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Media Mistakes in the Trump Era: The Definitive List
Dated: January 19, 2021 by Sharyl Attkisson 373 Comments
Updated Jan. 19, 2021
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#151 added at bottom
We the media have "fact-checked" President Trump like we have fact-checked no other human being on the planet, and he's certainly given us plenty to write about. That's probably why it's so easy to find lists enumerating and examining his mistakes, missteps and "lies."
But as self-appointed arbiters of truth, we've largely excused our own unprecedented string of fact-challenged reporting. The truth is, formerly well-respected, top news organizations are making repeat, unforced errors in numbers that were unheard of just a couple of years ago.
Our repeat mistakes involve declaring that Trump's claims are "lies" when they are matters of opinion, or when the truth between conflicting sources is unknowable; taking Trump's statements and events out of context; reporting secondhand accounts against Trump without attribution as if they're established fact; relying on untruthful, conflicted sources; and presenting reporter opinions in news stories,without labeling them as opinions.
What's worse, we defend ourselves by trying to convince the public that our mistakes are actually a virtue because we (sometimes) correct them. Or we blame Trump for why we're getting so much wrong. Is a little bit like a police officer taking someone to jail for DUI, then driving home drunk himself: he may be correct to arrest the suspect, but he should certainly know better than to commit the same violation.
So since nobody else has compiled an updated, extensive list of this kind, here are:
Notable Mistakes and Missteps in Major Media Reporting on Donald Trump
1. Aug. 2016-Nov. 2016:
The New York Post published modeling photos of Trump's wife Melania and reported they were taken in 1995. Various news outlets relied on that date to imply that Melania, an immigrant, had violated her visa status. But the media got the date wrong. Politico was among the news agencies that later issued a photo date correction.
2. Oct. 1, 2016:
The New York Times and other media widely suggested or implied that Trump had not paid income taxes for 18 years. Later, tax return pages leaked to MSNBC ultimately showed that Trump actually paid a higher rate than Democrats Bernie Sanders and President Obama.
3. Oct. 18, 2016:
In a Washington Post piece not labelled opinion or analysis, Stuart Rothenberg reported that Trump's path to an electoral college victory was "nonexistent."
4. Nov. 4, 2016:
USA Today misstated Melania Trump's "arrival date from Slovenia" amid a flurry of reporting that questioned her immigration status from the mid-1990s.
Early on election night, the Detroit Free Press called the state of Michigan for Hillary Clinton. Trump actually won Michigan.
Nancy Sinatra via Twitter
6. Jan. 20, 2017:
CNN claimed Nancy Sinatra was "not happy" at her father's song being used at Trump's inauguration. Sinatra responded, "That's not true. I never said that. Why do you lie, CNN? Actually I'm wishing him the best."
Zeke Miller of TIME reported that President Trump had removed the bust statue of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. from the Oval Office. The news went viral. It was false.
Josh Rogin of the Washington Post reported that the State Department's "entire senior administrative team" had resigned in protest of Trump. A number of media outlets ranging from politically left to right, including liberal-leaning Vox, stated that claim was misleading or wrong.
9. Jan. 28, 2017
CNBC's John Harwood reported the Justice Department "had no input" on Trump's immigration executive order. After a colleague contradicted Harwood's report, he amended it to reflect that Justice Department lawyers reportedly had reviewed Trump's order.
10. Jan. 31, 2017:
CNN's Jeff Zeleny reported the White House set up Twitter accounts for two judges to try to keep Trump's selection for Supreme Court secret. Zeleny later corrected his report to state that the Twitter accounts had not been set up by the White House.
11. Feb. 2, 2017:
TMZ reported Trump changed the name of "Black History Month" to "African American History Month," implying the change was untoward or racist. In fact, Presidents Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton had all previously called Black History Month "African American History" month.
AP reported that Trump had threatened the president of Mexico with invasion to get rid of "bad hombres." Numerous publications followed suit. The White House said it wasn't true and the Washington Post removed the AP info that 'could not be independently confirmed."
Josh Rogin of the Washington Post reported on "Inside the White House-Cabinet Battle Over Trump's Immigration Order,"only to have the article updated repeatedly to note that one of the reported meetings had not actually occurred, that a conference call had not happened as described, and that actions attributed to Trump were actually taken by his chief of staff.
14. Feb. 14, 2017:
The New York Times' Michael S. Schmidt, Mark Mazzetti and Matt Apuzzo reported about supposed contacts between Trump campaign staff and "senior Russian intelligence officials.: Comey later testified "In the main, [the article] was not true."
ProPublica's Raymond Bonner reported CIA official Gina Haspel, Trump's later pick for CIA Director, was in charge of a secret CIA prison where Islamic extremist terrorist Abu Zubaydah was waterboarded 83 times in one month, and that she mocked the prisoner's suffering. More than a year later, ProPublica retracted the claim, stating that "Neither of these assertions is correct "Haspel did not take charge of the base until after the interrogation of Zubaydah ended."
16. April 5, 2017:
An article bylined by the New York Times' graphic editors Karen Yourish and Troy Griggs referred to Trump's daughter, Ivanka, as Trump's wife.
17. May 10, 2017:
Multiple outlets including Politico, the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, AP, Reuters and the Wall Street Journal reported the same leaked information: that Trump fired FBI Director James Comey shortly after Comey requested additional resources to investigate Russian interference in the election.
The New York Times' Matthew Rosenberg and Matt Apuzzo, and CNN's Sara Murray reported the information in sentences and paragraphs that omitted attribution, as if it were an established fact. The Washington Post's Philip Rucker, Ashley Parker, Sari Horwitz and Robert Costa wrote news articles in the style of opinion pieces and from an omniscient viewpoint as if they were somehow in the mind of Trump. For example, they reported, "Every time FBI Director James B. Comey appeared in public, an ever-watchful President Trump grew increasingly agitated that the topic was the one that he was most desperate to avoid: Russia." (Other reporters, Reuters, Dustin Volz and Susan Cornwell, did properly attribute the claim.)
The Justice Department, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe said the media reports were untrue and McCabe added that the FBI?s Russia investigation was "adequately resourced."
The BBC's James Landale, The Guardian and others reported that Trump wasn't bothering to listen to the translation during a speech in Italian by Italy's Prime Minister. They drew that conclusion without asking the White House and based on a video that showed other political leaders wearing large headphones. The Guardian even claimed Trump was fake listening (smiling and nodding). After the reports circulated, the White House stated that, as always, Trump was indeed wearing an earpiece in his right ear.
19. June 4, 2017:
NBC News reported in a Tweet that Russian President Vladimir Putin told TV host Megyn Kelly that he had compromising information about Trump. Actually, Putin said the opposite: that he did not have compromising information on Trump.
CNN's Gloria Borger, Eric Lichtblau, Jake Tapper and Brian Rokus; and ABC's Justin Fishel and Jonathan Karl reported that Comey was going to refute Donald Trump's claim that Comey told Trump three times he was not under investigation. Instead, Comey did the opposite and confirmed Trump's claim.
In a fact-check story, AP reported erroneously that Trump misread the potential cost to a family with insurance under the Affordable Care Act who wanted care from their existing doctor.
The New York Times' Jonathan Weisman reported that Comey testified Trump Attorney General Jeff Sessions told Comey not to call the Russia probe "an investigation" but "a matter." Weisman was mistaken about the attorney general and the probe. Actually, it was Obama Attorney General Loretta Lynch (not Sessions) who told Comey to refer to the Hillary Clinton classified email probe (not the Russia probe) as "a matter" instead of "an investigation."
23. June 22, 2017:
CNN's Thomas Frank reported that Congress was investigating a
"Russian investment fund with ties to Trump officials." The report was later retracted. Frank and two other CNN employees resigned in the fallout.
24. December 2, 2017:
ABC News' Brian Ross reported that former Trump official Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn was going to testify that candidate Trump had directed him to contact "the Russians." Even though such contact would not be in of itself a violation of law, the news was treated as an explosive indictment of Trump in the Russia collusion narrative, and the stock market fell on the news. ABC later corrected the report to reflect that Trump had already been elected when he reportedly asked Flynn to contact the Russians about working together to fight ISIS and other issues. Ross was suspended.
25. July 6, 2017:
Newsweek's Chris Riotta and others reported that Poland's First Lady had refused to shake Trump's hand. Newsweek's later "update" reflected that the First Lady had shaken Trump's hand after all, as clearly seen on the full video.
The New York Times' Maggie Haberman, CNN and numerous outlets had long reported, as if fact, the Hillary Clinton claim that a total of 17 American intelligence agencies concluded that Russia orchestrated election year attacks to help get Trump elected. Only three or four agencies, not 17, had officially done so.
27. Aug. 31, 2017:
NBC News' Ken Dilanian and Carol Lee reported that a Trump official's notes about a meeting with a Russian lawyer included the word "donation," as if there were discussions about suspicious campaign contributions. NBC later corrected the report to reflect that the word "donation" didn't appear, but still claimed the word "donor" did. Later, Politico reported that the word "donor" wasn't in the notes, either.
28. Sept. 5, 2017:
CNN's Chris Cillizza and other news outlets declared Trump "lied" when he stated that Trump Tower had been wiretapped, although there's no way any reporter independently knew the truth of the matter, only that what intel officials claimed. It later turned out there were numerous wiretaps involving Trump Tower, including a meeting of Trump officials with a foreign dignitary. At least two Trump associates who had offices in or frequented Trump Tower were also reportedly wiretapped.
The New York Times' Maggie Haberman reported Democrat leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi called President Trump about an immigration issue. Trump actually made the call to Pelosi.
30. Nov. 6, 2017:
CNN's Daniel Shane edited excerpts from a Trump event to make it seem as though Trump didn't realize Japan builds cars in the U.S. However, Trump's entire statement made clear that he does.
CNN edited a video that made it appear as though Trump impatiently dumped a box of fish food into the water while feeding fish at Japan's palace. The New York Daily News, the Guardian and others wrote stories implying Trump was gauche and impetuous. The full video showed that Trump had simply followed the lead of Japan's Prime Minister.
32. Nov. 29, 2017:
Newsweek's Chris Riotta claimed Ivanka Trump "plagiarized" one of her own speeches. In fact, plagiarizing one's own work is impossible since plagiarism is when a writer steals someone else's work and passes it off as his own.
33. Dec. 4, 2017:
The New York Times' Michael S. Schmidt and Sharon LaFraniere and other outlets reported that Trump Deputy National Security Adviser K.T. McFarland supposedly contradicted herself or lied about another official's contacts with Russians. The story was heavily, repeatedly amended. CNN, MSNBC, CBS News, New York Daily News and Daily Beast picked up the story about McFarland's "lies."
ABC News' Trish Turner and Jack Date reported that former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort had recently worked with a Russia intelligence-connected "official." But the Russian wasn't an "official."
Bloomberg's Steven Arons and the Wall Street Journal's Jenny Strasburg reported the blockbuster that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had subpoenaed Trump's bank records. It wasn't true.
CNN's Manu Raju and Jeremy Herb reported that Donald Trump Jr. conspired with WikiLeaks in advance of the publication of damaging Democrat party and Clinton campaign emails. Many other publications followed suit. They had the date wrong: WikiLeaks and Trump Junior were in contact after the emails were published.
37. Jan. 3, 2018:
Talking Point Memo's Sam Thielman reported that a Russian social media company provided documents to the Senate about communications with a Trump official. The story was later corrected to say the reporter actually had no idea how the Senate received the documents and had no evidence to suggest the Russian company was cooperating with the probe.
Mediaite's Lawrence Bonk, CNN's Sophie Tatum, the Guardian, BBC, US News and World Report, Reuters and Buzzfeed's Adolfo Flores reported a "bombshell," that President Trump had backed down from his famous demand for a wall along the entire Southern border. However, Trump said the very same thing in February 2016 on MSNBC, on Dec. 2, 2015, in the National Journal, in October 2015 during the CNBC Republican Primary debate, and on Aug. 20, 2015, on FOX Business' Mornings with Maria.
AP's Laurie Kellman and Jonathan Drew reported that a new report showed trust in the media had fallen during the Trump presidency. But the report that AP cited was actually over a year old and was conducted while Obama was president.
AP's Eric Tucker, Mary Clare Jalonick and Chad Day reported that ex-British spy Christopher Steele's opposition research against Trump was initially funded by a conservative publication: the Washington Free Beacon. AP corrected its story because Steele only came on the project after Democrats began funding it.
41. March 8, 2018:
The New York Times' Jan Rosen reported on a hypothetical family whose tax bill would rise nearly $4,000 under Trump's tax plan. It turns out the calculations were off: the couple's taxes would go actually go down $43; not up $4,000.
42. March 13, 2018:
The New York Times' Adam Goldman, NBC's Noreen O'Donnell and AP's Deb Riechmann reported that Trump's pick for CIA Director, Gina Haspel, had waterboarded a particular Islamic extremist terrorist dozens of time at a secret prison; and that she had mocked his suffering. In fact, Haspel wasn't assigned to the prison until after the detainee left. ProPublica originally reported the incorrect details in Feb. 2017.
AP's Michael Biesecker, Jake Pearson and Jeff Horwitz reported that a Trump advisory board official had been a Miss America contestant and had killed a black rhino. She actually was a Mrs. America contestant and had shot a nonlethal tranquilizer dart at a white rhino.
Watch Sharyl Attkisson's TEDx Talk: Is Fake News Real?
AP's Nicholas Riccardi reported that the Trump administration had ended a program to admit foreign entrepreneurs. It wasn't true.
45. April 30, 2018:
AP reported that the NRA had banned guns during Trump and Pence speeches at the NRA's annual meeting. AP later corrected the information because the ban had been put in place by Secret Service.
46. May 3, 2018:
NBC's Tom Winter reported that the government had wiretapped Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen. NBC later corrected the story after three senior U.S. officials said there was no wiretap.
CNBC's Kevin Breuninger reported that Trump's personal lawyer, Cohen, paid $1 million in fines related to unauthorized cars in his taxi business, had been barred from managing taxi medallions, had transferred $60 million offshore to avoid paying debts, and is awaiting trial on charges of failing to pay millions in taxes. A later correction stated that none of that was true.
The New York Times' Julie Hirschfeld Davis, AP, CNN's Oliver Darcy and others excerpted a Trump comment as if he had referred to immigrants or illegal immigrants generally as "animals." Most outlets corrected their reports later to note that Trump had specifically referred to members of the murderous criminal gang MS-13.
49. May 28, 2018
The New York Times' Magazine editor-in-chief Jake Silverstein and CNN's Hadas Gold shared a story with photos of immigrant children in cages as if they were new photos taken under the Trump administration. The article and photos were actually from 2014 under the Obama administration.
The New York Times' Julie Davis reported the estimated size of a Trump rally to be 1,000 people. There were actually 5,500 people or more in attendance.
51. June 1, 2018
In a story about Trump tariffs, AP reported the dollar value of Virginia's farm and forestry exports to Canada and Mexico was $800. It's $800 million.
52. June 21, 2018
Time magazine and others used a photo of a crying Honduran child to illustrate a supposed Trump administration policy separating illegal immigrant parents and children. The child's father later reported that agents had never separated her from her mother; the mother had taken her to the US without his knowledge and separated herself from her other children, whom she left behind.
MSNBC personality Joe Scarborough mistakenly stated that Trump had "banned" the Red Cross from visiting children separated from illegal immigrant parents.
After a newsroom shooting, a newspaper reporter falsely tweeted that the shooter "dropped his [Trump Make America Great Again] hat on newsroom floor before opening fire."
55. July 10, 2018
NBC reporter Leigh Ann Caldwell reported that outgoing Supreme Court Justice Kennedy only retired after months of negotiations with Trump that concluded with Trump agreeing to replace Kennedy with Judge Kavanaugh.
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Washington Post reporter implied Trump doesn't understand NATO countries. In fact, Trump met with the Finnish President at the NATO summit. Further, Finland is a NATO partner, just not a member.
57. Sept. 14, 2018
The New York Times issues a major correction (below) to an original "unfair" article about U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.
58. Tues. Sept. 18, 2018
The New York Times falsely reported that a man, Mark Judge, testified he remembered an incident more than 30 year ago in which Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is accused of assault. Judge actually said the opposite: he does not remember such an incident, and that the allegations are "absolutely nuts." The Times corrected its article in an editors' note.
Multiple news outlets report that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosentein has resigned or been fired. Neither turns out to be true. Axios and others eventually "update" and "clarify" their erroneous reports.
60. Oct. 14, 2018
NBC News falsely reports that President Trump praised Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Actually, Trump had praised the Union General Ulysses S. Grant.
61. Nov. 14, 2018
CNN's Jeff Zeleny reports that President Trump has decided to fire a deputy national security adviser upon the First Lady's demand. The Wall Street Journal reports the adviser has been "escorted out" of the White House. Later, it's reported that neither case was true. "This did not happen. She is still here at the WH," a senior official told the press. The adviser was reassigned to another job.
62. Dec. 24, 2018
It's discovered that nearly everything written by a Der Spiegel reporter, who had been honored by CNN, about a supposedly racist Trump stronghold town was fabricated--like much of his other work.
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NBC reports that Trump was the first President since 2002 not to visit the troops at Christmastime. But he (and First Lady Melania) did. NBC added a note to its story but left the false headline in place.
64. Jan. 1, 2019
CBS News claimed, in June of 2018, that Trump spokesman Sarah Huckabee Sanders would retire by the end of the year. She didn't. As of May 2019, she was still on the job and there had been no correction or editor's note. The same CBS story also quoted sources as saying the departure of White House assistant Raj Shah was also imminent. It wasn't. Shah continued to serve seven more months.
The New York Times issues a correction to a report that falsely stated former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort asked for campaign polling to be given to a Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska, who has ties to Russia President Putin. Instead, the Times now claims, Manafort actually asked his associate Rick Gates to give polling data to Ukrainian oligarchs --not Deripaska.
While working at Politico, one of the New York Times reporters, Ken Vogel, got caught sending drafts of stories to democratic officials. Another co-author, Maggie Haberman, was considered a "friendly" by Clinton campaign officials who turned to her when she worked at Politico.
"We have had her tee up stories for us before and have never been disappointed. We can do the most shaping by going to Maggie," wrote Clinton officials in emails.
