Lying

I would like to think that our country deserves better, much better, than either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, especially because of the recent lies of both of them regarding lying.

First, Hillary’s classic (at least it should be a widely viewed classic) recent interview with Scott Pelley of CBS:

PELLEY:You know, in ’76, Jimmy Carter famously said, “I will not lie to you.”

CLINTON: Well, I have to tell you I have tried in every way I know how literally from my years as a young lawyer all the way through my time as secretary of state to level with the American people.

PELLEY:You talk about leveling with the American people. Have you always told the truth?

CLINTON:I’ve always tried to. Always. Always.

PELLEY:Some people are gonna call that wiggle room that you just gave yourself.

CLINTON:Well, no, I’ve always tried —

PELLEY:I mean, Jimmy Carter said, “I will never lie to you.”

CLINTON:Well, but, you know, you’re asking me to say, “Have I ever?” I don’t believe I ever have. I don’t believe I ever have. I don’t believe I ever will. I’m gonna do the best I can to level with the American people.

Or, given what I’ve often described (such as here, here, here, and here) as the “denial style” of both Clintons, “there is no evidence that I have lied or will lie.”

And speaking of lying, in the February 13 Republican debate in South Carolina Trump accused President George W. Bush of consciously lying us into war in Iraq. “They lied. They said there were weapons of mass destruction. There were none, and they knew there were none.” (Emphasis added)

Now, it’s possible Trump himself was lying when he said that, for several days later he said in a CNN town hall moderated by Anderson Cooper that “A lot of people agree with what I said. I’m not talking about lying, I’m not talking about not lying. Nobody really knows why we went into Iraq.”

Cooper:  … Do you believe [Bush] lied?

Trump: Whether he lied or not, it was a horrible decision ….

Cooper: So was it a mistake for you to say in that debate you thought he lied?

Trump: I’d have to see the exact words. I’d have to say something was going on. I don’t know why he went in….

Cooper: You would not say again that George W. Bush lied?

Trump: I don’t know. I can’t tell you. I’d have to look at documents.

The day after that Trump said in an NBC interview that Bush “could have lied. Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t. I guess you’d have to ask him.”

Trump’s devoted followers are said to like him because he fearlessly says what’s on his mind and tells it like it is.

Perhaps the scariest things about both candidates is that in one sense they are telling the truth. Maybe Hillary really is trying as hard as she can to tell the truth (with her whole career a telling testament to how far short her best efforts fall); maybe Trump really does say whatever’s on his mind … again and again and again, with no filter between his many extreme but inconsistent opinions from day to day and his mouth.

Say What?