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The fickleness of the public is a factor too. Media have algorithms they monitor, just like social media automates algorithms.

A tipping point arrives unplanned and unannounced and unforeseeable. Add a grain of sand at a time to the top of a pile and at some point there will be a little avalanche. When is not predictable.

The media report stories when they have them. Larger analysis pieces and opinions may be held back for effect, but even those are relatively random. CBS does not call up the LA Times and say "we've got some news but we want to release it at the same time you release some news; got any news?"

So the media reports on Blondi saying she has lists and documents on her desk. Then maga says something. Then tRump says something. Then Blondi says there is no list and there is nothing to see here. None of those reports are coordinated.

But the media does assign reporters to leads and stories according to interest. Now that there is a lot of public interest and social media chatter, you bet they are assigning more reporters to the story.

Nobody flipped a switch.