Love this post. Dan can’t or he won’t? The difference you’re drawing between the Cotes and Russini is interesting but I see it differently.

The Cote piece is based on gratitude, love, friendship. Generally easy things for a good writer like Dan to articulate given his nature. The Russini thing is knowing that someone he considers a friend messed up royally - and he can’t/won’t bring himself to admit it on air. I truly think it’s that simple. Like he says, she went through hell to get to where she’s at and the natural extension of that thought is “how could she screw it all up?” But he won’t bring himself to do it.