Paul Ryan has remained consistent. His statements are often lies, and when his talk turns to statistics and numbers and the financial facts faced by everyday Americans, his lies expand past the realm of "damned lies" into Mark Twain's third category of exotic deception.

One of the most lauded speeches at the Democratic convention was given by Bill Clinton, and the bulk of it found the former president debunking the assertions made by Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan and others at the Republican convention. It's no wonder then that the undecided voters in key swing states who will determine the winner in November are not ready to trust Romney and Ryan enough to buy into a policy that doesn't help them initially, but only will based on the promises of those who would benefit immediately. They don't trust Romney and Ryan to deliver. Throw in the GOP's shift to the extreme right on social issues, which is scaring away some women voters, and the president's ability to hold a lead in the polls despite the economic conditions starts to make clear sense.

The Republicans have raised the bar very high for the Democrats when they meet in Charlotte. It will be difficult for Democrats to supply a more rousing defense of their own party's programs than the one Republicans just gave them in Tampa.

When it comes to politics, DC reporters are much more likely to write about what someone said about what is happening than what is actually happening.