consider the dossier tying al qaeda to 9/11: it was never released. there remains no real evidence that bin laden orchestrated 9/11. we just believe what they say. and about those weapons of mass destruction....
the error here is thinking that this is unprecedented; it isn't. it's absolutely normal, standard operating procedure for the white house to release false statements without evidence, and expect the press to run with them.
what you need is a little levity, here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0Pt5oGVR50