I just about made it out of Heartland’s 10th International Conference on Climate Change, now winding down near Capitol Hill, without having to deal with one of the 25 media outlets registered there known to be antagonistic to the view that global warming is neither all human-caused nor dangerous.

Then, a sharply dressed, very young man introduced himself (from Greenpeace) and asked if we could talk. Hmmm…

Oh, OK, I know we won’t agree, but maybe he wants to report on what was happening at the conference. I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. (Except the BBC…they burned that bridge twice).

The conversation began innocently enough, but then after 10 minutes of smiling accusations and baseless assertions, I was getting a little annoyed.

He even asked me if I considered him a “global warming Nazi“. I said, no, and explained the history of my use of that label (which I still stand by).

I said it’s obvious we are at opposite ends of the spectrum and tried to extricate myself from the conversation.

Then one of the conference staff and a security guard approached and said, basically, do you know this young man has a mic on him, and the young lady sitting across the way has a video camera recording your conversation?

Well, no I didn’t! How utterly delightful…and professional!

I said, well, my opinion of Greenpeace just went down a notch.

Did I ever have a positive view of Greenpeace, they asked me?

Well, yes, I’d say I once did.

And I said Patrick Moore (one of the Greenpeace co-founders) once did, too.

They both groaned. 🙂

It’s too bad that Greenpeace now has to resort to deception to achieve their goals.

At the next conference I think I am going to agree to an interview with anyone…and make my own recording. If what Greenpeace did was illegal (I have no idea if you can record someone in DC without their knowledge), then I will let the interviewer know I will record them if they are recording me.

Then, if they cut and paste together pieces to make me look bad, I’ll have evidence of what really transpired.