-
Chapter 2. The Nature of Presidential Lies
- Texas A&M University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
18 : THE CHARACTER FACTOR The Nature of Presidential Lies k It is only the cynic who claims “to speak the truth” at all times and in all places to all men in the same way. . . . He dons the halo of the fanatical devotee of truth who can make no allowance for human weaknesses. — , “What is Meant by ‘Telling the Truth?’” Virtually everybody lies, at least in the conduct of everyday life.1 We say the equivalent of “I’m pleased to meet you” to people we consider our adversaries or enemies. When asked by a casual acquaintance, “how are you?” we say “fine,” even though we may feel rotten for emotional or physical reasons. When a friend has been sick, we may say “you look great,” with the mental reservation “compared to what I had expected.” We also pay compliments of sincere flattery, such as “your new hairdo looks nice,” even if we don’t think so.“The reason that we have etiquette books is that not only does the truth not set you free, it gets you in trouble.”2 These minor lies smooth human relations in important ways.3 But many people engage in lying for more serious and sometimes justifiable purposes. Just as most people lie, so do most presidents. But presidents are in a special position because of the power they wield in the name of the electorate and because of the far-reaching consequences of their actions.They have the power to make life-and-death decisions that affect millions of people throughout the world. Besides the duties of office, they also have a responsibility to fulfill the high expectations the American people have of them; that is, many people see them as role models as well as decision makers. Because of the great power vested in them and the leadership responsibility entrusted to them, we have the right to expect a high level of ethical behavior by the presidents we elect. Telling the truth, particularly with respect to public policy, is an important ethical imperative for presidents.That presidents do not always tell the truth is evident,but that does not mean that all untruths are equally wrong. The Nature of Presidential Lies : 19 The absolutist view against lying was taken by Saint Augustine, who argued that “every lie must be called a sin. . . . Nor are we to suppose that there is any lie that is not a sin,because it is sometimes possible, by telling a lie, to do service to another.”4 He held that regardless of the circumstances or the consequences, lying is strictly prohibited: “[N]o perfect and spiritual man is free to tell a lie to save his transitory life either for himself or for another, since its loss does not kill the soul.”5 Similarly, Immanuel Kant ruled out lies for any reason:“Truthfulness in statements which cannot be avoided is the formal duty of an individual to everyone, however great may be the disadvantage accruing to himself or to another.”6 Anne Frank would not have wanted to be hiding in the home of a philosophical Kantian when the Nazis came knocking at the door. William J. Bennett presents a contemporary form of the absolutist position in The Death of Outrage, in which he argues: “In general, if the president’s word cannot be trusted—an issue of character—voters cannot take seriously his election platform or his campaign promises—an issue of public duty.Words are deconstructed,promises emptied of meaning . Politics is reduced to a mere game. It is all very straightforward: if a man’s word means nothing, it means nothing. It is folly to believe otherwise .”7 The problem, of course, is that it is not a straightforward task to determine the point at which a president’s word “means nothing.” The argument of this book is that all lies are not equivalent and that their seriousness depends on the circumstances, motives, and consequences of the lies. In contrast to the absolutists, most people take a utilitarian perspective and justify lying in certain circumstances. This perspective sees truth telling as an instrumental rather than an ultimate value and admits of the possibility of the justified lie. We might even derive a utilitarian perspective on the truth from Kant’s categorical imperative: “Act only on that maxim whereby thou canst at the same time will that it should become a universal law.” For example, one might wish that any person ought to...