That was then: Donald Trump is a tool of Russia, our mortal enemy. (As of when? Some time after 2012, when the 1980s wanted their foreign policy back.) Trump had business dealings in Russia, has spoken favorably of Vladimir Putin, the Russian regime wanted him elected president, his policies are pro-Russia, his aides probably colluded with Russian spies to steal the election by breaking into Debbie Wasserman-Schultz’s email account (or something).

This is now: Syria Strike Puts U.S. Relationship With Russia at Risk.

Some people view this as a head-snapping inconsistency, but that isn’t really right. The Times is perfectly consistent. It has a fixed star: it skews its reporting to shore up the Democratic Party’s talking points of the day, whatever they might be. Once you understand that, it all makes sense.