66. Jan. 11, 2019
Fox TV affiliate in Seattle, Washington airs fake, doctored video of President Trump that altered his face and made it appear as though he had stuck his tongue in and out while giving an Oval Office address.
The Buzzfeed exclusive with anonymous sources implicating Trump in potentially criminal behavior (that Democrats and pundits said would be the nail in Trump's impeachment coffin) is refuted in a rare rebuke from Special Counsel Mueller's office. Buzzfeed stands by its reporting.
The New York Times and Washington Post are among the publications that issue corrections after falsely reporting that an anti-Trump activist had served in the Vietnam War.
Additionally, multiple news employees, including a CNN employee, apologize for mischaracterizing, as the aggressors, Trump-supporting teenagers at a pro-life rally.
The UK Telegraph apologizes for all the facts it got wrong in a Jan. 19 article criticizing the First Lady.
70. Feb. 18, 2019
While some media outlets responsibly reported and properly attributed allegations in the racist attack alleged by actor Jussie Smollett, others did not. Some unskeptically furthered the narrative that Smollett, who is black, was attacked by Trump-supporting racists who put a noose around Smollett's neck, shouted racial slurs, told him it's "MAGA" (Make America Great Again) country, and poured bleach on him. While details are still emerging as of this date, Chicago police have stated that Smollett is no longer considered a victim of the crimes he alleged. The New York Times receives special mention here for adding a biased non sequitur in its early reporting that treated skepticism of Smollett's story as if it were unfounded, and fit in a dig at President Trump's son.
But the lack of progress in the investigation has fueled speculation about whether the report was exaggerated. The president?s son Donald Trump Jr., who is known to disseminate conspiracy theories on his Twitter feed, retweeted an article this week about Smollett declining to turn over his cellphone to the police.
Sopan Deb, New York Times
Actor Jussie Smollett
71. Various dates: Other faked attacks reported by the news as if confirmed
A week before Trump was elected, Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Mississippi was torched and the words "Vote Trump" found painted on the outside. The mayor condemned the incident as a hate crime and stated it was "an attack on the black church and the black community." However, police later arrested a black church member for the arson. They say the man staged the fire to look like an attack by Trump supporters. Even today, some of the corrected news reports retain headlines seeming to blame Trump.
The day after Trump was elected, an incident at Elon University in North Carolina made national news. Hispanic students found a "hateful note" written on a classroom whiteboard reading, "Bye Bye Latinos." After the story made news, it was learned that the message was written by "a Latino student who was upset about the results of the election."
Also the day after Trump was elected, a gay man, reportedly a filmmaker ? claimed that homophobic Trump supporters smashed his face with a bottle outside a bar in Santa Monica, Calif. A bloody photo was posted on Twitter, and he was said to have been treated at a local hospital. Police investigated the media reports. They said no complaint was ever filed, there was no evidence of a crime, and a check of local hospitals showed no victim in such an incident.
The week after Trump's election, a Muslim student at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, claimed Trump supporters pulled off her head covering, and assaulted and robbed her. She later admitted fabricatingthe story.
A month after Trump?s election, a Muslim-American woman claimed Trump supporters tried to steal her headwear and harassed her on the New York City subway. She ultimately was arrested after confessing she made up the whole story.
It's as good a day as any to point out that The Washington Post and others reported last November that Trump was imminently about to fire DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. The Post confirmed this with five anonymous sources. The firing was said to be likely to happen the following week.
Nielsen remained on the job for five more months before resigning.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen
Testimony by former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen seemed to put the final nail in the coffin of the "dossier" claim reported by many-- that Cohen had visited Prague to meet with Russians to help collude on Trump's behalf. Cohen told Congress he's never been to Prague or the Czech Republic, for that matter. McClatchy even reported that Cohen's cell phone had pinged off Prague towers. Where did this apparently false information come from? "Four people spoke with McClatchy on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of information shared by their foreign intelligence connections. Each obtained their information independently from foreign intelligence connections," reported McClatchy.
Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen
74. March 1, 2019
The Washington Post deleted a tweet containing false reporting about a January 19 incident regarding a standoff between Trump-supporting pro-life Catholic high school students and a pro-choice Native American activist. The Post wrongly stated, without attribution, that the activist had fought in the Vietnam War. The activist also falsely stated that a high school student had blocked him and "wouldn't allow him to retreat." These events were later called into question, and the Washington Post is being sued in a multi-million dollar libel suit over its allegedly false reporting and misrepresentations. The Post also posted an "editor's note" on this date stating that "a more complete assessment" of the incident contradicted or failed to confirm accounts as originally reported, including that a particular student was trying to instigate a conflict.
75. Various dates
Multiple reporters and media outlets have provided false information and/or quoted incorrect anonymous sources as to the timing of the release of Special Counsel Mueller's report on Trump-Russia collusion. The Washington Post said it would be out in summer of 2018. Bloomberg said it would be shortly after the 2018 Midterm elections. In February 2019, CNN, The Washington Post and NBC reported the report was coming the last week of February. However, it was not announced at that time.
The release of the Mueller report in April 2019 belies countless news stories over more than two years. The report does not find collusion between Trump and Russia President Putin and also concludes there's no evidence that any American conspired or coordinated with any Russian. The many who claimed there was hard evidence of collusion in hand proved to be wrong, yet there is no record of media apologies and corrections on these points.
Robert Mueller, former FBI Director, Special Counsel investigating
alleged Trump-Russia collusion
The Wall Street Journal reports the Navy used a "tarp" to cover the name of the U.S.S. John S. McCain so that President Trump wouldn't see it on his recent visit to Yokosuka, Japan. (The late Sen. John McCain frequently attacked Trump and cast a deciding vote contrary to McCain's campaign promise to repeal Obamacare. Trump also attacked McCain and derided McCain's performance as a soldier in Vietnam where McCain was held as a Prisoner of War.)
After the tarp news is reported, reporters quote McCain's daughter attacking Trump as if he had given the orders to cover the name.
It is further reported that the U.S.S. John McCain was kept out of Trump's view, and that sailors wearing hats with the ship's name on it were turned away and/or given the day off so that Trump would not see the McCain name.
However, shortly after these news reports, key parts of the storyline began to fall apart.
The one grain of truth appeared to be that, in advance of Trump's trip, a military official sent an email directing that the U.S.S. McCain be kept from Trump's view. However, importantly, that direction was not followed. Further, Trump and White House aides indicated Trump played no role and was unaware of the direction.
Significantly, military officials stated that it was untrue that a tarp was placed over the ship's name to block it from Trump's view. They say it was the other way around: a tarp on the ship for maintenance was removed for Trump's visit.
Further, U.S. officials said a paint barge in front of the U.S.S. John S. McCain was ordered to be moved for Trump's visit and was gone by the time he arrived.
The tarpaulin was used as part of hull preservation work on the McCain and was removed on Saturday, two days before Trump delivered a Memorial Day address at U.S. Naval Base Yokosuka, where the McCain was stationed. All ships remained in normal configuration during [the President's visit.
Cmdr. Nate Christensen, spokesman for U.S. Pacific Fleet, to NBC News
Though the main components of the Wall Street Journal story appeared to have been debunked, the New York Times' Maggie Haberman oddly tweeted out a statement that the Times had confirmed the Wall Street Journal's "excellent scoop."
The main part of the story that the Times seemed to have confirmed was that unnamed White House officials were concerned about Trump seeing the McCain name and that sailors wearing ball caps that sported the ship's insignia were turned away.
However, CBS News pointed out that "it is possible the reason they were turned away is that ball caps were not part of the dress code for the event."
U.S. officials said about 800 sailors from more than 20 ships and Navy commands were present for the president's visit and "all wore the same Navy hat that has no logo, rather than wearing individual ship or command hats."
77. July 4, 2019
Several news outlets seemed to be victimized by a bad case of wishful thinking when they reported that President Trump's Fourth of July celebration did not draw crowds. One analysis incorrectly claimed there were "small crowds."
The Guardian featured a photo of an empty podium in Washington D.C. prior to the celebration and claimed the White House was "struggling" to draw crowds.
However, by any factual assessment, the crowds were, in fact, huge. That's in spite of the bad weather.
In January, New York Times, Vice and others reported on the "lost" immigrant children of the Trump administration. However, AP and other fact checks stated this was a misleading term. According to AP, the "lost" children were a matter of the government not being able to track them once placed with sponsors. In some cases this was because the sponsors-- many in the U.S. illegally-- would not respond to the government's follow up phone calls.
It's not highly unusual to fail to keep track of many minors who came unaccompanied to the border. During the last year of the Obama administration, HHS was able to locate 85 percent of the minors or their sponsors, according to an inspector general's report. The Trump administration slightly exceeded that success rate in the last three months of 2017, even as it is accused of losing children.
Associated Press fact check
In a story about a lawsuit alleging that candidate Trump forcibly kissed a campaign worker, CNN failed to mention that that lawsuit had been dismissed. It later corrected its story to include the information.
Many in the media uncritically report a Georgia State legislator's racist and false claim that a "white" man at a grocery store told her to "go back where you came from."
Media reports link the supposed hateful comment to President Trump because Trump recently said several Democrats in Congress should "go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came."
However, the following day, the legislator acknowledges the man did not say she should "go back to your country" or "go back to where you came from," as she originally claimed. She goes on to say she told him to "go back." The man adds he is not white, but a Cuban and a Democrat.
I know I told him to 'go back.'
Rep. Erica Thomas, Georgia, a day after her original accusations
After the legislator changes her story, the local news plays up the headline that the man "admits he swore," rather than the far more important acknowledgement that her major claim was false. (See around 2:05 in the video near the end of the story.)
Even after the legislator retracted her original accusation, it remained widely published in national headlines and news reports.
An MSNBC contributor and law professor falsely tweets that Fox is not going to show upcoming Congressional testimony by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller on the Trump-Russia investigation. When the error is pointed out, the contributor says she was just kidding and deletes her tweet--but not before it has been "liked" and "retweeted" thousands of times.
Multiple news outlets including CNN and MSNBC falsely reported that an illegal immigrant had her nursing baby ripped from her arms. The mother was not lactating, CNN later acknowledged.
83. Aug. 28, 2019
MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell apologizes for and retracts anonymous, unverified claims stating that Trump had loans with Russian co-signers. At last view, it appeared that far more people had seen or remarked on the initial information than the apology.
The now-deleted original tweet by O'Donnell stated: "A source close to Deutsche Bank says Trump's tax returns show he pays very little income tax and, more importantly, that his loans have Russian co-signers. If true, that explains every kind word Trump has ever said about Russia and Putin."
Last night I made an error in judgment by reporting an item about the president's finances that didn't go through our rigorous verification and standards process. I shouldn't have reported it and I was wrong to discuss it on the air. I will address the issue on my show tonight.
— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) August 28, 2019
Ken Dilinian of NBC News corrects a false report he and others disseminated claiming that starting October 29, "children born to U.S. service members outside of the U.S. will no longer be automatically considered citizens. Parents will have to apply for citizenship for their the [sic] children in those situations."
Correction: Experts who have looked at new USCIS policy say it applies if a service member adopts a child overseas, but children born to service members on deployment would still automatically get citizenship. I deleted tweets with the incorrect info. https://t.co/xeu8I3zrkJ
— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) August 28, 2019
85. Sept. 7, 2019
CNN and nearly every major media outlet criticized President Trump for tweeting that Alabama would likely be impacted by Hurricane Dorian. They claimed that was never the case. However, Trump was correct that multiple official hurricane advisories had put Alabama in a projected impacted area.
Watch for yourself.
There is no record of any corrections to these incorrect news stories. In fact, there are multiple follow ups repeating the false claims that Alabama was never in a projected path, and doubling down on the claim that Trump was inaccurate.
Rather than admit an error, some news outlets skirted the issue, parsing probabilities, "would" vs. "could," the National Weather Service vs. the National Hurricane Center, and whether tropical storm force winds really qualify as hurricane effects.
(Above: Politico title)
(Above: New York Magazine Intelligencer title)
Citing anonymous sources, CNN and the New York Times reported-- and other media repeated-- claims that the CIA had to remove a top U.S. spy from Russia in 2017 because of concern over President Trump's handling of classified information.
The CIA, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and the White House strongly refuted the story. Other media, including The New York Times and Washington Post, also contradicted CNN and reported the decision to remove the spy happened before CNN said it did and for different reasons.
[CNN's] reporting is not only incorrect, it has the potential to put lives in danger.
Stephanie Grisham, White House press secretary
CNN's narrative that the Central Intelligence Agency makes life-or-death decisions based on anything other than objective analysis and sound collection is simply false...Misguided speculation that the President's handling of our nation's most sensitive intelligence ? which he has access to each and every day ? drove an alleged exfiltration operation is inaccurate.
Brittany Bramell, CIA Director for Public Affairs
The reporting is materially inaccurate... as a former CIA director, I don?t talk about things like this very often ? it is only the occasions that I think put people at risk, when the reporting is so egregious as to create enormous risks to the United States of America, that I even comment the way I just did.
Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State
At least some of the original stories remained posted a day later without correction, clarification or updating to include CIA's refutation.
The New York Times publishes an editor's note about its recent story recounting a newly-reported accusation about an incident decades ago involving Trump-nominated Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
The editor's note discloses for the first time that the Times never spoke to the alleged victim, and that the alleged victim had told friends she had no recollection of any such event. The Times reporters explained that that information had mistakenly been edited out of the story.
In testimony to Congress, special counsel Robert Mueller puts to final rest the widespread reporting in 2016 originating with Slate.com that claimed a Russian bank server had been illicitly communicating with Trump Tower. When asked about it by a member of Congress, Mueller replied that "my belief at this point is...not true."
Vox.com's Aaron Rupar tweeted that Trump suggested he was a "9/11 First Responder." In fact, Trump stated the opposite: "I'm not considering myself a first responder."
The Washington Post, quoting anonymous sources, reported that President Trump's Director of National Intelligence threatened to quit over an alleged whistleblower issue.
Daily Beast headline
However, DNI Joseph Maguire issues a statement indicating the Post article was entirely false. "At no time have I considered resigning my position since assuming this role," wrote Maguire in a statement.
The Daily Beast and other media outlets reported that President Trump asked the President of Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, eight times in one phone call.
However, the released transcript notes reveal Trump mentioned Biden's son (not by name) one time. However, many in the media claimed the "eight times" allegation was really true because they counted each phrase in which Trump referred to possible corruption or the need for some sort of investigation.
(There are other areas of possible mistaken reporting regarding the same phone call, but they are generally subject to interpretation.)
CBS News's 60 Minutes reports "the government whistleblower who set off the impeachment inquiry of President Trump is under federal protection because they fear for their safety."
Shortly after that report, the attorney for the unnamed "whistleblower," Mark Zaid, tweeted out a statement that read: "NEWS ALERT: 60 Minutes completely misinterpreted contents of our letter." (Sixty Minutes says it stands by the Scott Pelley report.)
When a black girl claims white boys at school held her down, cut off her hair and called her "nappy" and "ugly," the story makes national news. Multiple news outlets improperly report some details as if they are established as true, without proper attribution. For example, NBC writes, "The attack happened Monday..." and "The second boy grabbed her arms, while the third cut off some of her dreadlocks." A local NBC affiliate writes: "...she was at recess and about to go down a slide when one of the boys grabbed her and put a hand over her mouth. Another boy grabbed her arms. A third boy cut off some of her hair." CBS writes, "The incident took place..." (as if an incident had been factually established rather than was an allegation).
Many news reports also connect the attack to President Trump's Vice President, Mike Pence, by stating that the "attack" happened at "a Christian school in Virginia where Vice President Mike Pence's wife works."
However, it turns out there was no attack or "incident." Three days after the initial reports, the child's family reported the whole story was made up, and they apologized.
ABC airs video purportedly showing a "slaughter" and "horrific report of atrocities" against Kurds by Turkey after President Trump withdrew U.S. troops. (The video is not combat video at all. It is file tape of a training show in the U.S.)
ABC tweets out the following:
CORRECTION: We've taken down video that aired on "World News Tonight" Sunday and "Good Morning America" this morning that appeared to be from the Syrian border immediately after questions were raised about its accuracy. ABC News regrets the error.
Many major news outlets including Yahoo, USA Today, Roll Call, NBC, ABC and Fox quotes President Trump as saying Turkey's invasion of Syria "is not our problem." In a subsequent correction, NBC and others said, Trump actually said "it's not our border." However, hours after NBC's correction, the initial allegedly false quote remains on Yahoo, USA Today, Fox, Roll Call, the Washington Times and other news sites.
96. Sun. Oct. 27, 2019
Multiple media claims state that President Trump was golfing during the U.S. raid in Syria that captured the head of the Islamic terrorist group ISIS, al-Baghdadi; and that a White House situation room photo had been "staged." It turns out, according to later reports, that Trump had finished golfing and was at the White House during the operation. (Obama White House photographer Pete Souza had apparently originally tweeted out incorrect information on timing.)
Rampant speculation ensues after a contributor to The Hill claims President Trump visited Walter Reed National Medical Center due to chest discomfort. A White House statement from Trump's physician issued two days later stated that was not the case.
"Despite some of the speculation, the President has not had any chest pain, nor was he evaluated or treated or any urgent or acute issues. Specifically, he did not undergo any specialized cardiac or neurologic evaluations," the president's physician stated.
London's Daily Mail posts a sensational headline during the impeachment hearings against President Trump. It claims that a key witness, Ambassador Kurt Volker, had "walked back" his testimony in a way that was detrimental to Trump. When Volker was asked, in real time at the hearing, if the Daily Mail headline was correct and he had, indeed, changed his testimony, Volker stated that no. The headline was wrong.
Agence France Press publishes a sensational story saying that more than 100,000 children are being held in migration-related detention in the U.S. under President Trump. It turns out that was the number in 2015 under President Obama.
AFP is withdrawing this story.
The author of the report has clarified that his figures do not represent the number of children currently in migration-related US detention, but the total number of children in migration-related US detention in 2015.
