One obvious reason that elite journalists publicly fret about ill treatment of poor Sarah Sanders in restaurants is that they identify with her. They could be a press secretary one day! They could be denied service at an expensive restaurant!
But the other is that they can seize onto noncontroversial platitudes like "civility is good." Nobody powerful is going to disagree with that, however they behave themselves in public or private. Poor Sarah Sanders!
Whatever they think privately, they can't publicly get upset about babies being in cages or any other decidedly uncivil policies that this or any administration enacts. That would be taking sides, or partisan, or having an (air quotes) "opinion." Giving a shit, even.
In practice, this means that the powerful can always get away with punching down... especially way way down... but punching up unleashes the civility defense force.
Seems a bit backwards to me, but I'm just an uncivil blogger.
