Changes

Leftists and liberal media outlets including [[NBC News]]<ref>Dilanian, Ken; Perrette, Amy; Chow, Denise (June 4, 2021). [https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fauci-s-emails-don-t-prove-wuhan-conspiracy-raise-further-n1269650 Fauci's emails don't prove a Wuhan conspiracy, but raise further questions]. ''NBC News''. Retrieved October 9, 2021.</ref> have consistently engaged in [[liberal denial]], insisting against the veracity of the lab leak theory.<ref name=liberalmediapt1>Chait, Jonathan (May 24, 2021). [https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/how-the-liberal-media-dismissed-the-lab-leak-theory-and-smeared-its-supporters/ar-AAKl4Ti How the Liberal Media Dismissed the Lab-Leak Theory and Smeared Its Supporters]. ''Intelligencer''. Retrieved October 9, 2021.</ref><ref name=liberalmediadeceit>Catenacci, Thomas (May 27, 2021). [https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/05/27/lunatic-conspiracy-theories-heres-how-liberal-media-treated-supporters-of-lab-leak-theory/ ‘Lunatic Conspiracy Theories’: How Liberal Media Treated Supporters of China Lab Leak Theory]. ''Daily Signal''. Retrieved October 9, 2021.</ref> ''[[The Washington Post]]'' in January 2020 called the coronavirus bioweapon explanation a "fringe theory" and deceitfully did not distinguish the notion from the lab leak hypothesis.<ref>Taylor, Adam (January 29, 2020). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/01/29/experts-debunk-fringe-theory-linking-chinas-coronavirus-weapons-research/ Experts debunk fringe theory linking China’s coronavirus to weapons research]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved October 9, 2021.</ref> In February 2020, Sen. [[Tom Cotton]] vaguely stated:<ref name=liberalmediapt1/>

Leftists and liberal media outlets including [[NBC News]]<ref>Dilanian, Ken; Perrette, Amy; Chow, Denise (June 4, 2021). [https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fauci-s-emails-don-t-prove-wuhan-conspiracy-raise-further-n1269650 Fauci's emails don't prove a Wuhan conspiracy, but raise further questions]. ''NBC News''. Retrieved October 9, 2021.</ref> have consistently engaged in [[liberal denial]], insisting against the veracity of the lab leak theory.<ref name=liberalmediapt1>Chait, Jonathan (May 24, 2021). [https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/how-the-liberal-media-dismissed-the-lab-leak-theory-and-smeared-its-supporters/ar-AAKl4Ti How the Liberal Media Dismissed the Lab-Leak Theory and Smeared Its Supporters]. ''Intelligencer''. Retrieved October 9, 2021.</ref><ref name=liberalmediadeceit>Catenacci, Thomas (May 27, 2021). [https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/05/27/lunatic-conspiracy-theories-heres-how-liberal-media-treated-supporters-of-lab-leak-theory/ ‘Lunatic Conspiracy Theories’: How Liberal Media Treated Supporters of China Lab Leak Theory]. ''Daily Signal''. Retrieved October 9, 2021.</ref> ''[[The Washington Post]]'' in January 2020 called the coronavirus bioweapon explanation a "fringe theory" and deceitfully did not distinguish the notion from the lab leak hypothesis.<ref>Taylor, Adam (January 29, 2020). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/01/29/experts-debunk-fringe-theory-linking-chinas-coronavirus-weapons-research/ Experts debunk fringe theory linking China’s coronavirus to weapons research]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved October 9, 2021.</ref> In February 2020, Sen. [[Tom Cotton]] vaguely stated:<ref name=liberalmediapt1/>

{{cquote|We don’t have evidence that this disease originated there, but because of China’s duplicity and dishonesty from the beginning, we need to at least ask the question to see what the evidence says, and China right now is not giving evidence on that question at all.}}

{{cquote|We don’t have evidence that this disease originated there, but because of China’s [[duplicity]] and dishonesty from the beginning, we need to at least ask the question to see what the evidence says, and China right now is not giving evidence on that question at all.}}

The [[mainstream media]] was none too quick in smearing Cotton. ''[[The New York Times]]'' and ''The Washington Post'' called his remarks a "conspiracy theory,"<ref name=liberalmediapt1/> which ''[[The Hill]]'' also inserted in a headline.<ref>Folley, Aris (February 17, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/483354-sen-cotton-repeats-coronavirus-origins-conspiracy-theory Sen. Cotton repeats coronavirus origins conspiracy theory]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved October 9, 2021.</ref> The Washington Post later admitted that Cotton had most likely been correct.<ref>Schow, Ashe (April 5, 2021). [https://www.dailywire.com/news/washington-post-now-admits-maybe-tom-cotton-was-right-to-suspect-coronavirus-outbreak-originated-in-chinese-lab Washington Post Now Admits Maybe Tom Cotton Was Right To Suspect Coronavirus Outbreak Originated in Chinese Lab]. ''Daily Wire''. Retrieved October 9, 2021.</ref>

The [[mainstream media]] was none too quick in smearing Cotton. ''[[The New York Times]]'' and ''The Washington Post'' called his remarks a "conspiracy theory,"<ref name=liberalmediapt1/> which ''[[The Hill]]'' also inserted in a headline.<ref>Folley, Aris (February 17, 2021). [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/483354-sen-cotton-repeats-coronavirus-origins-conspiracy-theory Sen. Cotton repeats coronavirus origins conspiracy theory]. ''The Hill''. Retrieved October 9, 2021.</ref> The Washington Post later admitted that Cotton had most likely been correct.<ref>Schow, Ashe (April 5, 2021). [https://www.dailywire.com/news/washington-post-now-admits-maybe-tom-cotton-was-right-to-suspect-coronavirus-outbreak-originated-in-chinese-lab Washington Post Now Admits Maybe Tom Cotton Was Right To Suspect Coronavirus Outbreak Originated in Chinese Lab]. ''Daily Wire''. Retrieved October 9, 2021.</ref>