I'm sceptical that the population that was "tricked" back then wouldn't be just as easily swayed nowadays. Political affiliation is largely an emotional matter to a great mass of people, and rationality has a limited role in it.
>Sorry but there was enormous international pushback against it
Sure, there was domestic pushback too, but the "trusted" news sources actually countered that pushback by not questioning the government line and bolstered the whole WMD fear mongering. The NYT actually apologized for it after the fact to try to save their reputation.
The NYT, et al also refused to publish the Snowden revelations until they absolutely had to (after the guardian pushed it). Same with the Clinton/Lewinsky thing. They refused to report on the Hunter Biden laptop either, which, like it or not, is "fit to print." There were also quite a few anti-Assange articles if I recall.
I'm sceptical that the population that was "tricked" back then wouldn't be just as easily swayed nowadays. Political affiliation is largely an emotional matter to a great mass of people, and rationality has a limited role in it.