By Dan Barber
From my past experience as a public affairs practitioner in the employ of the Federal Government, the "gotcha question" was mostly used by journalists to further pile on to the negative image the journalist had of the individual or agency. Here is an attempt by the Washington Post to excuse or justify their employee’s use of this "journalistic club" on someone they don't agree with.
Why do people lie? I believe it is because they want others to view them in a positive light, or they may be driven by a need to succeed and they suffer from a lack of self-confidence. According to this article, Secretary McDonald is a 1975 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point . The author of this story also points out that McDonald completed Army Ranger training before being assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division until his "retirement in 1980" but he was never in the Special Forces. To "retire" from military service after only serving the minimal time required, in this case, 5 years, to "pay back" the Army for his education at the Military Academy McDonald might have received a serious disabling injury from his service. Ms. Emily Wax-Thibodeaux you need to flesh out this story to prevent a disservice to McDonald, American Veterans, and your readers.
I find this "communications war" fun to watch. In my government career, I always advised others to be truthful, because lies will destroy the individual and threaten the mission of the organization. It takes less energy to tell the truth, even if it is painful, then to lie because if you lie you have to remember the imaginary scenario and might have to build upon it...as what happens with a brainy character on one of my favorite sit-com TV shows.
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