When does a 'pattern of deceit' become a 'pack of lies' -- and when will the media start reporting McCain's 'Truth Problem'?

Steadfastly nonpartisan public affairs organization FactCheck.org (from the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania) keeps track of the truth -- or inaccuracy -- behind public utterances of political candidates, their campaigns, and other operatives and organizations.

A check of the FactCheck home page will show that the final leg of the 2008 Presidential election is now in full swing -- as evidenced by article after article about inaccuracies, spinning, and outright lies by the campaigns, their sympathizers, and others.

First off this morning, you'll find them dealing with inaccuracies and outright untruths about GOP VP candidate Sara Palin in unattributed emails currently circulating. You'll also find an article from Aug 29 suggesting that Democratic candidate Obama "stuck to the facts -- except when he stretched them," a brief compendium of gray area statements by the candidate, in addition to an article chiding Obama for an ad that refers to a position that McCain had subsequently changed his mind about and reversed.


But most of the articles on the front page are devoted to what FactCheck has called a "pattern of deceit" by John McCain and his campaign. (A New Stitch in a Bad Pattern, September 2, 2008)

McCain, his campaign, his adverts, VP candidate, and his operatives have consistently engaged in a pattern of big lie tactics seemingly designed to confuse voters and plant false "facts" in their minds.

FactChecking McCain

GOP Convention Spin, Part II

Maverick Misleads
("A McCain ad comparing Palin to Obama isn't all above board.")

GOP Convention Spin
("Lieberman and Thompson make misleading claims about Obama on Day Two of the party in St. Paul.")

A New Stitch in a Bad Pattern
("A McCain ad wrongly claims Obama plans "painful tax increases" for working families. And who's talking about deficits?")

Context Included: Obama on Iran
("McCain ad cherry-picks Obama remarks on Iran, twisting his meaning.")

Rezko Reality
("McCain misfires as he attacks Obama's home purchase.")


The McCain campaign got a lot of mileage out of their loud and whiney complaints that the media wasn't playing "fair" with them and repeatedly playing the "sexism card" at every turn. (The "sexism card" is one that the McCain campaign feels is one they can play with impunity, since the last thing Obama wants to do is play the corresponding "racism card" -- which his campaign sees as something that alienates many of the very voters he must win over and, of course, reminds "social conservatives" [ahem] that Obama is black.)

But the mainstream media have been largely silent on the subject of McCain's painfully obvious problems with the truth.

Just when does a pattern of deceit become a pack o flies?

And what will it take to get the media to start investigating?