If the news media want to know what fake news is, the myriad stories about President Trump’s “evangelical adviser” and her stupid advice about the flu provides the example.

Let’s take just one. Here is the tweet from ABC News:

A Texas-based evangelist with ties to Pres. Donald Trump came under fire when video re-surfaced of her telling followers that they don't need to get a flu shot because "Jesus himself gave us the flu shot." https://t.co/NapAP0SidP pic.twitter.com/Ufmk6GtFVo

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 7, 2018

 

Here is the headline over the story:

Trump adviser says ignore flu shots and ‘inoculate yourself with the word of God’

And here is the important copy:

A Texas-based evangelist with ties to President Donald Trump came under fire this week after video re-surfaced of her telling followers that they don't need to get a flu shot because “Jesus himself gave us the flu shot.”

Gloria Copeland, a member of the president’s faith advisory council, posted the video last Wednesday, but it began to gain traction this week after a number watch groups re-posted it on social-media channels.

And that’s all we get about this “adviser,” “a Texas-based evangelist with ties to Pres. Donald Trump.” It has, of course, all the leftist dog whistles: Texas (a red state), an evangelist (an obvious nutter) and ties to Trump (nutter president is a captive of nutter evangelicals).

Note that the story quickly promotes her from having “ties” to Trump to being an “adviser,” which sounds like someone from whom Trump seeks input on important matters. You know, like his National Security Adviser, someone he talks to every day.

But then we learn the truth, and ABC fesses up. Copeland is a member of the president’s faith advisory council. And what is that? A group of 25 Chrisitian leaders who palaver, occasionally, with the president. Here is a story about their meeting at the White House.

So no, Minister Copeland is not an “adviser” to Trump. And if she is, she’s an “adviser” only the sense that a low-level appointee with an office in the Old Executive Office Building works “at the White House.” Or maybe in the sense that your friend “had dinner with the president” when he went to fundraiser where the president spoke.

Now, Google “trump adviser flu” and see what turns up.

And this is why we don’t trust the media.