And Readers Were Provoked
By 
SCENE: An office at 620 8th Avenue in Manhattan
JAMES BENNET takes a sheet of a paper out of the printer and angrily storms into the office of deputy BARI WEISS.
JB: “WHY DIDN’T WE GET THIS?”
BW: “Sir, I…”
JB: “The idea that Scott Pruitt is saving the environment by refusing to enforce environmental regulations is exactly the kind of bold, provocative argument we need to challenge the assumptions of our readers in their decadent coastal enclaves. It’s a real game-changer that will throw the conventional wisdom under the bus, on steroids.”
BW: “Don’t worry, Bret assures me he has something in the pipeline. Once again, he will make exactly the same points as this Hill column, but in a smarmier, more passive-aggressive tone that will look better in his Pulitzer nomination file. If anyone complains, say he’s Just Asking Questions and denounce them for their lack of civility.”
JB: “Well…OK. But make sure it’s provocative enough. What are you working on?”
BW: “ANTIFA’s official Twitter account says three students at a small liberal arts college have written an angry letter denouncing the invitation of the CEO of Jukt Micronics to campus, even though he’s a registered Democrat who once expressed support for single payer in a private conversation. This is the greatest threat to academic freedom since our campaign to get Joseph Massad fired failed.”
JB: “Sounds great. Nobody can say we’re not tackling the most important issues.”