When Politico hit the scene they positioned themselves as ostensibly neutral, but politically counterbalancing Air America. They seemed to put effort into actually presenting both sides of a political story when they could - my perspective was they went easy on the Republicans because of course that was my perspective. I think their "leftward drift" since then is more reflective of standing in place while the Republicans shot the rapids. In 2007, Politico could say "Dick Cheney's daughter has a bright future within the Republican Party" and be excoriated by the lefties and accoladed by the 'wingers. In 2023, Politico can say "Dick Cheney's daughter has a bright future within the Republican Party" and get chin-stroking from the lefties while the fascists fling their poop. The fact that the Democrats are more often pleased by Politico than the Republicans has more to do with the Republicans leaving the ground than it does with Politico's lean, I think.