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10/30/2003: "Today’s Bush Appearance Backdrop: I’m a Liar"

Today is a milestone day for me. Today I realized with certainty that our President is a bald-faced liar. Here's how I know. I heard him last night on the news disavowing the Mission Accomplished banner on the USS Lincoln. He not only said that it was the crew of the Lincoln that was behind it, he went out of his way to give the impression that his political operatives had nothing to do with it, saying "I know this was attributed to some ingenious advance man from my staff – they aren’t that ingenious, by the way." I took him at his word on this, despite my earlier assumption that his operatives had everything to do with it, considering their obvious enthusiasm for this kind of photo op backdrop. Then this morning I saw the pictures in USA Today while sitting in the airline club. It showed the backdrop not only for the Lincoln appearance but also one used in an earlier appearance. Both of the backdrop flags folded in exactly the same place. At West Point that would have gotten you thrown out within 24 hours. It wouldn't matter if it was a lie on a trivial matter, as this is, or that his statement could be parsed in a way to be technically true. At West Point the definition of lying includes quibbling, an ostensibly true statement meant to mislead. Bush clearly intended to create the false impression that his political office had nothing to do with the backdrop. The reason they make such a big deal about these things at West Point is because they know that people who lie about little things lie about big things too. The West Point attitude is that liars in positions of high authority can do enormous damage to their organizations, so it is best to weed them out early. Vietnam is what can happen when commanders lie about such things as body counts, even when justified with phrases like "I need to get my men the supplies they need." This principle is no less true for a Commander in Chief. It is likely that he justifies is lying based on philosophical beliefs, for less government or whatever else. He is mistaken in believing that lies can be justified by a high-sounding cause. They're really just rationalizations for personal weakness and cowardice.