We will delete the story. https://t.co/p30UjEWl7u
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 19, 2019
100. Nov. 28, 2019
Newsweek falsely reports that President Trump is spending Thanksgiving golfing in Florida at his Mar-a-Lago Resort. He was actually in Afghanistan serving dinner to U.S. troops. It's the second year in a row that national media makes the same mistake. (The reporter, Jessica Kwong, was reportedly later fired.)
Trump headed to Afghanistan to surprise U.S. troops on Thanksgiving https://t.co/f7Xeqz1ZGQ Deleting this tweet because it was written before knowing about the president's surprise visit to Afghanistan-an honest mistake. Story has already been updated, as shown in the screenshot. pic.twitter.com/g9CfPaV2kQ
— Jessica Kwong (@JessicaGKwong) November 29, 2019
It turns out the same Newsweek reporter, Kwong, reported an allegedly misleading story the week before about President Trump's tipping implying he'd been cheap.
Newsweek later updated the story to remove the headline reference to a "thin stack of cash" and include that it was 100 dollar bills, and above and beyond what Trump had already tipped the servers.
102. Dec. 3, 2019
(Allegation) Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) files a $435 million defamation lawsuit against CNN over a Nov. 23 CNN story that claimed Nunes had flown to Vienna, Austria in December 2018 to meet with a former Ukrainian prosecutor in to dig up dirt on Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
Nunes says at the time CNN claimed he was in Vienna, he was actually in Benghazi, Libya and Malta for meetings; and Nunes produced photographs he says proves that. Additionally, he says he has never met with the named former Ukrainian prosecutor in Vienna or anywhere else.
(If evidence ultimately shows CNN was correct and Nunes is incorrect, this post will be updated and removed from the count.)
It would be difficult if not impossible from a practical standpoint to list the thousands of the media reports, from the New York Times to CNN, that have now been proven false by information documented in Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz's report on the FBI's misbehavior in investigating the Trump campaign.
Here, they will all be grouped together as one media mistake, but include nearly every major national media outlet that falsely reported, as if fact, that the discredited Democrat-funded "dossier" -- submitted by the FBI to get a wiretap to spy on Trump associate Carter Page -- was only a "small part" of the wiretap application. Also, the reports that Page was a Russian spy and the conduit between Trump and Putin. Also, the many insistences that Trump was a "Putin stooge" and coordinating with Putin or Russia, when the FBI's own evidence now shows they never found anything remotely close to that. In fact, they appeared to disprove it.
104. Jan. 31, 2018
(Out of chronological order because it just came to my attention.)
Media reports in Dec. 2017 claimed the Trump administration banned officials at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from using seven words.
In response, doctors posted photos of themselves with tape over their mouths.
It turns out documents showed there was "not a ban or prohibition on words but rather suggestions on how to improve the chances of getting funding."
105. Dec. 25, 2019
(Allegation) An unusually unequivocal denial of a Wall Street Journal report come from the Trump administration. Trump officials say the anonymously-sourced report is "total false, untrue and baseless. It did not happen."
If information comes to light that proves the Wall Street Journal source was accurate at the time, this post will be updated to reflect that.
The news media widely misreport that the report by Dept. of Justice Inspector General Horowitz found "no political bias" in the Russia probe. As Horowitz made clear in his Congressional testimony, that is false.
Instead, Horowitz gave a limited, qualified opinion about a narrow part of the opening of the investigation, stating he could not find documentary or testimonial evidence that the serious political bias of various FBI officials impacted the original decision to open the probe into Trump campaign-related Americans.
Horowitz explicitly acknowledged that various FBI officials involved in the probe, including Peter Strzok and Lisa Page had political bias against Trump.
He also stated, in Congressional testimony, that Christopher Steele, the political opposition researcher hired by the Clinton campaign to provide the anti-Trump "dossier" to the FBI, had political bias.
And he stated that it's possible political bias was behind other inexplicable and egregious errors the FBI made during the probe, which he did not say was free of bias. Those matters, Horowitz testified, have been referred to the criminal probe and to the FBI to handle.
107. Aug. 5, 2019
MSNBC's Nicole Wallace falsely claims that President Trump had talked about "exterminating Latinos." She apologized the next day stating, on Twitter, "I misspoke about Trump calling's for an extermination of Latinos. My mistake was unintentional and I'm sorry."
108. Jan. 9, 2019
Ken Vogel of the New York Times corrects a story that falsely claimed Trump adviser Paul Manafort had wanted to share polling data with a Russian oligarch close to President Putin.
The NY Times just quietly issued a major correction to its "explosive" Manafort report.
This is a huge error that makes the "bombshell" story significantly less important.
Once again, the corporate media shows its low standards. pic.twitter.com/um2nSHuK07
— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) January 9, 2019
The New York Times corrects a report it published to demonstrate how people who voted for Donald Trump no longer support him. Their featured example was a man who-- it turns out-- never voted for Trump in the first place.
So the guy from Pennsylvania who said he voted for Trump and now regrets it..
didn't actually vote for Trump.
Mark Graham, who Democrats are putting in campaign ads against the president..
DIDN'T EVEN VOTE in 2016!#FridayFeeling #FridayThoughts https://t.co/YIdSXvgcYB
— Cassandra (@CassyWearsHeels) December 27, 2019
MSNBC wrongly reports up to 30 U.S. deaths after an Iranian rocket attack. In fact, no Americans were killed. The number was a fabricated number reported by the Iranians.
MSNBC's John Brennan, former CIA Director, falsely reports that Trump personally wrote a note regarding wanting Ukraine's president to announce an investigation into possible corruption related to the former vice president and his son.
On MSNBC tonight, I mistakenly said Trump wrote note, released by House yesterday, saying "get Zelensky to announce Biden investigation." It was written by Les Parnas, who told Rachel Maddow today in explosive interview everything he did was known & directed by Giuliani & Trump.
— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) January 16, 2020
112. Feb. 21, 2020
The New York Times and multiple other news outlets report on a secret briefing to Congress that supposedly told lawmakers that Russia is interfering to try to get Trump reelected in 2020. The report is later followed up by stories indicating that the warnings may have been "overstated." In fact, officials told CNN the US "does not have evidence that Russia's interference this cycle is aimed at reelecting Trump."
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, multiple media outlets imply or state that President Trump slashed, cut or gutted the budget for the Centers for Disease Control. In fact, the CDC budget has increased each year.
Numerous media outlets falsely report that President Trump called the coronavirus a "hoax." In fact, the president called the Democrat's politicization of the outbreak a hoax.
115. March 1, 2020
(Allegation) Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) announces plans to sue The Washington Post over what he says was false reporting about him. The Post claimed Nunes went to the White House and talked to President Trump about a Congressional briefing by then-Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire about prospects of Russia interference in the current 2020 campaign. The Post report then claimed that Trump "erupted" at Maguire before replacing him.
Nunes says he never talked to the president about Maguire and did not go to the White House when The Post claimed he did.
If information comes to light showing that The Post was correct, this post will be updated.
The Washington Post editorial team refers to many of America's "hundred of millions" of voters in the U.S. supporting Joe Biden. But there are not that many voters in the U.S. (There were 153,000,000 people registered to vote in 2018. Tens of millions of them do not vote.).
WaPo editorial claims that "hundreds of millions" of voters voted for Joe Biden on Tuesday.
There aren't that many voters in the US in total.https://t.co/v6QJZjT4sh pic.twitter.com/DsHwN6D5wA
— Steve Milloy (@JunkScience) March 5, 2020
117. March 15, 2020
An anonymously-sourced news report alleges President Trump attempted to bribe a German coronavirus vaccine maker and wants to hoard the vaccine so only Americans will have it.
Reuters reported that the German Health Ministry confirmed the report.
However, the German Health Ministry clarified it had not verified the report, just a quote attributed to one of its spokespersons. The Trump administration denied the report altogether.
(If the original report is verified and turns out to be true, after all, this entry will be removed from the list.)
The New York Times and Jeremy Peters publish an article with multiple false claims about Sharyl Attkisson and Rob Schneider, claiming they and others have "minimized" coronavirus risks and "insisted" it it is overplayed. In fact, Peters altered an Attkisson quote and made at least nine false claims about her work. Peters also manipulated a Schneider quote and quoted him out of context in order to make him appear as though he had violated recommendations not to eat at restaurants, when he had not. More details here.
April 1, The New York Times lawyers issue multiple Corrections to the false article. They:
Partially fix a deceptively-altered quote
Remove a section
Amend three parts
Publish a "correction"
Jennifer Rubin of The Washington Post wrongly blames Republican leader Senator Mitch McConnell for delaying a coronavirus package vote. The Post later issued a correction, stating: "An earlier version of this article incorrectly said that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) delayed a vote on the House's coronavirus relief package. In fact, McConnell vowed to move at "warp speed" on the bill and it was only delayed due to a demand from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) for an amendment on the bill. This version has been updated."
Does @JRubinBlogger or the Post editorial page have editors? How does one of Washington's biggest newspapers let egregious errors like this make it to publication?
The House's relief package made it to the Senate *today.* This deserves a correction. https://t.co/VIFddn67z9 pic.twitter.com/mkkcjFVKOR
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) March 18, 2020
The New York Times issues a correction after falsely reporting that the U.S. was short at least 800 thousand ventilators in the coronavirus crisis because a million would be needed and there were only 200k on hand. In fact, a study actually projected a million people may need a ventilator over the course of the pandemic, not at one time.
There are at most 200k ventilators in the US. One million are expected to be needed. Experts say the Trump administration approach - let states fend for themselves in the market rather than a central authority step in - will doom people to die. https://t.co/aC9Pwkf7bA
— Trip Gabriel (@tripgabriel) March 26, 2020
A New York Times timeline about the slow implementation of coronavirus testing in the U.S. is corrected. The date of the country's first confirmed case of coronavirus through travel was almost two weeks later than stated in the original timeline.
CBS This Morning airs a story supposedly showing video of a New York hospital crowded coronavirus patients. Some viewers recognized it as the same video shown to represent a hospital in Italy.
CBS News issues a correction saying the network mistakenly used the Italy video in the U.S. story. "It was an editing mistake. We took immediate steps to remove it from all platforms and shows," a CBS News spokesperson said.
123. April 6, 2020
CBS News airs social media video of a crying woman who says she was a nurse and quit her job due to not having masks while treating coronavirus patients. The video got more than eight million views.
When questions were raised about the video, CBS left it up but added a "clarification": "Imaris Vera, the nurse in this video, clarified her experience on Monday in a tweet: 'We were each assigned 1 N95 per 1 covid patient?s room but was not allowed to wear it outside of the room, wear our own N95 mask around the Nurses station or Halls, which I came prepared with'."
The clarification did anything but clear up the facts, but it seems to indicate nobody was asked to treat coronavirus patients without masks, after all.
In tears, a nurse says she quit her job after she was asked to work in a coronavirus ICU without a face mask: "America is not prepared, and nurses are not being protected" https://t.co/ywoSuLOPYP pic.twitter.com/S5BsnlO5nt
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 5, 2020
Days after CBS News mistakenly uses shots of an Italian hospital as if it is in New York City, and apologizes for the mistake (Mistake #122 above), the network uses the same Italy video again in a discussion about coronavirus-overrun Pennsylvania hospitals.
125. April 15, 2020
A Facebook "science fact check" incorrectly flags as "false" an Epoch Times coronavirus documentary about the virus's possible link to a Wuhan, China research lab. That's despite the fact that none of the documentary's information is proven false, and the documentary draws no conclusions.
In addition, contrary to Facebook's fake "fact check," the government has explicitly announced it is investigating information that the Covid-19 outbreak started with a leak at the lab.
It turns out the first named reviewer referenced by Facebook's fact check is a U.S. scientist who has been working at the Wuhan lab.
The U.S. government publicly confirms it is looking into possible links between coronavirus and a research lab in Wuhan, China.
On Feb. 17, 2020, Paulina Firozi of The Washington Post had falsely declared the idea of the virus coming from the Wuhan lab to be "debunked." It had not been debunked.
In fact, a more recent April 14 article by The Washington Post debunked the earlier Washington Post article's claim that the Wuhan tie had been debunked.
Reuters and other new outlets claim President Trump tapped a "former Labradoodle breeder... to lead U.S. pandemic task force." They imply the official, Brian Harrison, is unqualified and blame him for supposed slowing the U.S. coronavirus response.
The stories from multiple outlets appear on the same day.
However, Harrison never led the coronavirus task force. Additionally, while he did briefly own a family business raising Labradoodles, he has also served three administrations in high level posts and was not plucked from dog breeding obscurity to serve on the pandemic task force.
After Marketwatch and The Washington Post report coronavirus checks may or "will" be delayed several days to get President Trump's signature on them, the Treasury Department announces the checks are being issued "on time, as planned" and that there was no delay.
In a widely distributed report, Politico reports that President Trump owes the Bank of China tens of millions of dollars in a loan coming due in 2022, as he deals with China on coronavirus. However, the Bank of China issued a statement saying it only held the loan for 22 days and sold it to a U.S. real estate firm in 2012.
Politico changed its headline and details of the story but did not issue a "correction" or apology, and still maintains Trump has improper ties to China.
Update: Politico belatedly issued a correction three days later, acknowledging that they committed a basic mistake by not asking the Bank of China for comment before publication.
Yahoo reporter Hunter Walker asks Trump a question with false information in it:
"Overall, South Korea has done five times more tests than the U.S. per capita," Walker asked Trump during an Oval Office meeting that included Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) "Why is that?" "I don't think that's true," Trump replied.
"That is true," Walker insisted.
In fact, South Korea's testing was 11 per 100,000 people and the U.S. is at 17 per 100,000.
Walker later apologizes in a Tweet: "We have passed South Korea in the number of tests conducted per capita. I misread the mobile version of this chart and am sorry about that, @realDonaldTrump."
Maggie Haberman, Peter Baker, Katie Rogers and David Enrich at The New York Times report that "Trump has seized on [hydroxychloroquine] as a miracle cure."
In fact, the day before the article was published, the president repeatedly qualified his support for hydroxychloroquine-- as he usually does-- and did not call it a miracle cure.
"It may work, and it may not work. But if it doesn't work, it's nothing lost by doing it," said Trump at an April 5 media availability. He also stated, "in case it does work, we want to have it," and "Now, it may not work, in which case, Hey, it didn't work. It may work, in which case it's going to save a lot of lives. Now, a lot of people say...it has a profound effect. Well, maybe it does and maybe it doesn't."
132. May 10, 2020
NBC's Chuck Todd on Meet the Press used a deceptively edited comment made by Attorney General William Barr about the case of Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn. The network later apologized for the error.
You're correct. Earlier today, we inadvertently and inaccurately cut short a video clip of an interview with AG Barr before offering commentary and analysis. The remaining clip included important remarks from the attorney general that we missed, and we regret the error.
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) May 10, 2020
CBS 60 Minutes falsely tweets that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo "attempted to resurrect a debunked theory that the virus was man-made in China." Pompeo had said the opposite.
"Look, the best experts so far seem to think it was man-made. I have no reason to disbelieve that at this point," said Pompeo.
When asked, "Your Office of the DNI says the consensus, the scientific consensus, was not man-made or genetically modified," Pompeo then replied, "That's right. I agree with that. I've seen the summary that you saw that was released publicly. I have no reason to doubt that that is accurate at this point."
When asked further, "So just to be clear, you do not think it was man-made or genetically modified?" Pompeo replied, "I've seen what the Intelligence Community has said. I have no reason to believe that they've got it wrong."
One other flaw with the 60 Minutes tweet is that the news organization cannot claim to know, first hand, the origin of coronavirus since nobody from the news agency was present for its birth.
134. June 2, 2020
Mediaite writes an account of demonstrations outside the White House, quoting numerous reporters as saying tear gas was unjustifiably used. Fox News host Laura Ingraham said no tear gas was used. Mediaite quotes numerous reporters as "fact checking" Ingraham and concluding she is wrong.
However, the U.S. Park Police releases a report that recounts a litany of violent acts the protesters had allegedly been committing, including pelting officers with objects and trying to grab their weapons. The police confirmed that during the efforts to control the crowd, no tear gas was used.
"Correct your article, please," tweeted Ingraham.
As of this posting, Mediate had not corrected its article or reverse fact-checked the apparently false claims about Ingraham and tear gas.
135. June 22, 2020
The New York Times, NPR and others unquestioningly link, as if a fact, the discovery of a "noose" in a black NASCAR driver's stall to racism.
An investigation quickly concluded it was a garage door pull rope, and had been there for months, long before the driver had been assigned the stall.
136. July 12, 2020
USA Today used a "Fact check" to connect a Trump campaign T-shirt design using an eagle-- to a Nazi eagle.
The newspaper later "clarifies" its article to note that "the eagle is a longtime US symbol, too."
Update: The rating on this article has been changed to inconclusive. It was updated to reflect further reporting and analysis.
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) July 15, 2020
137. Fri. July 17, 2020
On this date, newly-released documents reveal at least nine factual errors or misrepresentations in a New York Times article by Michael Schmidt, Mark Mazzetti, and Matt Apuzzo about alleged Trump-Russia collusion in 2017.
Among other issues, internal notes made by then FBI official Peter Strzok-- but kept secret until this date-- contradicted claims in the Times article including: that Paul Manafort had been picked up communicating with Russians, that Roger Stone had been investigated by the FBI, and that Trump advisers had gotten caught communicating with Russians. Details here.
138. Thurs. July 23, 2020
The Atlantic issues a series of corrections to a false story it published, "How I Became a Police Abolitionist," written by social justice activist Derek Pernell who claimed she became scarred and anti-police because, as a child, she witnessed a police officer shooting her cousin, a "boy" for skipping a basketball sign in sheet, and that the police officer wasn't held accountable. It turns out, it wasn't a police officer, it was a private security guard; the victim, who was shot in the arm, was an adult, not a child; and the guard did not escape serious consequences, he was charged with assault.
Dereka Pernell
Photo from Twitter
139. Thurs. Aug. 5, 2020
An AP report about groups named in an FBI affidavit regarding an alleged Ohio corruption scheme false reported that one named figure, D. Eric Lycan, is the current counsel for the Republican Party of Kentucky. But Lycan left that position more than a year ago.
