Mockery is sometimes more stinging and effective than open hostility in politics. It seems that this might also be the case in political media. After years of brushing off outright criticism of its leftwing bias, CNN seems at least briefly to have been stung into remedial action because it is the object of open mockery.

Anchor Kaitlan Collins appeared on CBS’s The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Aug 12. Four minutes into his interview, Colbert offered her and her employer a gratuitous compliment, saying, “I know you guys are objective over there, that you just report the news as it is.”