#sharpiegate
Opinion: Weather forecasting isn’t a political game
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OK, let's begin with the obvious. The POTUS is not a meteorologist (although he's been known to play one on TV). Meteorologists pride themselves on using the best scientific tools at their disposal in order to provide the public with the most possible accurate weather forecast. Full stop. Meanwhile, the POTUS has shown himself to be less than science-friendly. And there's the rub. Now generally I don't get too involved in whatever kerfuffle the White House is embroiled in at any given moment, but when it comes to all things agriculture (and what is more agriculture-dependent than the weather) I pay attention. And what one comes away with regarding the POTUS' September #Sharpie-gate surprise regarding the potential storm track of Hurricane Dorian is that this particular White House has no problems with providing the public with misleading (some would say false or outdated) weather projections to protect the President's beliefs (right or wrong). Anyone reading my December 2016 blog to fellow journalists would not be surprised that weather forecasts could one day could not only become twisted but politicized. Truth is a fragile thing.
