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Path: utzoo!lsuc!watmath!watnot!watlion!drsimon
From: drsimon@watlion.UUCP (Daniel R. Simon)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Reagan a pathological liar:re to Cramer
Message-ID: <7585@watlion.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Mar-86 17:19:00 EST
Article-I.D.: watlion.7585
Posted: Fri Mar  7 17:19:00 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 8-Mar-86 15:29:08 EST
References: <155@jc3b21.UUCP> <1405@mhuxt.UUCP> <560@whuts.UUCP>
Reply-To: drsimon@watlion.UUCP (Daniel R. Simon)
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 56
Summary: 

In article <1016@whuxl.UUCP> orb@whuxl.UUCP (SEVENER) writes:
>Just last week one of Reagan's lies was
>captured graphically on videotape, making it very hard to refute.
>Here are excerpts from the report in the Newark Star-Ledger:
>    
>    "Sons of bitches" said Reagan after reporters had been ushered
>    from the Cabinet Room where the President had been questioned
>    about the political turmoil in the Philipines.
>       Later, as he left for his Camp David retreat in Maryland,
>    Reagan was asked by reporters whom he had in mind, and he 
>    replied, "I thought it was one of you saying it about us."
>    When that was greeted by a good-natured chorus of "No", the
>    President, smiling, said, "It wasn't me."
>    Aides said Reagan did not recall making the remark nor hearing
>    anyone else make it.
>       But the phrase was clearly audible on the sound system and
>    United Press International verified that it was Reagan who made
>    the remark by viewing a tape made available by CBS, the only
>    network that had a camera on Reagan at the time.
>       .....
>       Deputy White House press secretary Larry Speakes said,
>    "He doesn't recall saying it.  If he said it," Speakes joked,
>    "he said, 'It's sunny and you're rich'.
> 
>It is typical that Reagan simply "doesn't remember" making such
>a remark 5 minutes after it  happened, and smiles as he lies
>about having said it.
>Sad to say I can only conclude the man is a pathological liar.
>
>     tim sevener  whuxn!orb

Being Canadian, I normally stay out of these American political squabbles on
the net, but this one was such a riot that I just had to step in.  Also, I
thought a little Canadian experience might be relevant.

About 15 years ago, our former (thank goodness) Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau,
was overheard saying something rather unsavoury in the House of Commons.  At
the time, he insisted that his words were "Fuddle duddle", and if you asked 
him today, he probably would still insist that those were his exact words.  At 
the time, it was considered an uproariously funny event, and tee-shirts and 
buttons displaying the alleged euphemism were ubiquitous.

Of course, everybody knows what he REALLY said, and Mr. Trudeau, especially
during the end of his "reign" (not a wholly inappropriate word) was far more
unpopular than Reagan has ever been.  Nevertheless, whatever anybody may have 
said about him (and some very nasty things were said, I can tell you), nobody,
as far as I know, has ever accused him of being a pathological liar for 
refusing to admit that he used a dirty word in public.

I know you don't like your President, Mr. Sevener, but even if you have never 
been caught saying something naughty where you oughtn't have, you could at 
least have the courtesy (if not the empathy) to let him deny his oopsie.
After all, you'd do it for Gorbachev, I just know you would.


					Daniel R. Simon