The FBI released today the documents behind the recent discussion of Hillary Clinton’s email server and the decision to not follow up with any charges. And almost immediately, Reuters tossed up the most click-baity headline in click-bait land.
Clinton says could not recall all briefings due to concussion: FBI report
Except … that’s not what the FBI said. It’s not even what their own article says.
Said the report, "Clinton said she received no instructions or direction regarding the preservation or production of records from (the) State (Department) during the transition out of her role as Secretary of State in 2013.
"However, in December of 2012, Clinton suffered a concussion and then around the New Year had a blood clot (in her head). Based on her doctor’s advice, she could only work at State for a few hours a day and could not recall every briefing she received," the report said.
Hillary Clinton didn’t recall any briefings on how to handle email. Hillary Clinton had a concussion in 2012. This does not equal “could not recall all briefings due to concussion.”
The headline isn’t just wrong, it’s a fabrication—one that, like the false AP tweet on the Clinton Foundation—will undoubtedly be spun up into a scandal and feature heavily in Trump’s nightly tirade. It doesn’t just play into the right wing talk of a mystical Clinton illness, it builds it a stadium and brings in cheerleaders. It’s not just wrong. It’s execrable.
And of course, the rest of the reliable Hillary attack media is already on the case. With the New York Times Maggie Haberman rushing up a tweet.
When the first response to her tweet pointed out the obvious …
Haberman admitted that much.
And others tweeted the obvious about Haberman.