Deception in Politics and Academics

A panel discussed various forms of misinformation and deception practiced by politicians and academics. They talked about why people lie, why they get away with it, and the consequences of lying. They also talked about access to information by journalists and the public, managing public relations, and manipulating public opinion. Following their remarks they answered questions from the audience.

The panelists were: Eric Alterman, author of When Presidents Lie: A History of Official Deception and Its Consequences; John Dean, author of Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush; Maureen Dowd, author of Bushworld: Enter at Your Own Risk; Michael Shermer, author of Science Friction: Where the Known Meets the Unknown; and Jon Wiener, author of Historians in Trouble: Plagiarism, Fraud, and Politics in the Ivory Tower. The moderator was Larry Beinhart, author of Wag the Dog and The Librarian. close