His liberalism and attitude was likely well accepted by his peers for a very long time, since they all think that way. It is only the threat of lawsuits and financial liability that you are now seeing consequences.
That's the gospel truth. There are meetings in corner offices of all the media involved in this case in which lawyers are instructing management who has to go right now and who may have to go if more kindling is tossed on this little campfire today.
And down in "legal" in the media offices, lawyers are pouring over videos that are in the public domain to get a grip on the sh!t storm on the horizon.
The chickens are coming home...to roost (to quote the very Revrun Jeremiah Wright).:-)