140. Sat. Aug. 8, 2020
Multiple analysts, news outlets, politicians, and advocacy groups falsely report that President Trump has announced plans to eliminate Social Security and/or Medicare if he's re-elected. In fact, the executive order signed by the president clearly shows a temporary cut in payroll taxes (which fund the entitlement programs) applies to those earning under approximately $105,000 a year. Others continue paying. Others in the media, such as the LA Times' liberal and pharmaceutical propaganda columnist Michael Hiltzik, left false implications, though stopping short of claiming Trump announced a policy to eliminate the entitlements.
Michael Hiltzik
Today, Trump announced that if he is re-elected he will permanently defund Social Security. That may make sense to the billionaires at his country club, but it makes zero sense to me.
No, Mr. President. We will not let you destroy Social Security. We will defeat you – badly.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) August 9, 2020
The Washington Post publishes the "Mother of all Corrections," a 579 word correction of a July 23 article written by food writer Korsha Wilson. The correction consists of 15 bullet points. Post executive editor Martin Baron said the paper was "embarrassed by the widespread errors in this freelance article."
The article was titled "Black families once lived off their southern farmland. Their descendants are struggling to hold onto it." The Post acknowledged it "contained many errors and omitted context and allegations important to understanding two families' stories.".
Korsha Wilson
Photo by: Celeste Noche Photography
142. Sat. Aug. 22
AP publishes a fact check that concludes President Trump's true statement about an event at the Democratic National Convention was something other than true.
Trump had tweeted: "The Democrats took the word GOD out of the Pledge of Allegiance at the Democrat National Convention." AP labelled the true claim to be misleading even as the news agency acknowledged, "the Muslim Delegates and Allies Assembly and the LGBTQ Caucus meeting, both Tuesday, left out 'under God,' from the pledge." AP argued that because others Democrats had cited the pledge accurately, Trump's tweet did not qualify as true.
143. Mon. Aug. 31, 2020
The Washington Post's Yasmeen Abutaleb and Josh Dawsey publish allegations in an article entitled: "New Trump pandemic adviser pushes controversial 'herd immunity' strategy, worrying public health officials."
The headline contains no attribution and states the allegation as if it's an established fact. The article itself relies on unnamed, anonymous people.
However, the subject of the allegations, Dr. Scott Atlas, stated in unequivocal terms that he has never pushed nor spoken to President Trump about the described strategy, nor has anybody that he knows of.
(If evidence arises showing The Post was correct, after all, this item will be updated.)
144. Tues. Sept. 8, 2020
Trump critic John Bolton becomes the latest in a series of on-the-record, firsthand sources to debunk The Atlantic report by Jeffrey Goldberg that relied upon anonymous sources to claim that Trump faked the cancellation of a helicopter trip to a French cemetery in 2018 where fallen US soldiers were buried because he didn't want his hair messed up by the weather, and that Trump referred to the dead troops as "losers" and "suckers."
Multiple news outlets repeated the claims.
"That was simply false. I don't know who told the author [Jeffrey Goldberg] that," said Bolton who was in the room in Paris when the decision was made. "The president assented to the recommendation that he not go. It was a very straight weather call."
Shortly after the initial report, the White House denied the allegations and released documentation also showing there was, indeed, a weather cancellation, and that the call was made by military officials.
Bolton and others also said Trump did not call fallen soldiers names during the meeting in question or at any time that they ever heard.
When Fox News' Jennifer Griffin sought to confirm The Atlantic story, she came back with what she called "confirmation" of the anonymous claims, yet reported a different set of details. Griffin said that according to her anonymous sources, once the weather cancelled Trump's helicopter trip to the cemetery in France, he declined the option to drive there by car.
Griffin also said her sources heard Trump call living generals, not fallen US soldiers, names back in the US at a different time and place. She said Trump told the generals at the Pentagon that they were "losers" and babies."
Later in interviews, Goldberg acknowledged a key point of his story may be wrong, admitting that there could have been a weather cancellation of the helicopter trip. In all, 21 on the record sources disputed Goldberg's original claims. However, The Atlantic has not issued a correction.
https://twitter.com/JonathanTurley/status/1303125135570931717?s=20
(If evidence comes to light showing that The Atlantic was correct after all, this post will be updated.)
145. Mon. Sept. 21, 2020
Newsweek falsely reports that a particular Catholic group associated with Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett inspired The Handmaid's Tale, "set in the fictional Gilead, where women's bodies are governed and treated as the property of the state under a theocratic regime."
Later, Newsweek corrects its story.
146. Fri. Oct. 9, 2020
Politico's "Playbook author" Anna Palmer tweets out the "breaking news" that President Trump lost the Nobel Prize, after apparently (mistakenly) believing his nominations were for this year rather than 2021.
https://twitter.com/apalmerdc/status/1314500362733268992?s=20
147. Sat. Dec. 19, 2020
The New York Times award-winning podcast "Caliphate," turns out to be centered on a man who told false stories about killing for the Islamic State. The Times returns the prestigious "Peabody Award" the podcast series won for the false reporting in 2018.
148. Wed. Dec. 30, 2020
A senior political reporter at The Huffington Post, Jennifer Bendery, falsely states that Vice President Mike Pence is wrong to claim that "millions" of Americans have been vaccinated for coronavirus... even as Bendery simultaneously acknowledges the number is in the millions.
149. Sun. Jan. 10, 2021
The New York Times misidentifies a shirtless man outside a broken window at the Capitol as a Trump supporter. In fact, the Times didn't do a basic fact check of its assumptions.
The shirtless man was a credentialed journalist for The Daily Caller who had reportedly removed his shirt after getting maced in the chaos. The Times issues a correction.
https://twitter.com/elivalley/status/1348481465496035329?s=20
150. Thurs. Jan. 14, 2021
Numerous reporters falsely transcribe or refer to a falsely transcribed interview with a Republican senator, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, to incorrectly claim he wants to delay Biden inauguration.
The accurate transcript makes clear that Sen. Tuberville was speaking hypothetically while accepting the inauguration date.
https://www.mediaite.com/news/prominent-reporters-spread-out-of-context-quote-claiming-sen-tommy-tuberville-wants-to-delay-biden-administration/
151. Sat. Jan. 16
CNN's Jim Sciutto, Wolf Blitzer, and others report a man had been arrested at a checkpoint to a locked-down zone of the Capitol prior to Biden's inauguration carrying fake credentials, an unregistered handgun, and 500 rounds of ammunition.
However, it turns out the man was not an insurrectionist with fake credentials and an unregistered handgun; he was a security contractor with an inaugural credential who was working an armed security job with Capitol Police and authorized to have a firearm, which was licensed in Virginia.
He was released from custody with officials saying they considered him no threat to public safety.
Greg Goatley says
It seems obvious that there is a well coordinated resistance effort to feed "news' tips and lies to the national media. It's likely a continuation of the Clinton campaign which started pushing the Russian narrative the day after the election. ( See Shattered".) Today's journalists are lazy. They wait for something to come in over the transom and just go with it. A good news organization would find the source of this coordinated effort and those holdovers in the administration who are leaking.
I do not think it has anything to do with being lazy. These commies are not playing "fast and loose" with the facts either. Both of these accusations would indicate that these coordinated attacks were incidental. THEY WERE NOT! You CANNOT have this kind of tsunami of lies and deception by accident. These worms know that the corrections they make, if any, get no where near the viral traction of the original smear piece. This is EXACTLY why Rush calls them the "Drive By" media. This has been going on at a feverish pitch since the end of the Clinton era. Now, it has been taken to an unbelievably whole new level.
Kevin c Hastings says
you are very correct. The media today is dominated by communist ideolgues and has been since the end of WW2. Even the sainted Edward R Murrows best friend committed suicide when he found out that Hoover himself was coming to arrest him for consopiring with the Rosenburgs to sell the Hbomb info to the Russians. Any guesses who told him the FBI was coming for him? Most of us in our 60s remember what Cronkite, Blather and Huntley did to undermine our soldiers in Nam, how in 2004 the "media" (Blather, Mary Mapes and the 60 minutes 2 show) tried to use blatant, obvious forgeries in an attempt to undermine Ws re-election, The "media" is the biggest of all the enemy within, which also includes many "lawyers"(hence judges) and many in academia.
That's great info that I've never heard before.
Glenn Weyant says
The lying Main Stream Media is the scourge of the earth.
R S says
The msm is the reason 0bama got elected and still roams free. Hide the truth, and spin the lies.
G. Alistar says
Hmm, I think the d moderate media w not into hiding for eight years during Obama's presidency. All that rest and they woke up ready to go with their fake news in Nov 2016
D Simpson says
"Lazy" must be an euphemism, or that is what I want to believe. Because:
The lady wrote this, and it is a brilliant point in her list of intelligent observations.
(JOURNALISTS) ".wrote news articles in the style of opinion pieces and from an omniscient viewpoint as if they were somehow in the mind of Trump. For example, they reported, "Every time FBI Director James B. Comey appeared in public, an ever-watchful President Trump grew increasingly agitated that the topic was the one that he was most desperate to avoid: Russia."
I have seen far too much of this sort of fantasy with talking heads across the spectrum of media. My own philosophy calls the source a 'negative motivation generator.' It's the part of your brain that talks loudest when you hate someone or what they seem to be, to you. You can't think of a positive motivation for what that someone does, you can only give credence to that which casts a negative light.
This woman is not just smart, she's brilliant. And lucky for us, determined.
Your fourth paragraph goes right to the heart of the matter. That negativity will be more pronounced in a spoiled or abused individual. Thank you.
L. Triesch says
Very well stated. Agree!
Antsey says
BINGO !!!! TRUMP 2020 and beyond.. MAGA. Mt. Rushmore awaits.
Rachel Martin says
Kaye Baird says
The Parr that sickens me the most is that people on social media still tout, especially, the Russia collusion lies as fact. MSM in this country should be outlawed. Wht they have done to President Trump is criminal.
Left8ntright says
Absolutely! Well stated! What are the chances of every "mistake" not one of them was in Trump's favor. But all of them damaging? I would say I would have a better shot at winning the lottery with a ticket found on the side of the road. Or Nancy Pelosi coming across in an interview as someone who has a grasp on her sanity and a handle on reality.
ReggieVVDDS says
Alan is spot-on; however, journalists are also lazy. Twitter is real to them. They were brought up to believe that myth.
Hey here's a little light reading for y'all 🙂
Here's the Republican lead Senate Select intelligence report on Russian Active Measures and interference into the 2016 election report. It's almost 1000 pages, so I have not had time to review the ENTIRE thing but it's pretty damning and could make great material for a spy thriller.
I think you'll find the information quite enlightening!!
https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/report_volume5.pdf
Dudley C Lightsey says
Now that is a reporter
Christine Seidler says
This is the most thorough honest reporting I have seen in years. What a great job !!!
Wayne B (rain) says
The link to the book is still wrong, it is missing a : after https
Mickey Walker says
Fully Agree. Trump is making America Great Again and cleaning the Swamp a little at a time.
Bill Wood says
Thanks for a well researched and detailed (but only partial) list of media deliberate misleads. It will bookmarked and kept for later use. I would send a copy to my liberal rag of a newspaper but it would not have a chance in he11 of being published. I notice that the TV ratings are showing FOX to have a commanding lead in cable news viewership. At least most folks will have a fair shot of getting the accurate news but even Fox with their 'fair and accurate' shouting matches contribute to the misinformation at times.
Richard1725 says
Our biased MSM is so far left, when they look to their RIGHT...Karl Marx is standing there!
m.secrest says
Given how extraordinarily ferocious and well-coordinated this attack on the President has been, ever since he took office,it would appear that much more than mere politics is behind all this. One must take account of the huge and powerful multi-national companies who dominate the selection and editing of what news we read. Something the President is saying or doing really must rub them the wrong way. I think I know why & so will everyone else when they connect the dots. Or, as Woodward and Bernstein were famously told, "Follow the money."
SJohnson says
Follow the money, indeed. That is the whole story that no one is telling because all of the MSM is owned by the world's richest individuals. They want a one world government and they were well on their way to getting it until we elected Donald J Trump. They will do and say anything to get back on track to Armageddon.
Great list by Ms Attkisson
we need to contribute to her case as obama was spying on her as a news media.
Tommy says
The real question is, are all of these actually mistakes? I would accept them as honest mistakes if they were also making mistakes in the other direction. This is an orchestrated effort to destroy Trump. It's not just laziness. They are doing it on purpose. All of these "journalists" are no longer being journalists, but are active participants in Democrat/Liberal propaganda campaigns.
Denise Rogers says
They report the fake news, take it back after it is already in the minds of its readers who don't read the retractions/updates; then other media use the fake stories again later, repeating the same lies over again. Most people on the left sadly do not know the truth, they live in the lies, which are not Trumps, but the media.
It is, most certainly, a coordinated effort to destroy not only Trump, personally and professionally, but his whole family. And any association is reason for anyone else to be treated the same. Artists telling him not to play 'their' music, like 'their' music would be anything without the support of millions of Americans of all stripes. Fashion houses and magazines refusing to allow their 'fashions' worn or articles covering the FLOTUS, the graceful and lovely Melania..
As Mad Maxine said "get in their face and let them know they aren't welcome here' (or words to that effect,) far too many publicly un-associated people portray higher and higher levels of vile representations and violent responses. Whoopi and her gang of vipers, too
Even the Puppet Masters of the Internet Universe show a violence against the whole segment of people who actually "get" Trump -- and love him. They defund, block, ban, suspend, and destroy the businesses that are 'judged' to be a Trump supporter, or "conservative.' Kinda like the gang members silencing all competition, in a fatal manner.
The insanity has to stop somehow. I'm very impressed with this reporter. I'd appoint her to Czar of Truth in Publishing, if I were Trump, and let her set up 'sensitivity classes' to explain opinion versus fact to those who want press privileges, protections, and tax status. And ensure the Masters of the Universe understand what 'fake' and 'real' are in the real world.
If we can force every college to have 'diversity,' 'sensitivity,' and 'consent' requirements for students, we can have every journalist be required to pass a basic impartiality "IQ" test. Sorta like the bar exam for lawyers.
This article should be printed out and handed out like candy everywhere.
miike banks says
Really enjoyed this article and hope it continues to be updated as "Obamagate" grows. Many of my friends can be found on the "left" and we often have interesting discussions about politics. Of course, they are quick to drink the liberal kool aid and then regurgitate it as though it is fact. This award-worthy article will give us so a lot more to talk about. Wish President Trump could use his social media skills to send this out to millions of people - I have no social media accounts to speak of. I have texted this to quite a few people though and cannot wait until I begin getting feedback. Would be interesting to create a spreadsheet the demonstrates which of the major news outlets has made the most mistakes here. Anyway, great job Sharyl on the article and heard you on Glenn Beck earlier. You're amazing!!!!!!
Denis J Meyers says
When Obama was in office, he complained bitterly about his negative news coverage. At the time, the reporting was, indeed, 55% negative. Such a shame.
Now that Trump is in office, Barry says nothing about the unbalanced covered. Trump's negative coverage factor is 95% and above depending on the day.
I can't believe these liars are not facing criminal or civil court action.
j tayloe says
Wow!! obviously there's more.... What a guy our Mr. Trump is...a bit wacky and the heart of a lion who unabashedly loves his country and the people in it.
This was a bang up job of reporting. hope it continues and has a wider audience.
Stan Welli says
Great work, Ms. Attkisson! This is truly a mind-boggling list.
Rodney Stanton says
Well done! You clearly spent some time here. Thanks!
Betsy Lynch says
I have watched with great admiration, your steadfastness in the face of oppressive odds.
Thank you for your work. It is a great service to us all. I was a lifelong liberal until I relocated to post retirement teaching here in Florida. My horror at the outcomes of liberal policies continues, and while I would rather not have voted for Trump, I found it was the only available option.
Mark Breza says
Gander and Goose
Why trust your government either !o!
The PolitiFact scorecard
True27 (5%)(27)
Mostly True67 (12%)(67)
Half True87 (15%)(87)
Mostly False124 (22%)(124)
False182 (32%)(182)
Pants on Fire83 (15%)(83)
Ronald L Van Atta says
Do you know the difference between fact and opinion? 74% of Americans don't.
D Bowman says
Notice how every last one of the mistakes is detrimental to Trump? Truly mind boggling indeed.
That's the greatest takeaway to be made from this.. Below is a list I've compiled of all the mistakes the media have made in favor of Trump.
The link to the book from the image is incorrect and leads to a 404 page.
Remove the extra stuff at the very beginning
http://https//www.amazon.com/Smear-Shady-Political-Operatives-Control/dp/0062468170/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Should look like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Smear-Shady-Political-Operatives-Control/dp/0062468170/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Leonard Pailet says
About your item: taking Trump's statements and events out of context
A slightly different take on what they did also included using an interpretation as a paraphrase. This is not technically taking statements out of context; it is a purposeful misreading of words to impute an entirely different meaning to them than Trump intended. A lot of modern literary criticism is based on this -- O the author really meant to say that(thank you, Wolfgang Iser for telling readers that they really are the writer).
As a PhD with an emphasis in classical/Renaissance rhetoric, I did a carefully study of Trump's speeches (viewed) vs. what was written by reporters when I read one report and just happened to see the speech by accident that I could click on. That immediately sent me off to see other speeches and compare them. The two biggest problems were interpretation, not paraphrase, and leaving out whole sections of Trump's argument to link an idea Trump threw out to the audience only to reject in a section that was not mentioned in the report, and to link the rejected section to the conclusion, proving, in their minds, that Trump did not know what he was saying or that he was lying. Trump uses the oral style (not the written style). When you see his speeches, you hear the intonation and see the gestures and facial expression which tell you exactly how serious Trump is about what he is saying. You cannot duplicate this information in print paraphrase.
TerryinBC says
Well writ, and precisely what we (listening to the parrot-media in Canada) have been served, nightly: the worst possible interpretations of his most-clearly-directed-otherwise statements. 'The Ineffectuals', pursuing Trumps demise, show themselves not to be credibly incompetent, in this (somewhat correctable) but perniciously malevolent. It's not even taking sides; it's search and destroy - journalism's dark side.
Will says
A book is in order. I'd buy it.
#30 should read "as though" instead of "although". Great list!
