The Week In Fake News

                The New York Times, aka “The Truth,” recently and recklessly slandered U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley in a textbook example of fake news. The headline to the article in The Times originally read: “Nikki Haley’s View of New York is Priceless. Her New Curtains? $52,701.” Get the allusion to the old Mastercard ads? Get that they can’t even stick with a potential, if minor, straight news story? They have to make her appear rich and aloof, apart from the rest of us, spending profligately at the taxpayer’s expense. In the headline.  

                The Paper of Record took some flak for the piece, especially as it gave exactly the wrong impression. Ergo, it dramatically altered the “story” and posted this editor’s note: “An earlier version of this article and headline created an unfair impression about who was responsible for the purchase in question. While Nikki R. Haley is the current ambassador to the United Nations, the decision on leasing the ambassador’s residence and purchasing the curtains was made during the Obama administration, according to current and former officials. The article should not have focused on Ms. Haley, nor should a picture of her been used. The article and headline have now been edited to reflect those concerns, and the picture has been removed.” In other words: “Never mind.” Where is Roseanne Roseannadanna when you need her?

                Of course, the original article was seen, disbursed and tweeted about amongst the anti-Trump coastal elites in significantly higher numbers than the pathetic “editor’s note” and revised post ever had a chance to be. One member of congress actually called for an investigation into Haley’s spending.

                Memo to The Grey Lady: window coverings are used to shut the light out, not let it in. A few more headlines and “articles” like this one and it should be curtains for you.

                The New York Times was by no means the only mainstream media entity caught engaging in fake news this week. As a Weather Channel “journalist” was reporting from Wilmington, North Carolina, during Hurricane Florence Friday, he appeared to be struggling mightily just to stay on his feet. He was bent over, hood pulled over his head, rocking back and forth as the violent winds buffeted him, the picture of a fearless newsman doing his job, personal safety be damned. Unfortunately for his credibility, two youths slowly strolled by him in the background, perfectly upright and unconcerned, one with his hands in his pockets, ambling off to anywhere. Oh, and a caption on the screen read: “Live. Wilmington, N.C. Wind: 29 MPH. Fake weather.

                What’s next? Fake sports? (I’m not talking about professional wrestling).

                The damage the media has done to itself due to its incredibly overweening bias and need to “frame” a story is immense. And sad. It’s no wonder the mainstream media has become so reviled.

   They are “all wet.”

   Even when it’s not raining.