I've been trying to figure out why the establishment press is so anxious to defend Fox News Channel, considering how Fox News Channel is dedicated to bludgeoning them as being "liberal" and "in the tank" for the president. After all, they didn't go after the Bushies when New York Times reporters were kicked off Air Force One or when Helen Thomas was booted to the back of the press room. Why defend Fox News Channel?
The best conclusion I can reach is that by defending Fox News Channel, they're attempting to further dispel the false perception of a liberal bias. It's the same reason they self-consciously overcompensate on other aspects of the news -- lopsided panels, repeating wingnut conspiracy theories and so forth.
So they're willing to defend a network that hates them for the sake of seeming not liberal. In other words, they'll defend wingnut conservatism in order to distance themselves from liberalism.
And people still think there's a liberal bias?