I recognize the tune, but the lyrics have been changed. //

Goldberg’s article — based on anonymous sources — claims that the trip was possible, and the only reason Pres. Trump did not go was because he did not want to go and that he didn’t see any reason why it was necessary for him to visit cemeteries like these. Goldberg claimed he has four sources with first hand knowledge as to the reasons why the trip was scrubbed. But no fewer than four people who were in the room have gone on record stating that the Atlantic Story is false, the only reasons discussed for canceling the visit was the adverse travel conditions. //

The RealClearPolitics average of polls shows that immediately after the GOP Convention, starting on September 2, the race moved from dead heat to a 7% lead for Pres. Bush — 50-43 — as of September 8, the day Rather ran the Texas National Guard story based on phony documents.

The story came under immediate and sustained attack based on its irregularities, and the falsehoods that were quickly exposed. The purpose of the story was to paint Pres. Bush as someone who used political favors to avoid being sent to Vietnam as a fighter pilot. The goal was to juxtapose Bush’s avoidance of combat with Kerry’s service time in which he was “combat wounded” — although that story took a beating as well. //

The Atlantic story has the same purpose and was launched at the same point in time. //

Goldberg played a similar role here — except he’s just one small squeal of a cacophony of press organs lined up to oppose a second Trump term.

But just like Rathergate, the Atlantic Article has fatal flaws that have been exposed and undermine its central thesis. But it also serves as a bit of an inoculation against stories yet to come.

We’ve seen this movie before, and I liked the way it ended the first time. At this point in time, nothing suggests the ending to the 2020 version will be different.