When politicians claim, or officials claim on their behalf, that they have been “absolutely clear,” they are usually muddying the waters. Sometimes this is intended to obscure future ambiguity, but most often it is an effort to dismiss the very idea that previous statements or actions might have been confusing.

Former President Barack Obama notoriously deployed “let me be clear,” especially when repeating his falsehood that people could keep their doctors under his healthcare reforms. When he said the stock phrase, he was poo-pooing legitimate fears in the hope of concealing his duplicity and making people question their own misgivings.