I worked in DC at the Pentagon for three successive administrations.

In some ways, they were quite different, while in others, they were all completely indistinguishable.

It's hard to see how both of these things can coexist unless one is making an up close observation, absent the personality driven characterizations that one finds in our media.

The media creates much of this "difference" to further whatever agenda that it happens to be pursuing at any given moment.

Much of that is simply curry favor for those interests of whom they're willing to serve.