I've been trying to figure it out. Is the WaPo stupid or cunningly smart? More below.
Let's say that you were the editor of a newspaper in Washington that depends on access to insiders. Let's say those insiders were pushing you very hard to parrot their points of view - or lose access.
Let's also say that telling your reporters what to report and what spin to use is impractical - as they all have their own ideas and you can count on some backlash.
Let's say in addition that you don't really want to be dependent on insiders, and have to figure out some way to sabotage what they are doing without actually appearing to sabotage it.
You know what I'd do? I'd find out what my reporters were reporting on, find an article that is not flattering to their point of view, and then write editorials that parrot nothing but their point of view. I'd be a good little editor, but my own articles would contradict me, in actuality making the administration's views seem even more stupid by contrast.
Maybe we're witnessing toadying, or stupidity. But it doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility that we're witnessing a very cunning manipulation of the administration by the WaPo - damning them with their own words.
Worth a thought, anyway.