U.S. Chamber U-Turn on Climate Change a Hoax

It seems I was not alone in being taken in by this. Talking Points Memo reports that the announcement that the announcement that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was doing a 180 degree turn on climate change was a hoax that took in the New York Times and other big news organizations.
So to any readers who caught this post in the ten minutes before I took it down, I apologize.
Back in August, a Chamber VP embarrassed the organization's members by calling for a “Scopes monkey trial of the 21st century" to try the question of climate change. The fake news that the Chamber is conceding the science of global warming included this memorable quote:

Climatologists tell us that if we don't enact dramatic reductions in carbon emissions today, within 5 years we could begin facing the propagating feedback loops of runaway climate change. That would mean a disruption of food and water supplies worldwide, with the result of mass migrations, famines, and death on a scale never witnessed before.
Needless to say, that would be bad for business.

The New York Times reports on the fault lines in the business community on climate legislation. The fact that informed observers could be taken in by the hoax is a sign that the fight among business interests is gaining attention.
The hoax was posted at http://www.chamber-of-commerce.us/090118tjd_prosperity.html.
It gets weirder. The Guardian reports that someone posing as the Chamber CEO actually made a presentation at the National Press Club:

Barely 20 minutes into the Q&A section of the press conference, an agitated spokesman for the Chamber burst into the room, screaming that the event was a hoax.

Oh well. That was fun while it lasted.