it’s not the choices per se made by organs like The New York Times that delegitimates them, as much as the sense they are triangulating — between their audiences prejudices, risks of blowback from disingenuous operatives, desire to retain access and privilege (and bodily freedom) regardless of the next administration.

that’s all understandable, but quite a different basis for decisionmaking that disinterested evaluations of truth, importance, and the public interest.