The first of the election season clown conventions is over. The Republicans have concluded their ceremonies in Florida, and anointed this year's version of The Next Guy in Line -- Mitt Romney. And to no one's surprise, the GOP platform is built from the time-honored planks of tax cuts, misogyny, guns, deregulation, xenophobia, nationalism, spending cuts, patriarchy, piety, fear, anger, and deification of the rich and powerful.
But this time around, something strange is in the air. Republicans have a dubious relationship with reality, we all know this -- but depth of this year's GOP mendacity has even drawn the attention of the mainstream news media. Are journalists, at long last, deciding to be reporters instead of stenographers? Will this be the year when they finally decide to call out the liars?