I don't know, Mac. The story got a mind of it's own and became (with FOX's help) ingrained in the right wing mind of many, as a legend accepted. We know it is BS and that FOX knew and knows it was BS, but with all the support of the BS story on the sheeple, it became ingrained, like uban miths that keep being reported.
This is why FOX NEWS must be punished with a massive judgement, to deter them or any other media outlet from perpetrating a hoax on the American people for corporate or political benefit. FOX NEWS has admitted, to not being news at all. They ought to take the word NEWS out of the FOX NEWS name and have to post a disclaimer before every broadcast, their talking heads are in no way relating accurate news, as the opinions supported on FOX NEWS are routinely false, not supported by facts and simply a corporate line the talking heads will take for a buck, and can and should be accepted as FAKE NEWS in all cases, not to be confused with reality.