Lab Leak: The conspiracy theory is shaping up to look like real possibility

[rogue06]

The theory was first introduced, "building" and being sustained by rightwing sources, both fringe (it was a bioweapon) and not so fringe (it was an accident). It was mainly leftwing sources and MSM shunning and censoring the story as "debunked."

The leftwing MSM only started to recently entertain the possibility after Robert R. Redfield and Sunjay Gupta recently pushed the theory on national TV.

I think it had more to do with the recent WSJ story

[seanD]

I think it had more to do with the recent WSJ story

Which one came out first? I don't recall ever seeing a WSJ story. I do recall Redfield dropping the bombshell on national TV as his own opinion, and then Gupta subsequently pushing it further on CNN shortly after. Then it snowballed from there.

[rogue06]

Which one came out first? I don't recall ever seeing a WSJ story. I do recall Redfield dropping the bombshell on national TV as his own opinion, and then Gupta subsequently pushing it further on CNN shortly after. Then it snowballed from there.

A few days ago. It dealt with the researchers at the lab who had the Chicom coronavirus back in November 2019. The so-called Smoking Gun.

It's what I've repeatedly heard as the justification for the MSM doing a 180 on the story, going from summary dismissal to acknowledging the possibility.

[seanD]

A few days ago. It dealt with the researchers at the lab who had the Chicom coronavirus back in November 2019. The so-called Smoking Gun.

It's what I've repeatedly heard as the justification for the MSM doing a 180 on the story, going from summary dismissal to acknowledging the possibility.

The story of the Wuhan researchers getting sick was known four months ago (if that's what you're referring to). Most articles date around mid January.

[rogue06]

The story of the Wuhan researchers getting sick was known four months ago (if that's what you're referring to). Most articles date around mid January.

But it appears that until it was reported on by the WSJ it was ignored.

[seanD]

But it appears that until it was reported on by the WSJ it was ignored.

Why did WSJ wait four months? Seems obvious they were following the revelation of Redfield and Gupta when it suddenly became cool for MSM to accept it.

[Sparko]

Why did WSJ wait four months? Seems obvious they were following the revelation of Redfield and Gupta when it suddenly became cool for MSM to accept it.

not to mention Fauci suddenly saying it was a possibility.

[Stoic]

I would guess that the reason the possibility of an accidental laboratory leak was being ignored was that everyone knew it was being investigated.

Then, at the end of March/early April, the WHO released a report that said a laboratory incident "was considered to be an extremely unlikely pathway" for emergence of the virus, and proposed new investigations into every hypothesis that they had considered except that one.

It also included this doozy:

"The three laboratories in Wuhan working with either CoVs diagnostics and/or CoVs isolation and vaccine development all had high quality biosafety level (BSL3 or 4) facilities that were well-managed, with a staff health monitoring programme with no reporting of COVID-19 compatible respiratory illness during the weeks/months prior to December 2019, and no serological evidence of infection in workers through SARS-CoV-2-specific serology-screening. The Wuhan CDC lab which moved on 2nd December 2019 reported no disruptions or incidents caused by the move. They also reported no storage nor laboratory activities on CoVs or other bat viruses preceding the outbreak."

I suspect that a lot of people on both the left and the right felt that this should not go unanswered.

[Mountain Man]

afb052621dAPR20210526044510.jpg

[Juvenal]

Yup you were one of the ones who took it seriously way back then. Even Starlight did. If I recall, the biggest deniers here were Shunya and maybe Ox (don't feel like digging back through the thread, so I I got it wrong I apologize)

Yeah I think the WaPo was one of the few MSM who took it seriously all along.

Shunya regularly cited articles directly contradicting his position, while Ox regularly re-interpreted hedged reports as denials.

In fairness, the talking heads on cable news are accurately described as mainstream media and can easily be found supporting every possible position so long as it fills the package time between commercials, but the idea that WaPo's reporting was out on its own should be restricted to folks who get their news about the mainstream media from fringe media. Those of us who read, know better. The only theory consistently debunked was China's official story, that the virus was introduced into Wuhan via the wet market. Too many of the original cases had no relation to the market.

But much of the MSM just rejected the idea as crazy because Trump mentioned it.

And you believe that because fringe media told you so.

*sigh*

Most regular media thought the conspiracy theories were crazy independent of who mentioned it.

Trump's mentions were restricted to relabeling it the "China flu," with predictable results.
.

The New York Times' Steven Lee Myers is one of several American correspondents caught up in a clampdown on foreign media in the past year.

Last March, he was thrown out of China altogether along with the rest of The Times' American staff operating in the country, as ties flared between the Trump administration and Beijing over the coronavirus pandemic.

They used his reckless attacks as an excuse.

[Mountain Man]

What's hilarious is that the media had no problem with calling it the Chinese virus until President Trump said it, and then it suddenly became racist.

[oxmixmudd]

Shunya regularly cited articles directly contradicting his position, while Ox regularly re-interpreted hedged reports as denials.

No - people here (apparently including you) interpreted my statements castigating reliance on unsupportable conspiracy theories and that made clear the issue is that there was no scientific evidence to support a lab origin as denials of the possibility it was an accidental lab release.

There is a difference. What has been circulating prior was irrational, generally ideologically driven statements, usually mixed in with derogatory verbiage towards people of Asian descent, and usually hinting at - if not outright accusing - the Chinese of releasing it on purpose.

What exists now is actual evidence that might point to an accidental (not purposeful) release from the lab. This is also why the legitimate news sources are now reporting on it.

Evidence.

[Mountain Man]

...there was no scientific evidence to support a lab origin...

But there was lots of eyewitness and firsthand testimony, which is all we really have now despite the media suddenly changing its tune. Scientific evidence isn't the only kind of evidence you know. One theory I've heard for the left's sudden interest in the China flu's origins is that they want to distract the public from the vote audits currently taking place in several states.

[Mountain Man]

Fauci the Fraud, admits contributing funds to the Wuhan lab while trying to claim that he didn't actually know what they were doing.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2...gain-function/

[seanD]

Fauci the Fraud, admits contributing funds to the Wuhan lab while trying to claim that he didn't actually know what they were doing.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2...gain-function/

His narrative is slowly slipping, step by step.

Next it will be, "Okay, okay, yes they researched gain of function, but I TRIED to stop them!"