Durham probe: Russiagate isn't Watergate – here are key differences

What the Clinton operatives were pushing the FBI, and later the CIA, to do was political spying. That is indeed scandalous. But the incident brings into sharp relief the flaw in Watergate comparisons.

The FBI’s performance in Russiagate was erratic, at best. At times it veered from malevolent to incompetent. 

But the Times, like the FBI itself, was confident that Hillary Clinton would win comfortably. It was thus time to clear the decks and tone down the "collusion" chatter. Had Clinton prevailed, as everyone was so very sure she would, we’d never have heard another word about "collusion." Having served its purpose, which was always political, the smear would be retired.