Executive Whoppers

RUSH LIMBAUGH accused President Obama of telling the biggest lie ever told by an American president, the most egregious presidential lie of all time. Then, Limbaugh backed off a bit, limiting the field to his own lifetime, admitting that he doesn't know much about what came before. A rare display of unintended humility by El Rushbo. But Rush is right about this. Obama, over and over again, promised Americans that under Obamacare nobody would ever have to lose a health care policy or a doctor that they already had and wanted to keep. By now, anyone not living on Mars understands that this was a big fat lie. But was it the biggest lie ever told by an American president? It may be close, but there is plenty of competition, plenty to choose from. Perhaps the biggest whopper of all was when Andrew Jackson told the Cherokee nation "I am your friend". That was not long before the Trail of Tears. While campaigning for high office, Abraham Lincoln told a crowd in northern Illinois that he was dead set against slavery, then, later the same day, told a crowd in southern Illinois that he had no intention of interfering with slavery. Technically, he was not lying. Another good one was when Gerald Ford told us "our long national nightmare is over," referring to Watetgate. Yeah, sure Jerry. Watergate's over, all right, but not our long "national nightmare". Not by a long shot. Hell, our long national nightmare is just beginning. And lest we forget "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." Rush Limbaugh and the republcians are making much ado about obama's lie, as well they should. So are the folks who are losing their insurance, and their doctors, as indeed they should. But presidents, just like the rest of us, have always lied, and always will. The "biggest one?" Your guess is as good as mine. The best choice for Obama would be to admit he lied, but to claim with an innocent tone of voice that he did so unintentionally, without being fully aware of the situation. Then he should shout, with passion, "we're gonna fix this!" That would indicate incompetence, which isn't as repugnant as blatant dishonesty. We the American people are actually surprisingly forgiving, and we do love a good heartfelt dramatic mea culpa.