Exactly. If there were a compelling rationale, we would expect NPR to downplay it.

If red hatted wolves were devouring NPR radio hosts, their cries for help wouldn't be sufficient. We would need external verification. Additionally, their editorial support for wolf attacks against opposing partisans would be hypocritical.

> If there were a compelling rationale, [I] would expect NPR to downplay it.

Exactly – Given your editorial stance, I expect that you would expect that, and yet the evidence here shows that you were wrong to: There was no compelling rationale for this action, thus NPR could not have reported one.