Lying in Politics: The Case of George W. Bush and Iraq

In this article, the author places the Downing Street Memo in the context of the Bush administration propensity for pursuing a politics of lying. In the past, conservatives traditionally defended values of truth and integrity while attacking dishonesty and lying. During the Clinton administration, conservative defenders of the value of truth like William Bennett constantly attacked Bill Clinton for lying and dishonesty. Yet few, if any, conservatives have spoken up to criticize the Bush administration for its systematic policy of deception and lying. Interrogating the politics of lying, the author analyzes "Bushspeak" in terms of Big, Bold, and Brazen Lies-concepts illustrated with Bush administration discourse on Iraq.