The current attacks on Matt Lauer are reminiscent of the attacks on Jim Lehrer after the first presidential debate of 2012. There were complaints that Lehrer allowed Romney to dominate the conversation (Obama actually got more speaking time) and whines that Lehrer had not interrupted Romney to point out that whatever Obama had just said was right — and that was cheating.

It isn’t funny. The point of these attacks is to let journalists who are moderating debates know that they risk becoming social outcasts if they do not do everything possible to help the Democrat. It also tends to work because most Washington journalists have left-of-center social networks, so the criticism gets to them in a way that it wouldn’t have if the complaints were on conservative talk radio. Candy Crowley got the message. Maybe Lester Holt will do better at resisting the temptation to play hero for his liberal friends.

On the other hand, it is frustrating listening to Trump tell obvious, spectacular, lies — though my sympathy is attenuated when demands for honesty are coming from the Clintons.