How To Tell When Someone Is Lying
Oftentimes, to put an issue or event into perspective, I try to imagine it in the microcosm of my own life. I wonder how successful I would have been if I had responded to questions in the same manner as Scottie McClellan, President Bush's Press Secretary:
"Did you steal cookies from the cookie jar?"
"According to the rules of the house, cookie stealing is wrong. I abide by the rules of the house."
"Then you didn't steal the cookies?"
"As I've said, I respect the rules of the house."
"Yes or no. Did you steal the cookies"?
"I've already answered that. Next question."
Why don't we simply replace the Washington press corps with a team of tough mothers? Scotty McClellan would never get away with stuff like this in Big Momma's house:
Q (Helen Thomas)Are you denying everything that came from the Hill, in terms of torture?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, you're mischaracterizing things. And I'm not going to get into discussions we have --
Q Can you give me a straight answer for once?
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me give it to you, just like the President has. We do not torture. He does not condone torture and he would never --
Q I'm asking about exemptions.
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me respond. And he would never authorize the use of torture. We have an obligation to do all that we can to protect the American people. We are engaged --
Q That's not the answer I'm asking for --
MR. McCLELLAN: It is an answer -- because the American people want to know that we are doing all within our power to prevent terrorist attacks from happening. There are people in this world who want to spread a hateful ideology that is based on killing innocent men, women and children. We saw what they can do on September 11th --
Q He didn't ask for an exemption --
MR. McCLELLAN: -- and we are going to --
Q -- answer that one question. I'm asking, is the administration asking for an exemption?
MR. McCLELLAN: I am answering your question. The President has made it very clear that we are going to do --
Q You're not answering -- yes or no?
Read The Full Thing Here
I suppose it's not technically lying if you never answer the question.
Mom, can you get me a glass of milk to wash down the cookies?
Doh!
"Did you steal cookies from the cookie jar?"
"According to the rules of the house, cookie stealing is wrong. I abide by the rules of the house."
"Then you didn't steal the cookies?"
"As I've said, I respect the rules of the house."
"Yes or no. Did you steal the cookies"?
"I've already answered that. Next question."
Why don't we simply replace the Washington press corps with a team of tough mothers? Scotty McClellan would never get away with stuff like this in Big Momma's house:
Q (Helen Thomas)Are you denying everything that came from the Hill, in terms of torture?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, you're mischaracterizing things. And I'm not going to get into discussions we have --
Q Can you give me a straight answer for once?
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me give it to you, just like the President has. We do not torture. He does not condone torture and he would never --
Q I'm asking about exemptions.
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me respond. And he would never authorize the use of torture. We have an obligation to do all that we can to protect the American people. We are engaged --
Q That's not the answer I'm asking for --
MR. McCLELLAN: It is an answer -- because the American people want to know that we are doing all within our power to prevent terrorist attacks from happening. There are people in this world who want to spread a hateful ideology that is based on killing innocent men, women and children. We saw what they can do on September 11th --
Q He didn't ask for an exemption --
MR. McCLELLAN: -- and we are going to --
Q -- answer that one question. I'm asking, is the administration asking for an exemption?
MR. McCLELLAN: I am answering your question. The President has made it very clear that we are going to do --
Q You're not answering -- yes or no?
Read The Full Thing Here
I suppose it's not technically lying if you never answer the question.
Mom, can you get me a glass of milk to wash down the cookies?
Doh!
