the "Russia" narrative finally begins to collapse

This isn't being reported in the mainstream media, of course, but alt-media are all over this: rightie journalist James O'Keefe secretly recorded a CNN producer basically admitting that his news agency has nothing substantive regarding the supposed collusion between President Trump and Russia, but that CNN's CEO, Jeff Zucker, has told his newshounds to pursue the story all the same. This is a staggering admission of bad faith, consciously and maliciously enacted. The CNN staffer also noted that CNN is going after Trump "because it's ratings."

I got the news first via private email from commenter King Baeksu, who linked to this Project Veritas video showing footage from O'Keefe's recordings. Later on, I saw that Instapundit had linked to the same video.

Styx has two takes on the fake-news matter, here and here.

Stefan Molyneux's take is here. Molyneux explores why other mainstream outlets aren't saying anything, and he conjectures that it's because everyone is frightened to think that O'Keefe, or someone like him, might have dug up similar dirt on other outlets, too. In other words, an organization like the Washington Post isn't in a position to go, "Ha ha, CNN!" because it could be that someone at the Post has been recorded making similar admissions regarding the lack of substance to the Trump-Russia narrative.

Three CNN staffers have resigned in the aftermath of a story—now retracted—pushing the false collusion narrative. As Molyneux notes, if there really had been any substance to this non-scandal, it would already have leaked. The emperor truly has no clothes.

Hilariously, people are now starting to refocus on Democrat associations with Russia, from the Clintons and Obama on down. This has been a hallmark of leftist travails in recent months: the left accuses the right of something, and it turns out that the left was guilty of that something all along. The term projection has been tossed around with increasing frequency.

As Glenn Reynolds taunts: "Want more Trump? 'Cause this is how you get more Trump." I agree. I think the Democrats won't be making any inroads during the midterm elections (look at their zero-for-four record in recent special elections), and if Trump—who will be about 74 when his first term ends—decides to run for a second term, it's quite likely he'll coast to an easy victory unless and until the left gets its house in order and presents the country a platform more thoughtful and articulate than, "We hate Trump!"