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Current Events » in reply to You are stretching really hard to call Bush a liar.

Please remember: the President is a politician
Mary Anne — (archived)

...and the leader of a major political party -- no matter which President we're talking about.

Bearing that in mind, everything we know about politicians as a class can be applied to the President.

Speaking as someone who grew up in a family with a fair number of politicians, believe this: a politician, if he's a good one, can say something that is patently false and really believe that it's true when he says it. It's performance art at its most realistic.

The large truth is the agenda. It's the only truth that counts. It's the only objective that matters. And few successful politicians put their agendas in their position papers. Instead, they support objectives that they think will further the overarching purpose of their holding office. That purpose can be personal -- holding power for ego's sake -- or parochial -- enforcing a hegemony on behalf of one's community, culture or economic cohort -- or messianic/revolutionary. But it is never, ever stated overtly, because people want to support someone they think is working for them, not for himself.

So, if you say something that isn't true, but you believe it (today), is it a lie?

This, btw, is one reason why so many good politicians come from law practice. These are the skills of an advocate.

Regards--
Mary Anne

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