I really mean my previous comment! I have a liberal friend who worked at the Miami Herald, and he gleefully said they have doing that at least since Nixon ran for Predident, to make Republicans look bad!
So what your liberal reporter friend told you doesn't surprise me at all.
For better or worse, Republicans like Bob Packwood and Bob Livingston have gone by the wayside for their "mis-steps", while snakes like Bill Clinton continue to be revered and earn a million dollars a speech.
Good guys like Scooter Libby have their lives ruined while scoundrels like Barney Frank and Charlie Rangel thrive.
Rush Limbaugh is an extremist, but Bill Maher is thoughtful.
Caroline Kennedy is U.S. Senate material, but Sarah Palin is in way over her head as a governor or VP candidate.
And when you point out these obvious double-standards to a liberal or "moderate", they look at you like you've got a screw loose and call you "partisan."