WaPo fact-checker notes there's now 'serious new reporting' on previously debunked Trump claim of Wuhan lab leak

Many in the media rated statements from Trump (and others) that the coronavirus could have originated in a Chinese lab as “debunked conspiracy theories,” until reality kicked in and made it clear that might not be entirely false.

The Washington Post’s fact checker Glenn Kessler made note of this fresh reality this way:

The media called the ‘lab leak’ story a ‘conspiracy theory.’ Now it’s prompted corrections — and serious new reporting. https://t.co/iqFXpDs6Yg

— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) June 10, 2021

“The media” being people like fact-checkers at the Washington Post.

The “serious new reporting” from the media needs to be compared to their serious old reporting about the same topic:

https://twitter.com/Kaitain_US/status/1403118467578953732

Note the sleight of hand here. Only the reporting now is "serious" by reporters who dismissed the theory to spite the orange man, not all the great reporting that happened originally that turned out to be right. The media are filled with egomaniacs. https://t.co/t8i5t1xR47

— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) June 10, 2021

“Serious new reporting” is a fun way to say the “fact-checkers” jumped the gun just because the claim in question came from the mean tweets president.

“Serious” now. Now that the election is over and you installed your Depends-wearing, tapioca-eating Democrat “president”.

You’ve blown your credibility. Just forget it.

— #BeThisGuy (@corrcomm) June 10, 2021

https://twitter.com/RealHorse88/status/1403097660790382592

Weird how that seems to work, right?

https://twitter.com/burnout1850/status/1403061853069221892

For the record YOU said it was false multiple times and you still have it described that way in your Trump database.

Will you correct it or stealth edit it like you usually do? https://t.co/UrlkTfg7tt

— PolitiFact Bias (@PolitiFactBias) June 10, 2021

Makes you wonder how often the media was wrong when they used words like "baseless", or "debunked". https://t.co/8wkoThQQPG

— No One of Significance (@Opined_Mind) June 10, 2021

https://twitter.com/DitchDoctor6/status/1403056685925683205

Don't separate yourself from the media. YOU called it a conspiracy theory.

— 'Dipo (@Ayomitidipo) June 10, 2021

The “fact-checkers” who called it a debunked conspiracy theory hope nobody remembers that fact.