But Trump had stumbled onto a remarkably effective tool: countering broad analysis and data with isolated anecdotes. Trump gave very little to charity before running for president but cites a grudging donation last year as evidence of his generosity. Much of this anecdotal rebutting is done by Trump aides rather that Trump himself. Presidential adviser Kellyanne Conway went on TV on Monday morning to explicitly state that her job wasn’t “having evidence.” Which it isn’t, in the Trump White House. CNN’s Trump advocates talk nearly as much about what president Barack Obama did as what Trump is doing.

Source: Washington Post March 13, 2017 18:14 UTC