Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Search - When Presidents Lie: A History of Official Deception and Its Consequences

When Presidents Lie: A History of Official Deception and Its Consequences
When Presidents Lie A History of Official Deception and Its Consequences
Author: Eric Alterman
Lying has become pervasive in American life—but what happens when the falsehoods are perpetrated by the Oval Office? As the lies told by our government become more and more intricate, they begin to weave a tapestry of deception that creates problems far larger than those lied about in the first place. Eric Alterman’s When Presi...  more » is a compelling historical examination of four specific post-World War II presidential lies whose consequences were greater than could ever have been predicted. FDR told the American people that peace was secure in Europe, setting the stage for McCarthyism and the cold war. John F. Kennedy’s unyielding stance during the Cuban missile crisis masked his secret deal with the Soviet Union. Misrepresented aggression at the Gulf of Tonkin by the North Vietnamese gave LBJ the power to start a war. Finally, Ronald Reagan’s Central American wars ended in the ignominy of the Iran-contra scandal. In light of George W. Bush’s war in Iraq, which Alterman examines in the book’s conclusion, When Presidents Lie is a warning—one more relevant today than ever before—that the only way to prevent these lies is America’s collective demand for truth.
ISBN-13: 9780670032099
ISBN-10: 0670032093
Publication Date: 9/23/2004
Pages: 447
Rating:
  • Currently 3.3/5 Stars.
 3

3.3 stars, based on 3 ratings
Publisher: Viking Books
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

mandi avatar reviewed When Presidents Lie: A History of Official Deception and Its Consequences on + 45 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A wonderful thought-provoking book on how the misleading statements from presidents can ultimately change the fate of a nation.
Read All 4 Book Reviews of "When Presidents Lie A History of Official Deception and Its Consequences"

Please Log in to Rate these Book Reviews

reviewed When Presidents Lie: A History of Official Deception and Its Consequences on + 2 more book reviews
Very eye opening!


Genres: