A few months ago, Stephanie Clifford, aka Stormy Daniels, reported to the police that a man approached her in a parking lot and threatened her not to reveal her past relationship with President Trump. Upon learning of this, the President called it a “con job”. Technically, he was accusing her of filing a false police report. Ms. Clifford then file a lawsuit against the President for defamation.
A few days ago, Federal Judge Otero ruled in favor of the President, stating that he considered the use of the words as “rhetorical hyperbole” often used in politics and protected by the First Amendment. Actually, that’s a poor example of hyperbole, but we are becoming accustomed to the strange and deceptive use of language in today’s society, notwithstanding free speech.
There is a measure of practicality in the ruling. However, it is dangerous. Is her story true? Who knows, but it is not right to assume and publicly state, without evidence, that someone filed a false police report. Is this not the same type of problem that made woman hesitant to report sexual harassment? Would they be believed?
In a larger sense, do we really want to give our leaders even greater license to lie, make false statements, mislead or exaggerate? Is that really part of the First Amendment? Should we not want to raise the bar on public discourse? The public deserves the most accurate and relevant information. Hyperbole is in the mind of the listener. It should be left to the comedians, not our leaders.
It can be said that hyperbole is part of our national problems. In the same way the Judge referenced, it was part of the cause of the financial crisis.
Politics is like medicine, people’s lives are at stake. That’s no joking matter.
For further perspective on this subject, read “The Cisco Kid” posted on April 21, 1980.