Update (Apr 19, 2017): The NY Times switched from the “denier” to the “denialist“. newsdiffs.org shows six post-publication revisions in this single article, and highlights the changes.
Update (an hour after the first publication): NY Times keeps tinkering with the terminology and the article headline. Now it is “climate change denialist” (8 Dec 2016 20:50:53 EST)
The NY Times seems to have stopped calling climate realists “deniers” and “doubters.” Instead, it started using a respectful word dissenter. Example: Trump Picks Scott Pruitt, Climate Change Dissenter, to Lead E.P.A.
Also remarkable how NY Times rewrote the title of the article from Donald Trump Picks Scott Pruitt, Ally of Fossil Fuel Industry, to Lead E.P.A. (7 Dec 2016, 15:47:29 EST) to its current version Trump Picks Scott Pruitt, Climate Change Dissenter, to Lead E.P.A. (7 Dec 2016, 18:46:58 EST) and changed the text within less than three hours, without admitting this rewrite.
Orwell, 1984?
Originally published on Dec 7, 2016
It should be noted that no label like this was necessary and shows clear bias. An appropriate non-baised headline would have noted his current position: “Trump picks Scott Pruitt, Attorney General of Oklahoma, to lead EPA.”