Media Matters had always packaged itself differently than the right’s Media Research Center and Accuracy in Media. It said it was looking for misinformation, not bias. But in 2009, there was a sense that the left was getting rolled and ambushed. (The forced White House departure of Van Jones in September 2009 was seen as the last straw.) Conservatives had always claimed that Media Matters was an attack-dog group, not an accuracy group—so it became an attack group. Conservatives claimed that the group was funded by George Soros when it wasn’t, so in October 2010 it accepted $1 million from Soros, who asked that Media Matters “hold Fox News accountable.” Slowly, Media Matters became what the right claimed it had always been. It was like watching Bruce Banner get picked on until his eyes turned green and he started smashing things.

That’s a really bad metaphor, Dave. If there’s one thing that I know a lot about, it’s the Hulk.

Here’s the thing about Bruce Banner: Once those gamma rays hit, the Hulk was always inside the mild-mannered scientist. By using the above analogy, Weigel is telling us is that Media Matters was always just one perceived slight away from turning into the anti-Fox crusading monster that it is now openly admitting it has become.

Fortunately for Media Matters targets, the organization’s ability to smash is more like its ability to, oh, thump. Or maybe launch a noogie-level attack. Media Matters smash? Shyeah. Not likely.

It’s so bad it’s good.

Meryl want.