and Life https://t.co/fmsmBfY6b4
— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) January 10, 2025
Then, as if Dale was attempting to prove he was a consummate failure on the topic, he has another facet in his deflective fact-check concerning the water delivery aircraft to battle the blaze.
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[Trump] also said yesterday that they’re not using firefighting planes. We’ve seen those planes. They’re there.
There have been many stories this week about the water drop tanker planes, from the questions of them using seawater and one of them becoming grounded after it collided with a drone during a flight. These planes are frequently described as Canadian Super Scooper aircraft, something that should have registered as at least curious in the mind of Dale, who hails from Toronto. Why Canadian, one might inquire?
Because, as reported just a couple of months ago, there has been a dispute with area fire aircraft squadrons and those with the U.S. Forest Service.
California firefighting aircraft stymied by U.S. Forest Service policy, local chiefs say – Los Angeles Times https://t.co/cRxfpVmJmi
— Newz Tracker (@NewzTracker) October 6, 2024
From the Los Angeles Times Report:
I don’t understand why they’ve chosen this time to reinterpret this long standing procedure,” said Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone. “Why are they moving the goalposts now, during fire season? The timing couldn’t be worse.”
The dispute is the latest to have local fire authorities at odds with the Forest Service amid a punishing season that’s seen more than a million acres of land burn across the state. Some county chiefs have also spoken out about Forest Service staffing shortages they say resulted in delayed federal responses to recent fires, including the Airport fire that destroyed homes in Orange and Riverside counties.
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This makes for two crucial components to Daniel Dale’s authoritative final word on matters that are completely divorced from the facts. Dale is brought on the air, and the hosts speak rhapsodically at times about the work he does, yet this is a prime example of Dale talking with utmost confidence while being categorically incorrect. Mike Waltz undressed Dale at the Republican convention after the fact-check guru claimed the Republican representative from Florida was entirely incorrect in his convention speech, and Waltz laid out how Dale had been incompetent in his explanation.
This display by Daniel Dale typifies just a few of the problems with these biased fact experts. I think Facebook and any other platform walking away from these partisan hacks is going to be vastly improved.
