So let's get this straight: The fact that there are anonymous donors to groups opposing Senator Chuck Hagel's nomination as secretary of defense is such an outrage, by the Times' lights, that it merits not only a front-page Sunday news article with a headline about "secret donors" but also a snide blog post about "anonymously financed" groups. Yet when it comes to Mr. Hagel himself receiving money from organizations and companies that have secret donors or funding sources — perhaps even foreign governments — the Times does't even run a word about it in the newspaper, even when 26 senators from Mr. Hagel's own Republican Party write a letter expressing concern about the matter, and when, the Washington Free Beacon's Adam Kredo reports, concerns about that issue have delayed a Senate committee vote on Mr. Hagel's confirmation, and may generate a "hold" on the nomination by senators that could block the nomination indefinitely.
In other words, by the Times' double standard, it's newsworthy when secret donors fund advertising against an Obama nominee, but not when they fund the actual nominee. It looks more and more like what the Times has a problem with isn't secret donors, but conservative Republicans. Or that the Times just wants Mr. Hagel confirmed, and is going to do everything possible to smear his opponents while giving Mr. Hagel himself a free ride.