Opinion: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are both dishonest — but in very different ways
To the editor: Putting Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump side by side to compare their relative honesty is a bit like comparing Bernie Madoff with my friend Dan, who pads his expense accounts when he travels. Both are dishonest, but in very different ways. (Re “Defining the political lie,” Opinion, June 26)
To lie in order to promote one’s public image or self-esteem is very normal and human; to lie in order to denigrate whole classes of people to win political support, or to lie to attempt to rewrite the history of one’s own unethical career and poor judgment, is simply pathological.
Barton Swaim claims that Hillary Clinton emailed classified material while secretary of State. At best, she shared material in the course of her duties that was later deemed classified. She did this not for person gain, but in the diligent performance of her duties.
Does that make Swaim a liar? Only if he intends to deceive us and owes us the truth.
Brian Cornelius, Los Angeles
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