This verbal defense tic from journalists started because readers would make dumb complaints like HOW DARE YOU DISPLAY SUCH BIAS AS A JOURNALIST to columnists who had to patiently explain that was their job or assert that beause Maureen Dowd was super liberal that the news side was BIASED.
Now it is just used as a shield from all criticism. Don't fault the NYT because of one columnist!!!
It is all one product with different elements. Gonna fault the appliance company if the milk frother on my espresso machine is bad, also, too.
