What is a "Coal Gaffe"?

At first blush, it looks like another "double standards in politics article" but in my struggle to understand what's wrong with political reporting, this is an excellent article on how backwards it's become.

Rule 1: Things that aren't controversial aren't real. 
Rule 2: Things that are incomplete/false are normal because it satisfies rule 1.
Rule 3: Everyone -- including participants -- should know that this is how it works.