Only a complete idiot would think this sort of "jumping to conclusions knowing full well you don't yet have numbers to back them" behavior is anything other tha

Only a complete idiot would think this sort of "jumping to conclusions knowing full well you don't yet have numbers to back them" behavior is anything other than harmful to a) the legitimacy of science as an abstract concept b) the reputations of the people and institutions who practice it. The authors are trying to do the responsible thing here and their boss goes and shits on it by giving the media exactly the kind of sensational sound bytes that they will be happy to regurgitate.