Close enough. That’s the assessment from MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle in regard to the new book featuring incendiary quotes from ex-White House official Steve Bannon. Ruhle, like other liberal journalists, suddenly is fascinated with Bannon. She enthused on Thursday, “He was one of the most senior people in the White House, a close adviser to the President, and this book takes us inside.”

Regarding the accuracy or truthfulness, Ruhle didn’t seem too concerned: “I've spoken to people inside the White House in the last 24 hours who have said, ‘Even if not all of it is true, the spirit of the book is and it's troublesome.’” Who are these “people” And how much untruth is too much for the journalist?

Later in the day, Ruhle reiterated her sloppy definition of what news is: “Over 200 interviews conducted. A lot might not be true in the book. But, boy, even if some of it is, it’s a wow.”

Perhaps it’s the mocking content, true or not, that the host loves. She quoted from a section deriding the “semi-literate,” ignorant Trump:

In one passage, author Michael Wolff writes, quote, “Trump didn't read. He didn't really even skim. If it was print, it might as well not exist. Some believe that for all practical purposes, he was no more than semi-literate. Others concluded that he didn't read because he didn't have to, and that in fact this was one of his key attributes as a populist. He was post-literate, total television.”

In December, Ruhle insisted that it’s not an “opinion” to say that Trump is a “bully.”

On the networks, Wednesday, ABC and NBC went from slamming Bannon to praising him and his turn against Trump.

Ruhle’s tone is reminiscent of the 2004 scandal involving Dan Rather using phony documents against George W. Bush. Fake but accurate!

A partial transcript is below: