We saw this highlighted during the insanity of Russiagate, where mainstream
news outlet after mainstream news outlet was caught publishing unevidenced
conspiratorial hogwash that it was often (though not even always) forced to
retract. This was possible because when it comes to implicating Russia the
evidentiary standards for reporting are much lower than they would be for
implicating a government that is held in favor by the U.S.
