Here’s a counter-cyclical observation. Politicians very rarely tell direct untruths. At the very least, they do so less often than the general population. This is not because they are any more virtuous, but because the consequences of being caught out in a lie are — or used to be — so much more serious for them than for other professions.
“You can tell which politician is lying: it’s the one whose lips are moving.” How many times have you heard half-clever observations like that? How often have you repeated them yourself? In fact, politicians tie themselves in knots trying not to lie. We all know how it’s done. Sometimes they affect to misunderstand the question, or answer a different question than the one that has been asked. Sometimes they imply something without saying it in so many words. Sometimes they use lawyerly formulations that are technically true but misleading to any casual listener. Sometimes they simply flannel (“I’ve already set out my position on that issue, and I don’t intend to repeat it here”).
