PUBLIC LIESPUBLIC LIES

““In certain circumstances, the In certain circumstances, the government has not only the right, but a government has not only the right, but a positive obligation to lie.”positive obligation to lie.”

– Jody Powell, Jody Powell, – former White House Press Secretaryformer White House Press Secretary

““The political arena is second only to The political arena is second only to warfare as a domain where lies are warfare as a domain where lies are expected, do in fact occur, and to a expected, do in fact occur, and to a substantial extent are tolerated.”substantial extent are tolerated.”

– J.A. BARNESJ.A. BARNES– A PACK OF LIES, A PACK OF LIES, p. 30p. 30

CHARACTERISTICS OF CHARACTERISTICS OF PUBLIC LIESPUBLIC LIES

PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION• MUST BE ADAPTED TO MULTIPLE MUST BE ADAPTED TO MULTIPLE

AUDIENCESAUDIENCES• OFTEN PREPARED STATEMENTS WITH OFTEN PREPARED STATEMENTS WITH

LITTLE OPPORTUNITY FOR LITTLE OPPORTUNITY FOR QUESTIONINGQUESTIONING

• RESPONSIBILITY FOR LIE OFTEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR LIE OFTEN DIFFUSEDDIFFUSED

DETECTIONDETECTION• DETECTION RESPONSIBILITY MAY BE DETECTION RESPONSIBILITY MAY BE

ASSUMED BY MULTIPLE AUDIENCESASSUMED BY MULTIPLE AUDIENCES

CASE STUDIES OF PUBLIC LIESCASE STUDIES OF PUBLIC LIES

OLIVER NORTH & THE IRAN OLIVER NORTH & THE IRAN CONTRA AFFAIRCONTRA AFFAIR

THE WATERGATE SCANDALTHE WATERGATE SCANDAL• PRESIDENT NIXON AND THE COVERUPPRESIDENT NIXON AND THE COVERUP• JOHN DEAN AS THE WHISTLEBLOWERJOHN DEAN AS THE WHISTLEBLOWER

PRESIDENT CARTER & THE PRESIDENT CARTER & THE HOSTAGE RESCUE LIEHOSTAGE RESCUE LIE

PRESIDENT KENNEDY & THE BAY OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY & THE BAY OF PIGSPIGS

PRESIDENT EISENHOWER & THE U-2 PRESIDENT EISENHOWER & THE U-2 INCIDENTINCIDENT

PRESIDENT JOHNSON & THE VIET PRESIDENT JOHNSON & THE VIET NAM WARNAM WAR

THE SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER THE SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER DISASTERDISASTER

JUDGE CLARENCE THOMAS & JUDGE CLARENCE THOMAS & PROFESSOR ANITA HILLPROFESSOR ANITA HILL

PRESIDENT CLINTON AND THE PRESIDENT CLINTON AND THE MONICA LEWINSKY AFFAIRMONICA LEWINSKY AFFAIR

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSIONQUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

ARE GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS ARE GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS OBLIGATED TO INFORM AND SEEK OBLIGATED TO INFORM AND SEEK ADVICE FROM THE AMERICAN PUBLIC ADVICE FROM THE AMERICAN PUBLIC ON ALL ISSUES?ON ALL ISSUES?

ARE THERE THINGS THEY SHOULDN’T ARE THERE THINGS THEY SHOULDN’T OR CAN’T EXPLAIN TO THE AMERICAN OR CAN’T EXPLAIN TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC?PUBLIC?

WHAT CONSTITUTES “NATIONAL WHAT CONSTITUTES “NATIONAL SECURITY?”SECURITY?”

CASE STUDY: WASHINGTON CASE STUDY: WASHINGTON STATE SUPREME COURT STATE SUPREME COURT

DECISION:DECISION:

POLITICAL LYING IS NO CRIMEPOLITICAL LYING IS NO CRIME

State of Washington Ex Rel State of Washington Ex Rel v. 119 Vote No et alv. 119 Vote No et al

June 11, 1998June 11, 1998

LEADERSHIP & LYINGLEADERSHIP & LYING

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSIONQUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

SOME RESEARCHERS BELIEVE SOME RESEARCHERS BELIEVE THAT IT IS NOT UNEXPECTED THAT THAT IT IS NOT UNEXPECTED THAT PEOPLE WHO SPEND THEIR LIVES PEOPLE WHO SPEND THEIR LIVES IN LEADERSHIP ROLES BECOME IN LEADERSHIP ROLES BECOME SKILLED AT LYING BECAUSE IT IS A SKILLED AT LYING BECAUSE IT IS A REQUIREMENT FOR REQUIREMENT FOR OCCUPATIONAL SUCCESS. WHAT OCCUPATIONAL SUCCESS. WHAT DO YOU THINK?DO YOU THINK?

IS LYING BY THOSE IN LEADERSHIP IS LYING BY THOSE IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS A REFLECTION OF POSITIONS A REFLECTION OF THEIR:THEIR:• COMMUNICATION SKILLS ?COMMUNICATION SKILLS ?• THEIR LACK OF ETHICS? THEIR LACK OF ETHICS? • BOTH? BOTH? • IT VARIES?IT VARIES?