from your quote: "Finally, Cole’s politics may have played a role, though a less important one than the other two factors, said the source."
I admit that there was a touch of hyperbole in my subject, as an attention-grabber. I realize that is an alien concept to you, and you would never partake of it yourself.
1) As the quote you quote admits: politics may have been a factor.
2) There are numerous citations in the piece of conservatives lobbying to keep Cole out. We can dispute whether these had any effect, of course. But whether or not they did have an effect, would you accept similar liberal attempts to keep a conservative out, without getting red in the face about it?