That is somewhat of a stretch, but it is a valid point when you want to talk about the details. I still dislike having to clutch it on my 02, but it's not near the problem now with better oils.
Yes, unless a long period of time goes by, the bearings are never "totally" dry, but you don't run an engine without oil pressure even if it has oil on the bearings. It's the same principal, and not a radical amount less load then the mains see under idle with no loading.
After tearing down somewhere under a 1000 engines ranging from lawn mowers to top alcohol motors, then one constant you can see regarding thrust bearings is increased wear from a bad converter in an automatic and as a rule of thumb quite a bit more wear from the loading forces induced by the clutch on a standard.
I'm not saying that it will take 10,000 miles off your motor, merely helping to prove a point for someone that was getting railed on by a bandwagon of misinformation.