Episode 7: The Truth About Lying in Politics (Part 1)

President Joe Biden awards the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, to former Secretary of State John Kerry during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Friday, May 3, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

For the last two episodes of the season, Charlie and Jaci tell the truth—at least as far as they can tell—about the fine art of lying in politics. What lies get politicians in trouble the most? What will the public forgive, and what will they refuse to forget? And how should we treat outright lies versus the occasional truth-stretching?

This week, the stories of a few well-known politicians who weren’t quite as qualified for the job as they made themselves out to be.

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Apple Podcasts, Spotify, BoiseStatePublicRadio.org

Episode Notes

Key sources used in the researching and writing of this episode include:

• C-Span - Swift Boat Veterans Political Ad

• New York Times - “Blumenthal’s Words Differ from History.” May 2010.

• PBS NewsHour - “John Kerry Defends Vietnam War Record.” October 2004.

• Associated Press - “Ohio GOP House candidate has misrepresented military service.” September 2022.