Politicians and Lying

 People sometimes excuse egregious behavior by our current President by saying well all politicians lie.

Actually they don't.  A lie requires that you deliberately tell something that is simply not true.  We tend to call things lies that fall into other categories, repeating a statement that is believed to be true at the time, but turns out to be wrong and puffery.

An example of the first was what happened with Benghazi when at first it was believed by some that the protests were inspired by perceive disrespect to the Koran.  This was actually true, but the protests were then used as a cover by a terrorist organization to attack the Embassy.  When certain administration spokespeople said it was the first event when it turned out to be the second, they were accused of lying.  This is a harsh take on it since the desire to address the press is well, pressing, at times like those.  

Inaccurate information is only really a lie when you know it is false.  Providing a narrative that turns out to be wrong because more information is later uncovered is not a lie, it is an inaccuracy.

Take some of the current administrations falsehoods.  If the President believes that the doctor who believes in demons is actually correct, repeating her theories, while silly, are not lies.  It reveals why he is completely unqualified to be President because his judgement is terrible, but repeating something you think is true is not a lie.  

When he said, although he now denies it, that Mexico would pay for the wall, he knew they wouldn't and it was simply a lie.  It is hard to determine the difference sometimes, but when he denies doing something that he clearly did on camera he is either lying or suffering from dementia.

Puffery is when you emphasize good qualities in order to sell an idea or an object.  For example when the President says his health plan will be better, cheaper and more inclusive than what we have, it is Puffery, especially since he doesn't even have one.

The way he described his big beautiful wall was puffery which is a type of lie but one which is understood.  It falls closer to exaggeration than lying but that is really in the eye of the beholder.  If someone running for office tells his audience he will eliminate all corruption in Government, it is puffery, they should know that isn't likely or even possible.

So do all politicians lie?  Depends on how strict you want to be.  Do all politician tell deliberate falsehood that they clearly know to be false?  No, most actually don't.