Yup this is a quadrennial exercise around convention time. Their (the media) success in falsly painting the Pubbies as extreamists with the Pat Buchannan speach has only encouraged them.
Most often they use abortion.
Years ago it was race.
Psst, it still is race, e.g. racial quotas, phony BS about more churches will burn, exploiting James Byrd's murder to yap about not passing hate crimes laws, equating conservatives to Nazis, voter disenfranchisement in Florida 2000, etc. This stuff is continuing.
You are absolutely right. I was just limiting my observations to wedge articles directed toward the convention and the platform.