I really don't think this is very weird or new, but maybe I'm young. The truth is that without the "garlic clove", it's highly likely the next response is something along those lines, ie. "But assange has done abc so xyz".

I think it's less about partisianship and more about keeping conversation on topic.

An easy way to not let it devolve into a conversation about how he's an ass is to initially concede that he is.