I finished (finally) When Presidents Lie, but I must admit I fast-forwarded through much of it, not only because there were a great many details, but also because many of those details were distressing.
The chapter on LBJ was upsetting in that it seems those at the top spent little time thinking about the many American men and women (not to mention the many Vietnamese people) who would die or be forever maimed, mentally and physically, before committing us to a war no one (including the South Vietnamese) seemed to want. Who benefited? Other than companies supplying the war effort, no one, it seems.
The chapter on Reagan was worse, in that not only did we get involved in conflicts that were unnecessary, but our involvement was almost wholly secret (and arguably criminal) and covered up by our government (both executive and legislative branches, apparently).
None of the presidents featured in the book (FDR, JFK, LBJ, Reagan) came off looking very noble, attractive, or even moral. They were all described as pathological liars and they seem in the book to have little feeling for the people who were hurt by their lies.
The point Alterman is ultimately making, however, is not just that the presidents were bad men and talented liars, but that their lies hurt our country and our democracy. After reading and skimming the book, I would agree with him. But his solution--to never lie--seems not only impossible, but also not the best course in every situation. Maybe our presidents could try a little harder, though, to determine when a lie is absolutely necessary and whether it is worth its considerable cost before launching into one (or two or 300).
I can't say I enjoyed reading this book, but I did learn a lot from it--some of it I'd rather not have known.
Next up: some fiction, I think.
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