Why do liberals try so hard to put a positive spin on the economic news, to help their guy get a second term?

The only thing useful with double standards is they serve to illustrate hypocrisies. Positive consequences of understanding hypocrisies is that people will become more informed, and better able to sniff them out. It's only wishful thinking that democrats would ever feel guilty or learn from their own mistakes so as not to be the first to throw stones. That will never happen. We can hope that people know their candidates and expect higher standards by learning from the lies the democrats have told us, or anyone for that matter who do not live up to our personal principles.