The article mentions "taking Trump's statements and events out of context." I used to watch most of Trump's speeches and other events with him and/or other White House administration officials and almost every time I would see the media misreport or distort what was said in order to make him look bad. Also, they would quite often flat out ignore important events or statements that a normal "free press" society would absolutely find newsworthy and even when they would "cover" the event/statement, they would sometimes focus on a single sentence that they would sometimes take out of context in order to bash Trump's White House. It became crystal clear why Trump calls the media "fake news" after observing this day after day. The propaganda in USA's media is sickening. It's so bad that I've completely and *permanently* shut out certain outlets that I used to give my attention.
It's all about the Left feigning ignorance re his intended message(s), they know what they are doing.
Just like the press went off topic to distract the nation re Bill Clinton's comment "It depends upon what the meaning of the word 'is' is." Neither the Courts or most EVERYDAY AMERICANS were fooled by that foolishness.
Daniel Wall says
I have to admit, when you first hear these stories they set a negative tone in your head and you can't help but feel things are going very wrong for our country. Most people never read or hear about the corrections to the initial article.
Mary Jacobs says
Thank you Ms Attkinsson for these stunning and horrific examples of media bias. I've long suspected the full intent of certain news media outlets is to fully and completely manipulate the truth and obfuscate the facts to gain support for their Leftist agenda. It is NOT incompetence. These stories are reviewed by a minimum of 2 editors, likely more in the large outlets from major cities. They are liberals who never stop acting like the Leftist radicals they actually are. This list is a stunning example of media bias and manipulation. Sad we must work so hard to discover the truth in the reports we read. Thanks again, glad we have someone working hard to expose the manipulators.
DrMichael says
>>Most people never read or hear about the corrections to the initial article.
That's the whole idea behind these moves. Most people believe the lies are indeed true so it works for the perpetrators.
Mark Jordan says
I will bookmark this treasure trove. I wish I could memorize it to fire at command but, alas, my memory isn't that good.
Leonard says
A lot of the mistakes seem deliberate. The agenda will continue because there are no consequences. We need a News Quality Rating system like we have for the financial system... Triple A, Double AA, B etc. or maybe something like the credit score for credit.
DaveGinOly says
If you a flip a coin and it keeps coming up "heads." it should occur to you look at the coin and make sure it's legit. A real coin (with two different sides) wouldn't come up heads every time. Likewise the media wouldn't make only anti-Trump "mistakes"; now and then actual mistakes would be pro-Trump. But this never happens.
Stephen Fairchild says
Even before the election the media mis-quoted Trump: Let's please right this destructive wrong. What Trump actually said was "I plan to ban Muslims from entering this country until the Emigration people get their act together. There was a slight hesitation between the "country" and "until" and the press jumped all over it. Check the video files. His point was that the emigration people were failing to vet applicants.
Stephen Goldstein says
Week or so ago Mike Gallagher has a journalist guest who explained, sure, journalists make mistakes and correct them when the errors are called to their attention.
I say, thanks to Attkission's list, we can see how silly this is. If this was a matter of correcting "honest" mistakes, wouldn't you think that there would be just about as many making the story less critical or less complementary.
In other words, there would be as many times that the correction lowered the crowd size estimate as raising it.
Sadly, I can't recall a single instance of such a correction.
Thanks Sharyl
M.L.Johnson says
With all due respect, Sharyl, I'm calling 'fake news' on your headline. 'Definitive' implies a level of completeness that 50 doesn't cover. Also, doesn't 'mistakes' sound as if they were inadvertent? 'Malicious Lies' would be more accurate.
But the headline is a minor, tongue-in-cheek quibble, this is a great resource. Thanks for it and everything you do.
L.J Barnes, Jr. says
Many of us do not even bother with these (William Randolph Hearst type) sources, (NY Times, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN). It would be great if the Republicans would use your listing to show bias in the media and make this a major campaign issue. The voters who only get their news from the so-called main stream would become educated about fake NEWS and biased OPINION.
So-called journalists have become opinionists (is this a word?) and should be avoided for the sake of our country and (violated) civil rights.
Well done, and keep up the good work.
Alan Brandenburg says
Thank you Ms. Attkisson. You have just confirmed that if it were not for Double Standards, the left would have no standards at all. The sad part is, even though these lies finely come to light, the little Fascists on the left still believe the Fake Part.
Chris Z says
Thanks for keeping it straight - #RealJournalism
Joe Rohde says
Great piece Ms. Attkisson!
Love that you include the links, making refutation impossible.
Could we have one of these on the truth behind tariffs?
Showing the current tariffs between each G7 member and the U.S., with the inception date and financial impact would shed a lot of light on the argument du jour.
Keith McKenzie says
Is Full Measure with Sharyl Attkisson available in Calgary, Alberta?
sattkisson says
For now as far as I know just online anytime at http://www.fullmeasure.news. Thanks
Thomas A Birk says
The truth is all we really want. Hate having to dissect what is and what isn't factual. So for that, I thank you!
Hey Sharyl, got an idea that I think would help everyone better understand spygate: list of all the players involved.
Under each name a brief background of who they are (including past "missteps"), with whom they associate, and why they are news-worthy.
I believe this list could paint a very nice big picture of what's going on.
I also believe it would show just how lop-sided many of the players' interests are aligned with the status quo, and Obama and Hillary sicophants.
Include a "scorecard" of sorts (i.e. Pro- this or that; Anti- this or that)
Steve Depoe says
Great work. Very well done. I see no reason #38 could not have been under Trump as well
Jack Rail says
Wow. Thanks for this list, Ms Atkisson. It's gonna be helpful in proving liberal lies to liberals who don't even try to differentiate.
TomABC says
Great work again ! It is interesting how many of the cited stories were simply fabrications - often by recidivists. It is also interesting to see how old some of these stories are, how long they have been debunked, and that they are still being repeated today - by our "elite" media.
Sharyl, your work is astounding! This article is impressive, and so well documented. I appreciate you so much! ❤
Greg Penglis says
I wrote an article a while back detailing the real quote by Donald Trump, and the total distortion and propaganda of it by the Leftist Media. Sharyl Atkinson I think you'll find this interesting.
https://canadafreepress.com/article/are-you-a-conservative-or-are-you-in-the-liberal-propaganda-bubble
I'd also like to invite you to be a guest on my radio show on 1330 AM WEBY. It's called "Action Radio" because we have our own citizen legislature writing bills. We don't just talk.
Jack Camarda says
Thank you, Sharyl, for keeping these continued attempts by the MSM to promote Trump Fatigue to the low information voter in the forefront of the argument. For my money, you and Judith Miller seem to be the last honest journalists willing to do the legwork, tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may. Just finished, The Smear. I had prided myself on being relatively knowledgeable about such things. Apparently not. In order to escape this barrage of daily drivel, I may have to move to Uruguay, where a dozen eggs is still the equivalent of $.79 USD.
Abu Nudnik says
"30. Nov. 6, 2017:" Worse, CNN's video was in a square format, something I've never seen in a video. The quality was extremely poor, leading me to believe it was purposely shot *again* through a square filter using a zoom lens in a malicious attempt to defame the president. The square frame was used to filter out everything that did not contribute to the defamatory story.
David Jay says
But I'm going to believe the mainstream press next time! Without question.
Ralph Gizzip says
And the media can't understand why POTUS refers to them as "fake news"
As far as I'm concerned they have zero credibility. My initial reaction to a news story is "Bullshit!"
Kathleen Lovin says
This is quite a list! Thank you for putting it all in one place so we can all refer back to it. I do have one question: are number 15 and 41 about the same detainee and secret prison?
Jim Austin says
Media mistakes? I tend to be somewhat less charitable in my evaluations.
Westcoastdeplorable says
Thanks for pointing this out Sharyl and for always being a "truth resource". You're one of a handful and deserve our respect.
Lucian R says
Did you intentionally turn a blind eye to mistakes made by Fox News and other conservative media?
George says
List them.
Thank you Sheryl! You and I both witnessed firsthand the degradation of journalism. (CNN for me) I'm sure you too can probably attest to newsroom moments when the change became clear. Edicts to add "flowery" language and (subjective) adjectives to news copy or edicts to post on social media (valuable time that could have been spent developing sources or digging deeper into a story rather than thinking of clever tweets to lure viewers). Your work on this article is much appreciated. Keep it up!!
wodun says
It is a nice list but far from including all the instances of the media getting it wrong, sometimes intentionally.
Lynne Berl says
Thank you for being a real reporter and for this info.
Greg says
It's interesting that all the "mistakes" are designed to hurt or make Trump look bad. Not one "mistake" in his favor. Coincidence?
Mike Montie says
Thank you Sharyl for correcting the record here, and for the job you do as one of the few "journalists" we have left.
Eskyman says
An excellent list, though hardly "definitive."
You should check out Don Surber's three books on this subject, which are truthful and hilarious, and which I highly recommend:
-Trump the Press: Don Surber's take on how the pundits blew the 2016 Republican race. (2016)
-Trump the Establishment: The Elitists Never Learned in 2016 (2017)
-Fake News Follies of 2017 (2018)
All available on Amazon, or through Don's website: http://donsurber.blogspot.com/
It seems like the MSM is determined to provide material for endless books! I'm also getting your book "The Smear," Sharyl- it'll fit right in!
Thank God for actual investigative reporters, and there are none better than you!
Fantastic Sharyl! Hope this gets out for all the MSM's viewers can see it. Doubt any of them heard the corrections and therefore still take their original stories as fact!
Ace Edwards says
I love Sharyl Attkisson's reporting. Please continue to expose lying rat bastards in the media and Deep State.
JoeV says
The "MMM" Mental Midget Media never lets the truth get in their way. Thank you Sharyl for confirming this and keep up the good work. The liberal media is gradually being taken to their knees! Hooray!
Thanks Sharyl for exposing the "MMM" (Mental Midget Media) for their dastardly reporting. They never let the truth deter them from falsely reporting or exaggerating the news. Keep up the fine work.
empty pockets says
We need about 50 more of Ms Attkisson...just for starters. As always, good job in a class above all the rest.
RedSoloCup says
They aren't called "Fake News" for nothing, that's a fact Jack!
The Diplomad says
Outstanding as usual!
Steve Burnett says
You, Ms. Attkisson, are this Volunteer's favorite Lady Gator!
I can't think of another investigative reporter who is a thorough and precise as you are.
Wow. The NYT - the paper of record - figures prominently. Either they lie outright or they're incompetent. Clearly the tactic is: Just put it out there and worry about the consequences later so long as the initial impact stays in people's minds.
Fred Stevens says
A list like this shows that the media are not making "mistakes." This is to extensive - it is a purposeful effort to deceive us.
Why do liberals hate America?
kemo says
Great Reporting as always from A True Professional. A rare sight in journalism nowadays
Greg Taylor says
What about the claim that Charlie Rose made about Flynn being "flipped?" That was a top-5 media lie in my opinion.
Larry the Cable Car says
If anyone ever wonders why the MSM has a credibility problem these days, this page is a great place to send them
Frank L Ward says
Congratulations on a well written even handed article. I've a feeling that it's only the "tip" of an iceberg.
Sharyl; I've been following your stories (print/TV) since you left CBS. Thanks for good sound journalism!
At the end of the day Trump still a National Embarrassment to any sane person!
GoatOnABoat says
Why stop at 50?
Yez Iamwontoo says
My take away from this excellent summary of false reporting, is the media has a clear conflict of interest when it comes to reporting facts, their desire to get ratings, and a rush to be the first to report the news - apparently without due diligence in many cases.
Apparently the marching orders for the media is to promote their personal views to get their agenda issues highlighted - asking forgiveness afterwards, but knowing they got out the message to persuade others, by hook or by crook.
Isn't it ironic the media are those who focus their reporting on everyone else's failures.
Good job Sheryl Attkisson, it never hurts to reminded the media how they earned the moniker of purveyors of "FAKE NEWS".
Mike Markey says
This proves something that has in fact, been true since the revolutionary war. When it comes to politics and social issues there really is no such thing as "Journalism". There's only advocacy and bias for one party or the other, one person or the other and one position or the other on almost every issue. CNN MSNBC CBS ABC NBC PBS the NYT the WAPO and dozens of other print and digital "news" outlets are 100% in the tank for any Liberal Democrat or any Liberal point of view. On the other side you have Fox, a couple of smaller local newspapers, sometimes the Wall St Journal and Rush Limbaugh. The idea that just plain unbiased Journalism exists is ludicrous and absurd. These 50 examples prove the point. None of the Liberal outlets can even report on a Hurricane aka, a weather event, without injecting Liberal politics into it in the form of climate change theories. I have no doubt that if she cared to spend another hour or two digging MS Attkisson could come up with another 50-100 examples. No real surprises here though.
Jess Sain says
Thank you Sharyl, fabulous reporting. We don't see much real news from the lamestream so thank you for being a reporter that actually knows how to do her job and do it so very well.
Chris Philips says
The media have increaingly made a mockery of the great privilege granted them under the First Amendment. No other country offers the press so much freedom, and as the list above shows, they have thrown it back in our faces.
We the people need to take the country back from those who would give it to a vast federal state to run as simply another department. We are a country of men and women who allow some lawmakers to manage our operations.
We need to take the wheel back and steer ourselves back to self-rule, starting with the media. Note how no one calls them journalists anymore? They're not- they're content providers, scrambling for eyeballls to satisfy advertisers.
Journalism is dead, with the exception of a few brave and principled professionals like Sharyl Attkisson. God bless you, Sharyl. Keep your powder dry.
Richie says
Ms. Attkisson, great job!
One item that I would like to see added to an updated list is how the fake news handled the Nov., 2017 video of President Trump's granddaughter, Arabella Kushner, reading Chinese poetry that Mr. Trump presented to Chinese President Xi Jinpinig. While America's fake news raked Mr. Trump over the coals for what they claimed was cynical opportunistic manipulation of his granddaughter, the Chinese media and public opinion heaped praise and fell head-over-heels in love with Miss Kushner's performance. Chinese web sites lauded the video as bringing the U.S. and China closer together.
Ron Smith says
"Once is an accident. Twice is an unfortunate coincidence. Three times is enemy action."
Fifty times? The conclusion draws itself...
Our biased MSM is so far left, when they look to their RIGHT, Karl Marx is standing there
Ib Snooker says
Missing from the list: Icecreamgate. Only Trump gets two scoops.
DazzRat says
They only make mistakes that harm conservatives or Republicans. Loathsome duplicitous hypocritical propagandists. (Also, water is wet and flows downhill. Sorry for restating the obvious.)
"Who? What? Where? When? How?" is dead.
Now it's "Here's what I think, and I'll skew details in a way that will justify my beliefs!"
What does a modern Journalism Ethics textbook look like?
DrDeuteron says
Every time a reporter or new reader calls President Trump a "reality TV star", they are engaging in Fake News. DJT was highly accomplished (far more than any community organizer) long before he hosted The Apprentice. Would we call Emmitt Smith a "reality TV star" for being on DWTS? No. When the MSM uses that term, it's a smear, as if the likes of a J-Wow or Mike The Situation is running the country.
Earl says
At almost every Trump rally he would challenge the news outlets to swing the cameras around to show the crowd size. They never did it.
Bjorleif Blank says
Reading the links to links in "40. March 8, 2018" I find that the error is not from $4k in taxes to $43 in refund - they also forgot to deduct children and parent, for another $1500 in refund. This has not been corrected in the original story.
Ron Lewis says
Please tell us the real list - the lies they do not say, the most critical omissions, the most deceitful distortions, which issues were framed, and which were elevated for purely political purposes. It's fun to play Freddy Fact-Checker, but if we let the big lies slide while mucking in this minutiae, corruption remains a harmless freak show for Mom and Pop America to download on NetFlix.
While you're at it, Sheryl, investigate whether the increase in dementia cases coincides which the increase in hours spent over a lifetime watching video. And how the very act of making sense out of the flickering images your brain knows is coming from a device, but you have to believe is real people, albeit very tiny, in order to enjoy the activity, essentially opens a subconscious "backdoor" into our brains through which truth and untruth pass equally. Who doesn't want us to know this?
Alas, a person needs a stronger palm than I to slap sense into America.
Joe McDonald says
How do these clowns still have jobs?
stonehillady says
Look, the media just hates Trump because he is not in the Club, and it is known that all the folks in the FBI, the CIA, the DOJ and all the other agencies have being in the bed feeding the media as anonymous sources, because they all expected HRC to win and the treasonist stuff that has been going down for the last 25+ years Trump is going to expose it all. That is what makes everyone's panties all tied up in knots about Trump.
Andy Howe says
There are so many reporters with multiple transgressions that one has to wonder how they manage to keep their job. But then if we depended on most reporters to get their facts straight and not veer off into opinion and conjecture and false narratives, we would have few real reporters left. Oh, wait, we do have few real reporters left. The rest are just mouthpieces.
Howard says
Sharyl's work is incredibly important to our country. She deserves MUCH gratitude for her hard work, dedication and integrity.
Mark T Winkler says
I have taken the liberty of making a comprehensive list of media mistakes that were favorable to President Trump, which I will post here:
John Denney says
For me, the classic is when the President tweeted that the FAKE NEWS media is the enemy of the people, and the FAKE NEWS media immediately proved him correct with headlines like, "Trump says the press is the enemy of the people!"
The FAKE NEWS media seems to be adjective challenged, leaving off, "FAKE NEWS", in this case, and "illegal" when the topic is "illegal immigrants".
Skip Press says
I'd like to post the 50th response to the 50 to say GOD BLESS YOU, SHARYL ATKISSON!
Gerry Kauffeld says
"Our repeat mistakes involve declaring that Trump's claims are 'lies' when they are matters of opinion, or when the truth between conflicting sources is unknowable...."
I'm so pleased to see this reported since I've noticed it frequently and for quite awhile, and I've been quite irritated that it has continued unchallenged, to my knowledge – until now. Thanks, Ms Attkisson.
I believe such reporting results from an intentional policy *not mistakes*, at least for some sources. For example, on the twice hourly ABC radio news summaries, almost every assertion or statement by President Trump is immediately followed by a flat-out refutation by the ABC newscaster (a practice I don't recall during the Obama Presidency). So, an established policy of refutation would preclude portraying Trump's statements as opinions or honestly debatable claims since the newscaster would then be less able to credibly refute them as being false or lies.
