The Truth Is Whatever Happens To Come Out Of His Mouth

President George W. Bush:

Carl, first of all, I don't talk about secret programs, covert programs, covert activities. Part of a successful war on terror is for the United States of America to be able to conduct operations, all aimed to protect the American people, covertly.

However, I can tell you two things: one, that we abide by the law of the United States; we do not torture. And two, we will try to do everything we can to protect us within the law. We're facing an enemy that would like to hit America again, and the American people expect us to, within our laws, do everything we can to protect them. And that's exactly what the United States is doing. We do not render to countries that torture. That has been our policy, and that policy will remain the same.

Yet again, the soft biggotry of low expectations proves to be the president's best friend. No one really expects him to tell the truth about anything, so it's barely newsworthy when he lies flagrantly (Hilzoy has a list of those countries that torture). Then again, I guess there's a better than even chance that he doesn't know which countries torture or to which countries we render. As someone named Hanlon is purported to have said, "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."