Our "Liberal" Press

In his article in today's New York Times, "One More 'Moral Value': Fighting Poverty," John Leland characterizes the National Council of Churches as "an association of liberal denominations that represents more than 100,000 congregations." Liberal? Is there any religious organization more mainstream than the National Council of Churches? Why is Mr. Leland ghettoizing it as "liberal"? Mind you, I don't consider liberal a bad word, but I question this "impartial" reporter's characterization, given the hot-button status that word has achieved thanks to Republican slander. Furthermore, why did the Times's headline writer choose to put the words "moral value" in quotations? Is s/he suggesting that fighting poverty is not a legitimate moral stance? Who are these press liberals? I'd like to meet one.