Presidential Lies

Glenn Kessler at the Washington Post asks readers

What are the biggest presidential lies in recent history?

That’s a no-brainer for Andy and me, since recent history includes Eisenhower. We’re still ranting about the U-2 incident,

If Ike would lie to us, anyone would.

Eisenhower later said the lie was his greatest regret as president.

I didn’t realize how high a price we were going to pay for that lie. And if I had to do it all over again, we would have kept our mouths shut.

I feel sorry for Eisenhower and still have warm feelings for him. But he did teach us never to trust what the government tells us.

What about you? What do you think the worst presidential lie was?


 

This entry was posted in Life As a Shared Adventure. Bookmark the permalink.

13 Responses to Presidential Lies

  1. Alan G says:

    Well this one is a ‘no-brainer’ for me….

    http://youtu.be/KiIP_KDQmXs

    “I did not have a sexual relationship with that woman!” (Guess who?)

    • bikehikebabe says:

      I enjoyed that link & one of Monica with Barbara Walters. Must go get breakfast now–darn.

    • Jean says:

      As I recall it depends on how you define sexual relationship. It’s interesting that JFK’s behavior was worse, but he managed to project a classy image, and news reporters at the time gave him a pass.

  2. Rummuser says:

    I should have no opinion because I am not an American but Alan stole my thunder for that was the most incredible thing that the world had ever heard from any statesman.

    In my country, we accept that our leaders lie and cheat and are corrupt besides being thieves and so we cannot rank them for which lie or action is the worst.

  3. Mike says:

    For me, there is no one worst lie. I’m more concerned about habitual dishonesty, selective implementation of legal requirements, the failure to take responsibility, etc., etc. — but don’t get me started.

    • bikehikebabe says:

      YES!

    • Jean says:

      I agree, Mike. I’m especially interested in Obama’s attempt to ignore the law in the interest of getting what he wants done. I suppose he’s getting by with it so far because Congress is so ineffectual. What a mess.

  4. bikehikebabe says:

    About the U-2 incident, in the 1st place Eisenhower didn’t want to fly U-2 pilots over the Soviet Union. He needed to lie to Khrushchev because of the Cold War going on. Read the article on the link. Gotta eat breakfast now.

    • Jean says:

      No, he didn’t have to lie, and once he got caught he realized he should have kept quiet. Powers was supposed to have taken the cyanide capsule, so the lie was supposed to have been safe.

      Ike was trying to defuse the Cold War and was on the verge but his efforts failed when he refused to apologize to the Soviet Union for using the U-2’s to spy. Tensions got worse after that because the incident gave the Kremlin hardliners more power.

      http://www.nps.gov/features/eise/jrranger/5accomp2X.htm

  5. tammyj says:

    well. nixon comes immediately to mind of course. but . . .
    there is just something about all politicians… presidents or otherwise…
    that make me not trust their ‘truths.’
    even if they start out honorable.
    ‘the candidate’ with robert redford is an excellent movie portraying exactly that!

Comments are closed.