Our media isn't as bad a that of the USSR's Pravda or Izvestia which routinely went to ridiculous lengths to report in ways consistent with the party line. The result was almost unanimous distrust, even ridicule, scorn, and contempt by Soviet citizens. It's not good for our media or for any of us that our media seems determined to earn a similar reputation.
I suppose all we can do is point it out, as done by the uncompromising Ms Attkisson and too few others.
doug moore says
AP is suppose to be non-bias and yet most of the articles in the list are AP.
now how can that be?
The NY Times is the feed for nearly all of the content broadcast by the AP. The widespread belief that the AP is an independent unbiased news source is false and they are merely another source of fake news.
Karl Baumgarten says
Thanks for showing who is quick and dirty and who corrected their mistakes. If the media had been this careless (or corrupt) in the past, we wouldn't even be considering this issue because they wouldn't be there. It's left to each of us to decide careless vs corrupt. I've made my choice.
Alexander Hunter says
Having read both your books should be required reading for any remaining so-called journalists out there. Certainly, my thanks for this outstanding list would be redundant, but let me add to it anyway.
Having been a alternative news magazine editor for about 5 years in the independent press during those independent days back in the 1990's I also covered a few very newsworthy items that were smeared and spiked in the press. I would love to tell you the story and how I did get some of it into a local weekly newspaper column I was writing before expanding to a newsletter than a full fledged magazine, which ended in latter 1999. Certainly would appreciate time to talk with someone who has done so much for journalism in the past. I'm working on a book on the Media at this time too. How does someone like me reach someone like you. All information you need would be forthcoming if you contact me, THX. Alex
Sam Kahn says
Guess the 1st Amendment should have added "Freedom of the Press...for the truth only"
Igmar Schatz says
News Media...you have a problem; and at its root it is likely an emotional one, misguiding your keystrokes or producing a cicada-like buzz in your ears..
Wow! I'm glad I saw this because I remember some of these stories but never heard the correction.
I try to keep up but sometimes between my job and other events, I'm MIA for a few days and don't hear or read the news.
Steven Kane says
Disgusting and despicable! We can derive some hope from the fact that the unending and psychotic lying by the media has most likely permanently destroyed the credibility of major news outlets. Few Americans trust or believe these pathological liars any more so, now, they are shooting blanks!
Thank you Sharyl- good list. One suggested addition - the disabled reporter that Trump 'mocked'. That deceitful editing still has people believing that he did so
Seabee201 says
That egg on you face...it's sunny side up for Trump in 2020.
Journaliars - fake news reporting
Steve Walser says
For the first time in my 66 years I fear for our beloved country. That so much of the public can believe so much that is untrue and that is, obviously, engineered by the media to believe these untruths, is frightening evidence of how easily detached from reality a whole society can become. Our media has become the enemy of freedom. and truth.
W. Keith Marbourg says
Great piece. I am wondering, however, if the absence of Fox News on this list should be interpreted to mean Fox News has not made any "mistakes" in its reporting? My question pertains only to hard news reporting, not the opinion talkers. Thanks.
Ron Neal says
This is rooted in the News Industry, not just the informants. It's a question of edits, producers, and dollars. They report as truth and sub with "reportedly" and or "unverified". The FCC is mute and has no teeth. Get rid of the producers and replace them with the independent journalists that are telling the truth. This is no different than April 27, 1773, except that its information now.
Theodore Sumrall says
Sharyl: You have more honor, integrity and courage than 95% of the men in the media. Please keep up the fight. You are admired far more than you realize.
Mike Rios says
It is so glaringly obvious here that it screams at you and, I hope I'm not the only one to notice it, but Fox News, the terror of the leftwing propaganda kool aid drinkers, doesn't appear to have had to retract, fire, suspend or otherwise change a story about the President because they wanted to make him look buffoonish or stupid.
I guess they just stuck to the truth and let the chips fall where they would no matter what the other so called news outlets say or do.
That's a bit refreshing for once.
Yukiko says
This article shows the media to be at best ignorant and lazy, at worst they are criminally negligent.
Only 50??
W Long says
Excellent work Sharyl. Have followed you for years. Amazing how simply being a truth teller can send you so deeply out into uncharted waters. "In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." Thank you for your continued objectivity. No matter how old it gets it will always be refreshing.
KLand says
A few errors over a long period of time could be called mistakes. These and numerous other errors, however, do not qualify as mistakes. These are intentional and amount to a conspiracy to undermine the election of President Trump and violate the voting rights of millions of Americans. In many cases, the statements should be considered criminal fraud. In particular, No. 23, Brian Ross' statement, is at best gross negligence and at worst intentional misrepresentation for the purpose of causing harm. ABC and Brian Ross should have to pay for the losses incurred by investors as a result of the intentional actions of Brian Ross. In fact, every person who published the false statements should have to pay for any losses sustained as a result of their dishonest reporting. There is no privilege for intentional lies intended to cause harm. CNN and the New York Times should be investigated to determine if there are meetings in which reporters are told to "create" dirt to undermine the presidency. Then, if someone like Sharyl discovers the falsehood, "we'll print a correction." Facts are okay; intentional lies are not.
General says
By time the truth is out it is on the last page for corrections, it must be on the front page but no bury it , lie, cheat, steal, anything to destroy him and look credible.
All these media`s belong in the trash magazine sections, anyone who reads not vetting these issues are brain washed and have little credibility belong in the comic section as Twain said;
want the truth read the comic sections...
This is cause for suing defamation, etc. for they lied and knew it....
Robb MAck says
Great list...great work.
We need a list of top slurs against President Trump and compare it to any and all slurs against President Obama.
Somehow Google does not make the slurs against Trump easy to accumulate. Surprise.
Jerry L Scafidel says
Thanks for your hard work. My pet peeve is the chyrons and headlines from CNN and others that nearly always include "falsely" or similar adjectives in ADDITION to "claims," to make clear their opinions of the president. It is not enough to say, "President Trump claims," they will say "President Trump falsely claims..."
Thanks, Sharyl
buzbee says
Thanks for calling out the Fake News !
Sharyl is a REAL reporter !
Carolan La Vallee-Rahman says
Sharyl Attkisson is an outstanding journalist/reporter, the likes of which I had thought were near extinction....
I thank God there are still some honest people in this field as I can no longer tolerate all the lies, propaganda, diversions and histrionics in the media and by politicians like Schumer, Pelosi, Cummings, et al.
Keep up the great work Sharyl, the country needs you!
Mary Flanagan says
Thanks, Ms Attkisson. The above article prompted me to do a Google search of you. . . which led to a couple of excellent TED talks. . . and a truly frightening exposure of Google's partisan influence and the misinformation supplied by Wikipedia. "The Circle" (Dave Eggers) is closing, and we are caught. It is increasingly difficult to research stories when reputable newspapers (NYT) are corrupted and standard online tools are skewed. We 'know' what they want to tell us. I sound paranoid, don't I?
This is superior journalism, Miss Attkisson. Thank you very much for doing all this work. The Gatekeeper Press's cavalier disregard for precision is, I guess, dreary, but thanks anyway; it's best that things be placed in proper focus.
P.J. Stubler says
I will pray for you people. I have also learned one thing; there is nothing that anyone can say to a Trump supporter or someone gathering "facts" to change their minds as to how great he is. I just hope that God has mercy on us for dividing a country and creating hate among Americans. I just hope that God doesn't finally loses faith in us.
Robert Williams says
It is not Trump or his supporters that have "divided this country". It is 100% due to the hatred and intolerance of the Left to accept the results of a legitimate election and being sore losers. Since Trump got elected they've been screaming about "racism", "intolerance", "get in their faces" etc. etc. Yet they are blaming Trump. for the division that THEY THEMSELVES have caused.
David Schwenk says
This is great work..I will enjoy reading the rest later after download...
I know several religious liberals including some family members who would make the claim that the 'conservative' media did the same thing to Pres. Obama.
I would like to see some kind of comparison between Obama and Trump as to how the different media outlets reported on them .. verifiable facts..references ect...please..
Anybody have such a list or know of a web site???
Something I can show the family members that can not be denied.
dgs119 AT psu dot edu
Ritchie Tiemann says
The biggest whopper of all which Sharyl missed: That Trump mocked the disability of a reporter. Jake Tapper repeated this falsehood in a Rolling Stone interview last August, and at a commencement speech he gave at UMass Amherst in May. And I might as well note that Meryl Streep peddled the lie at the Golden Globe Awards in January. The New York Slimes reported the lie without comment. It can be seen frequently in various media still. I guess it will never die.
Sharyl missed the biggest whopper of all: That Trump mocked the disability of a reporter. This one pops up frequently in various media. Jake Tapper peddled it in a Rolling Stone interview last August, and in a commencement speech at UMass Amherst in May. While I'm at it, I might as well mention that Meryl Streep smeared the Trumpster with it at the Golden Globe Awards in January. The New York Slimes reported her remark without comment. The Slimes itself has, of course, repeated the disability fiction several times.
Joseph Parisi says
Here's No. 51, from the 6/21/2018. Check out the correction at the top of this fake news.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-will-stop-prosecuting-parents-who-cross-the-border-illegally-with-children-official-says/2018/06/21/4902b194-7564-11e8-805c-4b67019fcfe4_story.html?utm_term=.17fcf3abc1e1
Here's that 6/21/2018 Washington Post correction I referred to previously. It was atop the article for awhile, but has since been removed.
This story has been updated to clarify how migrant parents will be processed going forward. An earlier version incorrectly stated the Trump administration was suspending prosecutions for parents of migrant children. The senior Customs and Border Protection official quoted below was describing how the agency's operations would change to no longer refer parents of migrant children for prosecution. Decisions whether or not to prosecute are the purview of the Department of Justice.
Priscilla Hochhalter says
Can you please add the time when the mainstream media kept showing an edited video in which they claimed Trump ignored a handicapped child, when the full video clearly showed him greeting the child? Lying through editing. Priceless.
Ray Van Dune says
When anyone comments to me about Trump's "raising" tariffs, I merely ask them whether our current tariffs are higher, lower, or the same as the other side's. They will usually admit they don't know, but often claim it somehow doesn't matter!
So I ask them: if there was one week left in the season, would you take a bet on which of two sports teams will finish the season with the best record, without looking at their current won-lost record? As they look at me with mouth hanging open, I finish them off by pointing out that since the media NEVER compares the CURRENT tariffs, it pretty much tells you the other side's are higher, doesn't it!
C. Martin says
CNN reported that Nancy Sinatra said she was "not happy" about Trump using her song and she said she didn't say that. I notice that she didn't actually say that she was happy for him to use it, just that she wished him well. So maybe she used another phrase other than "not happy." Classic non-denial denial on Sinatra's part and who cares anyway?
Other examples seem trivial.
And if Trump doesn't want misstatements made about his tax returns, he should simply release them as other presidents have. Also it appears that NYT's mistake was corrected when his returns were leaked to MSNBC so MSNBC didn't tank them, right?
As for Trump Tower being bugged, that's been going on for a long time. At least I hope it has. In "Red Mafiya," a book published in 2000, Robert Friedman talks about a Russian gangster named Ivankov, sought by the FBI and finally located in Trump Tower. His "personal phone book included a working number for the Trump Organization's Trump Tower Residence, and a Trump Organization office fax machine."
Let me get this straight....16 years before Trump was elected some Russian who supposedly had a criminal background was found to have a phone number of Trump's real estate / business office?
And this is supposed to be evidence of what exactly?
I'm guessing then that ALL THE OTHER NUMBERS in this guys phone book must have also been with guilty secret Russian operatives, other than just simple phone numbers that most people have in their records for any of a thousand reasons.
You people don't realize how sad it looks when you grasp at such wispy straws in order to support your per-conceived world view and TDS.
Great list! I really hope you add this to it, and include the video:
The lie about the alleged mocking of the disabled man: https://youtu.be/PX9reO3QnUA
The truth about the alleged mocking of the disabled man: https://youtu.be/CsaB3ynIZH4
TCG says
Also, the very fine people on both sides comment.
Kirkland Byars says
July 8, 2018. I just watched a real news show. Your objectivity and research are magnificent.
I've always wanted to do a qualitative/quantitative study on Obama vs Trump on use of "negative" vs. "positive" wording. Any word used over and over negatively, like on The View, vs. positive words, like on any local newscast or Laura Inghram. Also. Body language like guests persuading hosts to "head bob" up and down for the agreeable vs. side to side for negative. I just see this manipulation all the time. Again. Keep up the great work. Do a tour.
Bill M says
No surprise. This is who they are; this is what they do.
Cynthia Taggart says
Beautiful compilation of facts! Thank you.
56 media mistakes? Out of the hundreds of thousands of Trump-related stories over the past year? Excuse me if I'm not blown away.
But the people who WILL be blown away by an article like this will, in turn, completely ignore Trump's daily lies.
So odd.
Yet people like Paul, who claim Trump lies "daily" completely ignored Obama's eight years of endless whoppers, starting with "if you like your doctor you can keep your doctor" ... and btw, people DIED in his scandals! Sooooo odd, indeed ... !
Please provide a list like Sharyl - so odd that you do not. Refuting rhetoric is impossible and pointless.
Ah yes, the "daily lies of Trump" which the Libs are always talking about. Yet they cannot ever mention ONE. Funny that.
(Note: differences of opinions are not "lies", nor is "bloviating" or "boastful exaggeration", which all Trump supporters admit that he often does.).
Alvin Weinerman says
And yet, after all the BS, Trump survived, and still stands with Americans and flag lovers. He does not back off, or kneel. He is the president I have been waiting for and I am glad, that I am passing this on to my children, grandchildren and future generations.
Adam J. P. says
The link for your book is missing the colon after the https.
Without it, browser will redirect to http://www.https.com.
Rich says
What about CNN releasing a Kushner email about the hacked DNC emails purportedly dated two weeks before Wikileaks actually released them, implying Kushner knew about it beforehand? Turns out they didn't look at the date of the email which was over a WEEK AFTER
the emails were release? I didn't see that on the list.
Jim in Idaho says
If you posed these identified 'mistakes' as true and false questions, my guess is that most Americans would answer true to almost all of them
Hi Sharyl,
I think you may have missed the BIGGEST double-whammy fake news about candidate Trump:
WaPo forgetting about its own reporter's story of 9/11, and then joining ALL MSM in falsely accusing Trump of ridiculing the reporter's deformity:
https://www.catholics4trump.com/the-true-story-donald-trump-did-not-mock-a-reporters-disability/
BTW -- remember getting a congratulatory spring flower bouquet (Dogwood ?) at your CBS office during F+F?? Thanks for the Tweet thanks!
Keep up the fantastic work!!
ArtymisFoul says
Well written, but hardly definitive. IMHO you have just exposed anfew flakes in a blizzard. Also worth mentioning is when media pundits post lies ON PURPOSE knowing these will generate many tweets and retractions will generate hardly any. So lies are swallowed by masses never seeing token retractions.
Luther Golden says
Sharyl, you are the best. Thanks for your great reporting.
JohnS says
"The great enemy of truth is very often not the lie--deliberate, contrived and dishonest--but the myth--persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. Too often we hold fast to the cliches of our forebears. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -JFK-
The leftist pravda media enjoys the comfort of existing in their leftist echo chamber. Creating and perpetuating false narratives is how they are attempting to destroy society. "The orange man is bad," that is all people need to know, according to these soulless and diabolical leftist automatons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqqwTgk8ri0
Dick Tombs says
Well put,very well put John S.It is really sad when the media has chosen a political ideology to ally its self with,{very reminiscent of the political "news"of the Bolsheviks} and has gotten away with it for so long,that the line of propaganda and journalism no longer exist.-FOUNDING FATHERS MUST BE ROLLING IN THEIR GRAVES.
Patrick Clancy says
I would suggest it's not a "mistake" when done deliberately.
Suzy Que says
Great work, Ms. Attkisson!
Michael Zufelt says
Excellent research and documentation!
Jack Cross says
You missed Trump erasing Obama Climate Website on inauguration day, when of course it was archived with all of obama's sites. (which they had warned people of for monthe beforehand)
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/01/trump-white-house-deletes-all-mention-of-climate-change
Vicki Harriman says
Excellent article sharyl it's about time someone put an article out that detailed all of the lies about our President.I knew some of the falsehoods.But your article nailed it.Now if the people can just open there eyes and see this president cares about America and the people.
Colin says
Compounding the media bias against Trump is their written bias.
Trump speaks to Americans, not to the political class.
The political class writes in soundbites for the political media, and their scripted work is crafted, pre-approved, processed like Kraft cheese and served up like Big Macs - predictable, conforming and bland.
People do not talk like Obama speaks. People talk and hear speaking like Trump speaks. From the heart, off the cuff.
Take away Obama's teleprompter and he is a bumbling, mumbling fool. Ditto Pelosi, Dubya, Gore - all of them. How on earth any of these fools can be considered eloquent is beyond all but the journalists who read and transcribe (regurgitate) their speeches - for that is what they do.
Mike Manners says
A little late here.
OK, I appreciate Fact Checking because it matters. Most reputable papers WILL publish addendums and clearly state the article affected so the reader can reference.
But I digress. I appreciate your work on this matter, but I have to remind people that Trump has not been caught in 111 gaffs, but over 16,000 verifiable lies. That's a huge gulf. Also, most of the mistakes cited are of very minor matters.
One story that got lost is The '80s Australian casino deal that Trump lost. They could see straight through him. Go ahead, look it up. This happened well before his financial fortunes tanked.
Trump CLEARLY is unfit for office.
I'll be looking to see if this post is approved to see if this site truly is unbiased. I have serious doubts. Gotta take the good with the bad.
RLABruce says
You Leftists see lies where everyone else sees humor and digs at the Left. When you say, "I have a ton of homework," you aren't lying; you are exaggerating to make a point. Yet nearly all of Trump's "lies" can be categorized that way. Some of his "lies" are deliberately said to outrage the Left and get them mad--and it has obviously worked, while the rest of us laugh at you; Leftists have NO sense of humor and can never laugh at themselves.
Speaking of "unbiased", do you really insist that your source that documented Trump's "lies" is "unbiased"? Seriously? Would you care to name your source, or must we accept your word that it is truly "unbiased"? ALL news coverage is biased, some toward the Right but the vast majority is biased in favor of the Left. Why do you think only Leftists have the facts?
