She is paid to say things that are one-hundred-eighty degrees at opposition to reality.
It is how she makes her living, and it was ever thus.
I used to get upset at her and at Estrich a long time ago. Then someone tipped me off. This is her shtick. It's her job.
The problem for Eleanor is that the news media have taken her job. They no longer need Clift. They have MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, Washington Post, and New York Times doing EXACTLY what she used to make a good living doing.
Pity Clift, do not hold anger.
She's out of a gig.