COMMENTARY: Does It Really Matter If Hillary Lies?

c. 2000 Religion News Service (Eugene Kennedy, a longtime observer of the Roman Catholic Church, is professor emeritus of psychology at Loyola University in Chicago and author most recently of “My Brother Joseph,” published by St. Martin’s Press.) (UNDATED) If Geraldo Rivera can say he believes Hillary Rodham Clinton’s statement that she never uttered an […]

c. 2000 Religion News Service

(Eugene Kennedy, a longtime observer of the Roman Catholic Church, is professor emeritus of psychology at Loyola University in Chicago and author most recently of “My Brother Joseph,” published by St. Martin’s Press.)

(UNDATED) If Geraldo Rivera can say he believes Hillary Rodham Clinton’s statement that she never uttered an anti-Semitic slur about her husband’s campaign manager 26 years ago, let me cancel out his vote by saying that I do not believe her.


Telling the truth, which has been reduced to a quaint, out-of-date, Victorian practice by a culture heavy into deception, remains the central and indispensable basis for our living together in a trusting and human manner. When a young professional can tell me that, pragmatically speaking, his falsehood is as good as another person’s truth as long as it gets him what he wants, it is time to examine our collective conscience on this matter.

The problem with Hillary is the Clinton problem in general. Her statement brings back all the years of verbal corners cut with the precision of a master jeweler’s striking the diamond at exactly the correct spot to beget other smaller but perfect stones. The Clintons, however, smash the truth to beget ever bigger and more imperfect falsehoods.

Truth, cleansed of mud, also sparkles and is, by its nature, as multifaceted as a diamond.

Great artists _ painters and writers _ focus their genius on bringing out the complexity of a great truth, looking deep into it with their gem-cutter’s eyes before striking it with the hammer of their art to free truths that have until then been hidden from the rest of us.

In our day, following Clinton morals, we look at the truth as the brigand does the bank: “How do I blow this open so I can take away the contents?” The truth in a precious stone is a delight as chamber upon chamber of value open like flowers. For the president, the truth turns the White House into the Big House in which cell upon cell threaten to open up like destiny.

We have a president who feels that easy, “Who, me?” charm is his John the Baptist, making the rough ways smooth for him. The measure of our moral dislocation is found in the fact that although most Americans dread the idea of being trapped in a lie, the president of the country dreads being trapped in the truth.

Better, had Hillary Clinton ever said the unfortunate words attributed to her, that she admitted them, explaining the election loss stress that may have prompted them. People can understand and forgive that. Everybody has said things they wish they could take back. We are all overdrawn in our regret account.


But to say, as she did, “I have never said anything like that. Ever. Ever,” invites us into a convolution of grammar and confusing adverbs that has been the political patois of the administration. “I have never said anything like that” does not mean that she did not say that.

The “ever, ever” merely compounds the sentence to rank it with her famous answer when asked how the missing Rose law firm billing records were found in the family quarters of the White House.

She said she did not know “how they came to be found,” an answer that almost sounded like the truth.

But almost sounding like the truth is not good enough. When the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin was accused of having sexually molested a seminarian, he put aside the advice he received on how to “handle” a press conference.

Experts urged him to say things like “I can’t discuss that now,” “That is a matter for the courts,” or other dodges that may not be lies but aren’t the truth either.

He told me just before that press conference, “I’ve decided just to tell the truth. The gospel says that the truth will make you free and I believe that.” He faced a mob of reporters and, in his gentle way, answered every question, calming the room, changing the atmosphere perceptibly. By its end no reporter doubted him. The truth had set him free.


It also makes him unusual. Name one public figure who has risked everything by telling the simple truth. If the American bishops need a subject for a pastoral letter, they could choose the Truth. They could begin by telling the whole truth about sexual scandals of the clergy.

Catholics can live with the truth but not with the episcopal evasions, coverups, or no comments they have received lately.

If bishops started telling the truth, Hillary Clinton might follow their example.

Memo to Hillary: You refer to yourself as “Hillary” to separate yourself from your husband. A better way to distinguish yourself from him is to tell the whole truth. It would take a little getting used to, of course, but it truly would make you free. It might even get you elected.

KRE END KENNEDY

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