Why the preferential treatment for Barkley?

[MARIS61]

Other than the day of his arrest, no news media has mentioned the fact that he bragged he was cruising for a hooker, one he admitted he had been with before.

If it had been a Blazer, even if it had occured 10 years ago, they'd still be finding excuses to mention it on a regular basis.

Barkley has led a sordid, violent, substance-abuse-directed life.

He's spit on a little girl, thrown a guy through a window, hired prostitutes, committed adultery, has been accused of assaulting a woman, and punching a man in the face.

Why the kid gloves?

 

[Minstrel]

Because he's generally been friendly to the media, so the media gives him largely a free pass. While it's perfectly human to treat people you like differently, it's not particularly professional.