Here's some (NOT a ton) homework for you: Watch the news segments on Fox news--NOT the opinion segments of Hannity, Ingraham, Tucker, etc.; those are OPINION segments. Then watch whatever Leftist news sources you consider "reliable". How many opinions are stated as facts? Fox has FAR fewer opinions in its news segments than any of the Leftist sources. Sometimes you may hear something on Fox that you dismiss as "lies" simply because you never even heard it on your Leftist sources. If you find such a story--whether on Fox or your Leftist site--WRITE IT DOWN and research the story. You will usually find that a pro-Trump news item mentioned on Fox isn't mentioned at all by the Left; that doesn't mean it didn't happen, it means the news is censored by the Left.
AlWell says
"Most reputable papers WILL publish addendums and clearly state the article affected so the reader can reference" ???
Accusation on the front page, the disclaimer that the source is unverified is in paragraph 27 on page 19 and any correction written is hidden somewhere few find it.
Teresa Minton says
First of all...Trumps business deals from the 80's....Who cares1 I am sure Bloomberg, Soros, Zuckerberg and a hundred more men in real estate and finance have made bad deals and lost money. I really could care less what Trump did as a business man although I have followed his career since the 80's. Now...name them! Name 20 of Trump's lies! Name 20 lies that make him more unfit for office that that liar Obama. We all know he was born in Kenya. Seriously you come on here and spout your BS. Now back it up. Because this wonderful reporter here...She did! And like her book...there are over 100 of these examples of media fake news. Come on...any of you liberal whack-a-do's that claim Trump has told 17,000 lies start naming them. Oh and 17,000...what a lie!
The main stream media is America's enemy, therefor they are the peoples enemy.
Marijane B Lanwehr says
Wonderful, Sharyl has taken the huge amount of time to get it all down in front of us. Excellent resource for us everyday Trump supporters. Words, here, cannot display my deepest admiration and appreciation.
The list is correct--but they are NOT "media mistakes". These were purposeful lies the media deliberately designed to suppress Trump's election chances and/or to undermine his base.
Kilfincelt says
Sharyl, thank you for the list and your excellent reporting. Whenever I want to the truth about any particular story, I check your website.
Also, I saw the bias of the alphabet networks for myself regarding Trump. I no longer remember the story but I saw it first reported on Fox and Friends. Later that evening I saw the same story reported on NBC. Lester Hold left out half of the story, thus misrepresenting what actually happened.
Walt C says
Well done Miss Attkisson, although the term "mistakes" is being generous at best.
Joseph Durden says
With all of the "fake news' being broadcast in our country and being mixed in with 'real' news, it has become very difficult for most of us to really know what is real and what isn't. It only serves to make us suspicious of it. There is no longer a 'truth' standard available that we as Americans can depend on (not even close). It is so sad. Most of us want the truth, whether we like it or not, we just want the truth. We can no longer find it easily. We need is a good database of 'the news' that we can count on whenever anything noteworthy comes out that will explain what is real or fake about it at the time it happens. It is good to be able to review these news 'events' from the past but keeping up with the current time-line would be awesome. Thank you Ms. Attkisson for you hard work here.
ps. The spell checker used here does not recognize your name as being spelled correctly. 🙂
shawn goertz says
What about the Charlottesville "Fine People" Hoax?
Have you ever been to a protest/rally?
Half the crowd are curious spectators. Half of them don't even know the issues.
Yes, there are fine people there.
André says
Not sure why Charlottesville would not be among the many, considering it was one of the largest and most ridiculously spun stories. Perhaps Sharyl has a reason for excluding it? https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2019/08/06/america_is_drowning_in_the_lefts_lies_about_trump_140950.html
Thee USA's media are the most accomplished practitioners of Soviet-style "dezinformatsiya." We are more than halfway into a Marxist state.
William Baker says
Great job Sharyl!
njlamer says
Proves there is a Deep State, And that the MSM is Guilty of Subversion, Sedition and Treason. As well as the Democrat Party of Criminals. America needs to rid itself of Anti American Influences .At least those with Bad intent and no fear of showing it. BTW, They would do worse to you and your Families without thinking twice.
Sharyl,
I'm convinced you are an Angel.
To stand there with your truthful expose', amidst your peers that absolutely hate these particular truths, is a profile in courage.
You are an example for all of us. I hope young women are paying attention in particular. But all people really. You're an example for all!
Love, and GREAT appreciation,
--Bob
Kenneth Barr says
Great article Ms Sharyl Attkisson, Please write/make a book from this article and I will buy! God Bless
Cleve says
THANKS SHARYL! Please write a book & introduce it on Fox News! ALSO, EXPOSE THE GREATEST BIAS OF THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA IS NEWS THAT THEY DO NOT REPORT! WHY? 'We the people' can not make common sense decisions about issues when the Major Media CENSORS & SILENCES all good deeds &/or results from President Trump's common sense policies that are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! YOU WILL HAVE A MILLION COPY BEST SELLER, AND 'WE THE PEOPLE' WILL CELEBRATE SHARYL ATTKISSON AS 'THE' BRAVE, NON-PARTISAN HEROINE AMERICA NEEDS IN THESE VERY CHALLENGING TIMES!
Belle Veritas says
RIP William Blum: "Late 40s Operation MOCKINGBIRD — The CIA begins recruiting American news organizations and journalists to become spies and disseminators of propaganda. The effort is headed by Frank Wisner, Allan Dulles, Richard Helms and Philip Graham. Graham is publisher of The Washington Post, which becomes a major CIA player. Eventually, the CIA's media assets will include ABC, NBC, CBS, Time, Newsweek, Associated Press, United Press International, Reuters, Hearst Newspapers, Scripps-Howard, Copley News Service and more. By the CIA's own admission, at least 25 organizations and 400 journalists will become CIA assets."
—: "A Timeline of CIA Atrocities" "The following article was initially published in 1997. It is in part based on the work of William Blum. Killing Hope: U.S. Military and CIA Interventions since World War II, 1995 (GR Ed. M. Ch.)"
https://www.globalresearch.ca/a-timeline-of-cia-atrocities/5348804
THEY WERE LIEING FROM THE STARTAND THEY KNEW IT . AND TO COME BACK (LATER )AND SAY I AM SORRY FOR WHAT I SAID. MEANS NOTHING AFTER THE DAMAGE WAS DONE. WHAT IS GRATE ABOUT THIS STORY . IT SHOWS THE NAMES OF THE MASS MEDIA THAT IS OWNED BY BIG MONEY AND THE DEMCORATE. HOW EASY IS THAT. JEST STOP CLINKING ON THERE SITES . AND WHEN MILLIONS OF US DO THAT. THERE STOCKS WILL DROP. AND THEY WILL BE GONE. FOR THEM TO USE THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS FOR THIS KIND OF CRAP. DROPS THE BAR SO LOW. IN TIME NO NEWS WILL BE BELIEVED . AND WHERE WILL BE THEN. AND WITH THE VIRUS GOING ON NOW. TRUST IS MORE IMPORTENT THAN EVERY. AND IT IS NOT THERE ????
Russell Alexander says
Reading these comments: has any of the posters ever met Trump? Ever worked with him? Ever get to know him?
One of my best friends did. He worked for Fred Trump for six years. He saw Donald almost every day, as being at work was the only way Donald got to see his father (my ex-wife also worked for Fred for six months, but left due to the constant sexual harassment. She chose not to pursue legal action.)
So he knows Donald pretty well, the way you would anyone you work closely with for years. To get match his father, who Donald idolized, he was EXTREMELY bigoted, had a very low opinion of women (big surprise for a serial adulterer), absolutely loathed the "common man" as being inferior and only good to make him money, and considered everyone either a sucker or an enemy. And this was how his father taught him. Winning was all that mattered, cheating was ok if it resulted in a win, and using people was just good strategy.
.This isn't a "hit piece" comment. This is simple fact. It's how Donald was raised (by his father, his mother had little influence), it is the philosophy that he has adopted as his own. My friend saw this, almost daily, and spent more time with Donald Trump - on a personal level - than anyone who writes about him. Deny as much as you want, but even back then Trump wasn't a good businessman (as his father frequently pointed out in screaming rages), he wasn't a trustworthy person, and he was raised to believe everyone was to be attacked if they showed any sign of "disloyalty".
That's the kind of man he is. You may like his speeches, you may think he's done a great job, you may feel the press has been unfair (a tradition going back to George Washington), and that he will go down in history as a great president. But, at least, understand what kind of a man he is.
Your comments are simple hearsay, Allow me to define it for you: "information received from other people that one cannot adequately substantiate; rumor." ....Not Fact. They could be Facts but you have not established a single fact. I don't like the way President Trump acts at times and I did not vote for him. However, I am tired of hearing individuals make statements based on rumors and say it is a FACT. Your own comments lead you to believe you have no idea who Donald Trump is. Additionally, your friend worked with him for 6 years? What is that friends name? What is your ex-wife name that was harassed? The #metoo movement would love to chat with her. This type of information could establish your facts. Was this experience based during the late 60's, 70's. 80's, 90's, within the last 20 years? Do you see where I am going? You are grading someones character based on someone else's opinion, based on 6 years of limited contact over a 50 year period. Just saying I have no problem with what you think of Trump but is it not FACT it is opinion based on rumor.
Dana Scully says
I was listening to an interview recently where the man was at one of Trump's hotels in 2016 and he privately went around asking people about him. He said everyone loved Trump and talked about how he is the best boss.
I don't know you. You could very easily be a liar. Anyone can say anything on the internet. So we are just supposed to believe you? And the idea that he is exactly like his father? And life hasn't changed him? Trump is a douche bag I'll give you that, but just because you have negative things to say doesn't mean you are correct and should be immediately believed. Where is the questioning? Where is the critical thinking?
Fox Mulder says
Good questions, Scully. This guy could be an alien posting from orbit for all we know. Also, if Donald is such a virulent racist why hasn't any high profile NYC race-representatives had complaints about him in his very public 35+ year celebrity tenure?
You asked worked with "him"? Trump or his father? I have watched enough documentaries on his family to know 2 things. Fred Trump...yeah you are probably right. Donald Trump? Donny was send to military school before he was even a teenager, where he excelled at everything he did. He will tell you that his father was not a very nice man. All Fred did for him was teach him the construction business. Donny wasn't around very much as an influential child, he was away in school. The man is a perfectionist and a hard worker. Now... 95% of ALL men trash talk! You are ignorant if you think not. Means nothing. Just because Fred didn't think Donny was a good businessman means nothing. Fred wanted Donny to follow in his footsteps and take over the family business. Fred wanted to stay in the poorer burrows but Trump wanted to build in Manhattan and Fred despised him for this. Although Fred did invest in Trump's company and borrowed him seed money which he paid back.If Trump wasn't a good businessman, he wouldn't be where he is today. Yes he was a bit earnest in the 0's with his building and buying. But who files makes billions, files bankruptcy, and then is worth billions again if he is a bad businessman. Look at his children... none of them are derelicks. So Fred's racist, derogatory attitude didn't really rub off on Trump like you wish it had. He took over this country that Obama had ran into the ground, shipped thousands of jobs to other countries and left us a mess. In less that 1 term he helped create more jobs for more people than this county has ever seen. He is the only President that is transparent and keeps "we the people" at heart. He is not in this for money, he don't need it. So you tell me what is his motivation? Unlike the Obamas who were ashamed of this country. Trump is proud to be American! He loves this country. That is why all of us Trumpster's &, Patriots love him and we will all be back at the poll's this November. You lefties can say all you want about our President. We will stay with him and stick with him. Biden doesn't stand a chance and even he doesn't get it. So get used to the fact that there will be 4 more years of Trump. He rebuilt this country once and we will rebuild it again after this Covid-19. Numbers don't lie...Trump has the record and the number that put America back on top (without like Biden says running the world). We don't want to run the world or any other countries. All we care about is America first! Bringing our jobs home. Bringing our pharmaceutical's home. Not being under the thumb nail of any other country being self sufficient and a great nation. All of us Americans. I don't care your religion, your skin color, your culture. If you are a citizen of the USA...We are all one people with Trump leading us to further greatness. KAG!
Frank S says
Why did said person stay on for 6 years?
Dennis Dee says
I will admit Trump certainly can say moronic things at times and is a terrible communicator but the past 3 years have shown our media is very dishonest and their daily attacks on the President are worse than anything the President has done Democrats endless investigations and outright hate are damaging the nation and for that reason I will vote for Trump in November
anyone says
Here's another one Sharyl,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv4TRQ_BQng
(from my favorite Canadian lawyer.)
Mark L says
I see a very good book for you to publish in about five years. When Trump is out of office, all these incidents, plus what deceptions over the next four plus years will be a good source for the lying, and truth bending the media does to discredit a person that doesn't fold under to their never ending attacks. Will Trump be the first of a new style of POTUS that will counter punch against this brand of propagandized news reporting?
allison ats says
Really nice compilation. Thanks for posting. It should become a running historical list.
Your analogy should be corrected to read "arresting a *sober* person for dui, while the officer drives home drunk".
Also, you may want to check your script since "?" are incorrectly placed throughout.
Dom P. says
Sharyl, this is a great list that every American should see. I differ only with the title. These aren't media mistakes - not the vast majority of them. They're done with a purpose. Correctly titled it would be: "Media Calumny aimed at Trump: The Definitive List"
Ted says
What a prodigious effort. It's very depressing, but thank you.
Charlie Tyrrell says
Dear Sheryl,
Bought and read "the Smear." Who else but you would put together such a true list. I forwarded it to two avowed lefties who think I'm wicked out. Need to keep up their thinking. Keep up the great work.
Maybe nobody else is doing it
clayusmcret says
Sharyl, you remind me of Judicial Watch; doing the heavy lifting that the DNC-owned mainstream media won't do or actively work against revealing.
R. L.Hails Sr. P. E. (Ret.) says
A decade from now, if our nation survives, the COVID disaster will be a bitter memory but the corruption within the top strata of executives within the federal government will be both a bitter and sweet historical fact, We will know who went to the penitentiary for committing felonies, then used the cover of classified information to hide the truth from the American people. Many major news organizations will be exposed as both inept and untrustworthy. They knowingly withheld the truth and/or corrupted it. They will go out of business. When no one believes you, work in journalism is impossible.
As has happened many times in American history, a very few, with integrity, intelligence and pure guts worked and suffered to make this future certainty a reality. Had HIllary been elected, none of these truths would have seen the light of day.
To her many emmies on her mantel, Ms. Attkisson should squeeze in one more honor, the gratitude of her fellow citizens for being one of the most important journalists in US history. With others, she led the way.
I heard, by a Psychic that it in 10 years it will be back..hope they find a cure for it
Karen Waterbury says
This is quite a list! Unfortunately, it does not do justice to the daily barrage of untruths and half-truths that bombard the world related to Donald J Trump and the Trump Administration. Not even close, imho from what I see. The left-leading 'sidelines' like Vox, Salon, and others like them are influencing half of the public daily - WITHOUT RETRACTION. In fact, they build on their treasure trove of lies and propaganda, still citing Russia Collusion narratives! When will those publications be 'debunked'?
Don Parker says
The only things missing from this article are the thousands of reports that have anything to do with Trump, issued on a 24/7 basis by nearly all the media since 2016. If they are not out right lies, then they are adroitly worded pieces designed to put this administration in the least unflattering position, or at the worse, leave the viewer/reader/listener with the nagging notion that we are being lead by an incompetent Bozo. I for one am sick and damned tired of the crap that passes for news these days. None of you can be trusted!
PS ... and the Right wing media are as guilty as the Left.
Doug Lobdell says
I'll give you that that could be true. However, I don't see anyone in the leftmedia compiling a list of even 10 misstatements by the right wing news. I'll wait patiently. Great opportunity, let's see if they try.
I'm sure the mainstream media would never lie to us. It must be incompetence.
I'm sure the mainstream media is competent, so all of these misstatements must be lies.
Gotta be one or the other,
Don Warner says
Wow. I am retired now but had a great career as an engineer, manager, project manager, director, VP and business executive. My focus from early on as an engineer often asked by clients to "figure out what went wrong" was to be very careful to consider the source on any information you are considering. One nuanced consideration was the "flavor" or "tone" of the source, and another was the general alignment of the "content" of the source. Both considerations, when applied to this article by Ms Attkisson, cause immediate skepticism about her alleged "independent" journalism. Why? Well for one, the tone is smug and biased from the start - against things critical of Trump, and for another, the content is completely bounded to what conservatives call the "mainstream media" or "liberal press". As far as I could see a quick page through, not once does she mention Fox news, Breitbart, OANN, or other conservative outlets as having made errors. This is simply not accurate, and not independent. Shame on her for claiming as much. I refuse to waste the time chasing down all of her actual claims of errors, although I assume some are probably factually valid, and some are simply slanted interpretations by her.
Bill Cole says
Don Warner, Read the lyrics of Green Day's song "American Idiot." All media has an agenda. Their most important agenda is to make you scared so you will stay tuned while they bombard gullible people with lies or fabricated stories that they do not need to prove. Then their sponsors get to bombard you with commercials to buy their products. The media uses fear because fear sells. They do not have our best interest in mind only to corrupt the minds of those that will believe the hype. If you believe any of the media then you have been duped. Whenever someone in the media spouts something outrageous you should be asking yourself what and where are the facts. Where is the proof? Don't believe it because someone says so and it is repeated by so many other people. Don't be an American Idiot and put your trust in the media. If you let the media control your mind you and many others will jumping off the cliff following their lies. Don't let the fear the media spins
consume you.
Ads says
Thank you for a great well researched list.
The Naked Genius says
The term "mistake" tends to soften the media's intent. Like saying Jeffrey Dahmer 'mistakes' teenager for olive loaf.
HTuttle says
I will now apply the same counting methodology that the MSM used for their "Trump lied 10,000 times" claim!
24 hour cable news : Each incident repeated at least 10 times/hour, 24 hours a day, assume 30 days for each. ...10 x 24 x 30 = 7,200 x 133 established 'lies' = 957,600
4 hour/day network news : Each incident repeated at least 10 times/hour, 4 hours a day, assume 30 days for each. ...10 x 4 x 30 = 1,200 x 133 established 'lies' = 159,600 x 3 major networks = 478,800....
= 1,436,400 times the MSM LIED since Trump was elected.
(NOTE: didn't even count the website incidents....take a guess on that one!)
J T says
The very best breakdown of a Deepstate, globally focused campaign to ruin the best president of our TIME. I only hope that Mr Donald Trump and his family understand and know the whole world is watching and rooting and praying for you all. You have suffered more than most, but your suffering is not isolated, we are all suffering with you and hoping you can continue to break the back of the current system. I am not a US citizen, but admire the efforts put forth by Trump and his family, I only hope that Boris see's, understands and doesnt fail us all in the UK.
For a human being to put themselves in the firing line as Mr Trump and his family has, keeping in mind, they did not need to do this, they understood the system and was very successful working within it.
Being realtively young, facing the end of my time on this planet due to health and a lapse medical system in the UK, I sincerely hope that over time, TRUMP breaks through, my kids and their kids, need a future and not the future that was being crafted for us.
I wish the entire Trump, family and all his true allies in the administration the very best of luck and pray they are successful in guiding humanity in the right or at least better direction.
Delores Smith says
Well done, been following you since your cbs days. Love to see if you were been spied on and unmasked. I know your computers were manipulated. They were trying to shut you down.
Terry N says
In all the great comments on your disclosures article, I find little to no mention of the one action this Administration could take to turn the tide of leftist [i.e. DNC] takeover of the US. The only thing that will reverse and stop it is to immediately implement a requirement for verifiable RealVoterID in all elections that contain any national race on the ballot. That requirement would carry with it the same cure for most state and local offices, as they are usually on the same ballot with national races. That RealVoterID is already slated to be required for air travel, and by most states as their drivers' licenses, as RealID. Adding it to voting is not a large step.
Doing so effectively, and enforcing the stiff criminal penalties for violations by the voter or the election officials, would immediately halt the massive 'illegal alien' voting, and the Chicago-style democrat 'vote early and vote often' corruption, that carried Hilary within touching distance of a win.
The second part of that cure would be to purge all current voter rolls and require re-registration using RealVoterID to keep them 'clean'.
I do not understand why this Administration has not done this. If not done in time for Nov 2020, I believe Trump will lose to a corrupted vote count, no matter what nominee the DNC finally puts up. If that happens, 'you ain't seen nothing yet' in the level of leftist take over, and 'hope and change' and 'transformation of society'. Venezuela, here we [be]come.
Victoria Cipullo says
The Media? Is this who is against our President? Why? Did Obama pay you off? Like he did others...I am so sorry the Media has gone against him...because I noticed if our President likes you..he will do anything for you...I am ashamed of our Media...God help our President health wise.....an election wise....
The only thing that medicine can't be taken if anyone has heart problems....and I didn't take it cause I am told I have palpitations...
William Beverly says
Thank you for doing what you are doing Ms. Atkisson.
One comment is that for some reason, trying to read your page gets interrupted with pop-ups. Would be easier without them.
Can you please tell me what sort of pop ups you saw and what device you used? Thank you
elsa says
I find it very interesting you don't cover the lies that other news stations have pushed forward in order to defend him..... seems extremely one sided here.
I find it very interesting that you didn't read the top of the article that explains that. You can find that everywhere. Why do you want me to repeat something you already know and believe? If I spent all my time reiterating what is already widely reported, that would be a waste of my time. I try to do the opposite.
JungianINTP says
Sharyl:
The terms, "journalism" and "journalist," are too tainted to keep using.
Let's begin writing/saying:
F A C T U A L I S M
F A C T U A L I S T..
Sharyl, you are a F A C T U A L I S T, not a J U M P I N G JACK (( see quote, below )).
Use my terms!
There is an ancient Greek saying, about MESSENGERS:
"The messenger died because he lied.," used as a
warning to those consigned deliver messages here and
What has changed, Sharyl, since the time of former
Chief-of-Staff of the New York Times, who lectured
before the New York Press Club—to toast an
"Independent Press":
"There is no such thing, at this date in the world's history, in America, as an independent press . . . If I allowed my honest opinions to appear in one issue of my paper, before twenty-four hours my occupation would be gone. The business of journalists is to destroy the truth; to lie, outright; to pervert; to vilify; to fawn at the feet of mammon, and sell out his country and his race for his daily bread. You know it and I know it, and what folly is this toasting an independent press? We are the tools and vassals of rich men behind the scenes [[ can you name that Demon, Sharyl? ]]. We are jumping jacks; they pull the strings and we dance. Our talents, our possibilities and our lives are the property of other men. [[ name the NAME, Sharyl ]]. WE ARE INTELLECTUAL PROSTITUTES."
Zeke says
Well said ! It ultimately comes down to the little green note that states "In God we Trust" because we know now you can't trust man.
Time to get on this NYT article about Russian-Taliban bounties. If this is accurate, then why wasn't the House and/or Senate Armed Services Committee briefed about it? Why didn't they release a press release (they do that often). Why didn't the Intelligence Subcommittee make a statement? So many questions about this "bounty" from unnamed sources.
Nat says
I was also thinking that this should have been on this list as well. I am from Russia, and I obviously speak the language. Russian alternative / opposition to the mainstream Putin's propaganda news outlets (that are all online as there's no opposition on the government controlled TV) usually immediately come out with bombshells like that, but I have not found any information on this "bounty" story anywhere in the Russian reliable sources. I also have many questions!
cylophinrx.net says
Thanks for any other great post. The place else may anyone get that type of information in such a perfect way
Peter G says
I love this list.. Great job Sharyl.
Can you start back in 2015?? This totally fake story about candidate Trump ridiculing a reporter's disability was major "news" for weeks and weeks:
http://www.newstandardpress.com/did-trump-mock-that-disability/
Excellent list!
It's interesting how the same news outlets and the same names keep making the same "errors" in their publications over and over again. Those are not mistakes. That is a strategy of intentionally indoctrinating us with their propaganda and the Soviet style brainwashing against this president.
Another point I would include in this list is the claim that Trump told people to drink bleach, which was repeated multiple times on many channels including Fox News.
Trump did not tell American people to drink bleach..
Here's the full transcript of Trump's comments:
"So I asked Bill a question some of you are thinking of if you're into that world, which I find to be pretty interesting. So, supposing we hit the body with a tremendous, whether its ultraviolet or just very powerful light, and I think you said, that hasn't been checked but you're gonna test it. And then I said, supposing it brought the light inside the body, which you can either do either through the skin or some other way, and I think you said you're gonna test that too, sounds interesting. And I then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute, and is there a way you can do something like that by injection inside, or almost a cleaning. Because you see it gets in the lungs, and it does a tremendous number on the lungs. So it'd be interesting to check that. So you're going to have to use medical doctors, but it sounds interesting to me, so we'll see. But the whole concept of the light, the way it goes in one minute, that's pretty powerful."
Well done. It boggles the mind how corrupt MSM is. All we hear is lies and bombshell "reporting".
good reporting,however this story is showing media mistakes but only against trump.By seeing most of the commenters here seems to believe MEDIA vs TRUMP,that narrative is supported by 45 and his base.
Can you do a list to show media mistakes "supporting/defending trump" so that the article would not be biased(not links but your list) ? i guess it would be much longer
As this article shows us the errors of the left wing media,do you have an opinion about conspiracy theories which are many about right wing media,pastors and politicians.
... from someone who consider himself in the center
David, thanks for the comment. I have not found media mistakes that defend Trump that turned out to be wrong. That's pretty shocking that all of the mistakes I've found are against Trump (very telling...) But I may have missed some. If you can find some major media mistakes by news outlets like NYT etc that favored Trump and turned out to be wrong, please send them along. I will include. I don't have general opinions about conspiracy theories except to the extent (which I wrote about in The Smear) that the phrase "conspiracy theory" has been used to controversialize sometimes legitimate or debatable or true points. I trace its roots (to the CIA) in the book The Smear. Also, you must understand, conspiracies in reality are exceedingly common and not controversial at all (until the propaganda campaign to make it seem so). Conspiracy as you know is two or more people getting together in an act of wrongdoing. Bonnie and Clyde was a conspiracy. So is the mob. So is most any crime involving more than one person. So are many murders, robberies, kidnapings. So are cartel activities. Human trafficking. Sex crimes. Cover ups. The Epstein operation. Drug trafficking. White collar fraud. Collusion to drive up pharmaceutical prices. Terrorist activities. 9/11. Yes, some conspiracy theories are untrue (such as Trump Russia collusion) but I would say they are true more commonly than not. Just based on my experience.
Liberty Doc says
Over the years your reporting has made me want to stand and cheer-except when it broke my heart - or pissed me off. Accomplishing this means that you are playing it straight and letting the facts lead the story-the highest compliment a true news reporter can receive. Your fact digging is dogged. Glad I found you again on Parler.
jjchronicles says
Sharyl why is it that the parent companies of these networks, Disney, ATT, Comcast and Viacom, Amazon's Bezos rarely get named by those who identify these "mistakes" that some would call lies?
It seems until the parent's pay a price for the actions of their children, this junk journalism will continue.
momo says
Bravo! Just as scientific journal articles have disclaimers or reveal possible conflicts of interest that could bias the evidence or results presented, so should news articles reveal conflicts of interest of the "journalist" and/or owners and parent company.
Barry Burton says
Of all of the lawyers who watch for cases that they would be willing to pursue for a split of any judgements awarded, this seems a valuable resource for identifying potential slander, liable, defamation (etc) lawsuits.
Rob Gallagher says
This is very well done. Thank you!
DG says
"31. Nov. 6, 2017:
CNN edited a video that made it appear as though Trump impatiently dumped a box of fish food into the water while feeding fish at Japan's palace. The New York Daily News, the Guardian and others wrote stories implying Trump was gauche and impetuous. The full video showed that Trump had simply followed the lead of Japan's Prime Minister. "
It was worse. CNN seems to have shot a video of the full AFP video through a square mask that was moved around to show Trump emptying the container, hide him spoonfeeding the fish, to hide Abe emptying his container and show him spoonfeeding the fish. This was no mere error. It took a lot of work to, in my opinion, maliciously defame the president.
You are a much finer and kinder person than me.
I only read about 1/3 of these because time restraints, while you are correct about Mistakes, I would like to say that some were Lies and others were Malicious Lies and actionable.
If you ever need help in dealing with anyone online, just let me know and I will be there. You have a measure of decorum you must maintain, I can be more flexible.
Thank you for your great writing.
So right-wing media never portrays misinformation as truth.
Please give me a break.
Go Biden.
Please pass along any major media mistakes regarding President Trump made by "right-wing media" and I will add them. Thanks.
Absurdly doctored photos showed up on the Fox News website
One photo Fox published online shows an armed man in front of a smashed store window. Another shows the same man, as if this couldn't get any dumber, in front of a sign saying, "You are now entering Free Cap Hill." Both are doctored — the man was photoshopped into both photos; he was at neither place in the photos.
That sounds like right-wing backing Trump claims.
Chris R Cathcart says
How would you compare this deception (and it is, and it should be condemned) with the biggest hoax of the Trump presidency, the "very fine people" one? In the full context, Trump said that the Nazis should be condemned totally (his words) and yet the 8/15/17 NYT headline (for one) was "Trump Gives White Supremacists an Unequivocal Boost."
I'm just amazed that this isn't among the "mistakes" in Sharyl's list; perhaps it doesn't quite meet the criterion for inclusion?
Patriot says
Pass them along???? I'll wait..........
Here's one with staggering levels of irony proving Trump's point. He tweeted in early 2017 that Fake News (and he names a number of the usual suspects) are enemies of the American people. These very organizations then promoted the narrative that Trump called journalists, reporters, and a free press enemies of the American people.
Aleksandra Thostrup says
Your work is inspiring and a much-needed tonic in these times. I am enjoying a second reading of 'The Smear' in preparation for Slanted.
Fox called out this one, but is it still worthy of a spot on this list?
https://www.foxnews.com/media/msnbc-maddow-obama-immigrant-photos-trump
Tim Lackie Jr. says
I am so glad someone is keeping track. Excellent job!
On fake-news channels CNN and MSNBC last night, it was claimed that Trump refused to condemn white supremacists. This is DIRECTLY contradicted by the exchange between Wallace and Trump. Wallace began to ask his question of Trump whether he would be willing to condemn white supremacists and militia groups, and the first word out of Trump's mouth was "sure," before Wallace proceeded to ask the rest of his question.
This is as stark an example of fake news as you can get, I don't know how it could be more blatantly obvious. It's nothing but gaslighting by utter lowlifes.
Great work. I posted a link to this on FB and they shut it down. Not sure how they break the link but it now leads to a 404 error page. I posted it again. Scoundrels want to suppress the truth. Thanks for what you're doing!
Korey says
Excellent work! I do think there are some that haven't made the list. The one I can think off the top of my head is the story of the bounty on American soldiers from Russia. That has also been debunked.
Maralyn Lenz says
I was disapointed when I got up Sunday morning to watch your show this last Oct. 11, 2020. I looked on here and found all of the corrections of errors from the main media. Thank You. I see you missed one in particular that got me upset. I'm not sure of the date now but it was two to three weeks ago. on CBS, A news person (never seen him before) was interviewing Vice President Mike Pence and I was surprised he actually let our Vice President talk for a whole five uninterrupted minutes. It was at the end of the morning news they went straight from Mike Pence to Gail King. She said, "You do realize that was all lies" and they went off the air. She called Vice President Mike Pence a lier because he was talking about President Trumps successes since he's been in office.
Pamella Lammon says
Thank you for your willingness to continue to speak truth and help us understand how the press in this county is trying desperately to propell us into a place where the "land of the Free" will no longer exist.
We are close. Many people do not seem to understand how dangerously close we are to losing our ability to speak freely, to act in commerce freely, to worship freely, to live in a free society. Keep talking. Hopefully, the general public will wake up soon and push back strongly.
I look forward to the time when journalists find the ethical behavior they have lost and report objectively, rather than try to control the narrative and ultimately the people of the great United States of America.
God Bless you, our brave President, his administration, his family and the people of the United States of America!!
The link to the article about the misleading information about children in cages is dead. Is there another source available? https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2018/05/29/embarrassment-for-new-york-times-as-top-editor-falls-for-old-photo-amid-weekend-misleading-anti-trump-tweets.html
Joseph Kinlin says
Here is another one for you (took a whack at drafting it). Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/10/27/white-house-lists-ending-covid-19-pandemic-as-trump-accomplishment/?fbclid=IwAR2PnGEYZU1FRv6CpyFUe2t8GPlm-rtnEmr_mK9ABDXgnoOl5kg_Z7gByt8#2ffb5eeb1034
147. Wed. Oct. 27, 2020
Forbes', and other outlets, on their election webpage posted an article entitled "White House Lists 'Ending' Covid-19 Pandemic As Trump Accomplishment" Forbes wrote that "In a press release and report released Tuesday touting the Trump Administration's 'Science and Technology Accomplishments from First Term', the White House science office listed ending the pandemic as the top accomplishment."
Forbes misleads, as do the other outlets, as the attached press release, from The White House Science and Technology Policy office, exhibits that the "Ending' Covid-19 Pandemic" is one of several categories of goals, and after each goal mentions specific steps taken to reach those goals.
https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000175-6bc5-d2df-adff-6fdfff5c0000
Dennis Haynes says
Part of the issue may be what is being taught in Journalism Schools. Somehow so-called 'journalists' seem to believe that their right to speak now includes denying the rest of us the same rights by 'fact-checking', 'warning signs on posts' and outright closing off of any pubic forum we are 'allowed' to participate in.. How could this possibly happen? What have they been 'taught'? Even Kronkite, The Most Believable Man in America was an outright left-wing liberal, but kept this to himself. He refused to run for office because he stated that America would never vote for someone with his political views. Now it is who can be the first out with dirt on Conservatives.
Charles Jennings says
These aren't "mistakes". They're intentional remarks to bash the U.S. President.
Doreen Gregoire says
I agree I will never believe another reporter/media again. Shame on you !!!!
www.opt-in-buddy.com says
Excellent blog you have here but I was curious if you knew
of any community forums that cover the same topics talked about in this article?
I'd really like to be a part of group where I can get suggestions from other knowledgeable individuals that
share the same interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know.
Stephen Triesch says
I wonder how many of these errors were pointed out by our stalwart "fact-checkers"?
Otter says
The Republic is dead.
Walter Yarbrough says
Thank you very much. For those of us who are simply interested in knowing the truth, you are a blessing.
Hank Seiter says
All you have to remember is, journalists are simply Democratic operatives with bylines and it all makes sense. These examples aren't simply "mistakes" in most cases BECAUSE THESE "MISTAKES" ALWAYS SEEM TO CUT ONE WAY! It's pretty self-evident. By nature, mistakes are "random" occurrences" but when "mistakes" aren't random but appear to be pointing in one direction, one can automatically determine the actual nature of those "mistakes."
Apparently it's become the job of post-modern journalists to cover stories which are inimical to the left's false narratives with a pillow until they die a silent death in some left-wing journalists' trashcan.
Also, no bigger seditious lies (and four years worth of them, too!) than the Trump-Russia collusion hoax and the Ukrainian impeachment farce which occurred despite informed and honest Americans having the transcript of said conversation in hand. So, intellectually honest Americans, what are you going to believe, you're lying eyes or lying Democrats and media hacks pretending to be "fair" and "objective"?
R. Craigen says
You'd certainly have your hands full if you tried to make this like exhaustive. It's very well done, though, as we have come to expect from you, Sharyl.
I wonder though ... the headline here says "mistakes". How many of these are genuine mistakes, and how many are deliberate falsehoods or somewhere in the no-man's-land of stuff people write to confirm their own beliefs while steadfastly refusing to establish facts or critically examine their own reasoning?
Francisco Castelo Branco says
And the list will continue to grow after leaves the White House
elisa says
Thank you for this extraordinary work...What you read in it is disgusting.
Why is the Charlottesville, "Fine People Hoax" not included in this list?
https://www.scottadamssays.com/2019/04/30/the-fine-people-hoax-funnel/