Politics - The Ethics of Misspeak - and Hillary Clinton. What is Right in a Political Campaign?

It was twelve years ago - March 1996 - when first lady Hillary Clinton made a trip to Bosnia. Now, of course, 12 years later she’s on the campaign trial.

Recently she was quoted as saying, “I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base.”

Now, her campaign said she “misspoke” when she discussed or referenced her 1996 trip to Bosnia. The comments were characterized as a “misstatement” and a “minor blip.”

According to an Associated Press story at the time, Clinton was placed under no extraordinary risks on the trip. And one of her companions, comedian Sinbad, told The Washington Post he has no recollection either of the threat or reality of gunfire.

Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson pointed to Clinton’s written account when asked about Clinton’s remarks of her trip. In her book, “Living History,” she described a shortened welcoming ceremony at Tuzla Air Base, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

“Due to reports of snipers in the hills around the airstrip, we were forced to cut short an event on the tarmac with local children, though we did have time to meet them and their teachers and to learn how hard they had worked during the war to continue classes in any safe spot they could find,” Clinton wrote.

“That is what she wrote in her book,” Wolfson said. “That is what she has said many, many times and on one occasion she misspoke.”

Questions:

1. Is it possible that Senator Clinton - after so many years - has a failed memory of those events on her trip to Bosnia?
2. Was her misstatement done to enhance her credibility as a presidential candidate on the world stage?
3. Should a person be given the opportunity to correct a “misstatement?”
4. Should there be concern about Clinton’s written account being contradicted by others including video footage of the event?
5. Is this all - nothing more than political posturing - making a mountain out of a mole hill?

Bigger Question: What are the ethical ramifications of “misstatements?” Certainly there has been much said about books written as if true only later to be found out to be fiction. Is this such an event? As an ethics speaker, one thing is for sure - Every choice has a consequence. I can’t imagine the pressure that any candidate for president is under when every word will be scoured for accuracy. God bless anyone who will take on the responsibility and endure what it takes.

COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and Christine Beatty Plead - Not Guilty - to Perjury!

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his chief of staff, Christine Beatty five years ago were having an affair. The lies and deception that followed cost the City of Detroit more than $9 million dollars, and cost former police officers their career.

Now the two are accused of lying under oath - Perjury, Obstruction of Justice and Misconduct in Office. If you recall, perjury is what Martha Stewart was convicted of and served time in prison for. Now these two are facing the same issue.

According to a CNN report: Both Kilpatrick and Beatty declined to enter pleas Tuesday before 36th District Court Chief Magistrate Steven Lockhart. Lockhart entered the pleas on their behalf.

Lockhart set a $75,000 personal bond for both defendants. If convicted on all charges, Kilpatrick could face 80 years in prison and/or $40,000 in fines. Beatty could face 75 years and/or $30,000 in fines.

“This is a historic moment, a sad moment. No sitting mayor of Detroit has ever been charged with a crime,” Detroit Free Press reporter Jim Schaefer told CNN on Tuesday.

The case is about much more than sexually explicit text messages, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said earlier Tuesday.

“Text messages are just part of the case,” Worthy said on CNN’s “American Morning.” “We have much more evidence than that.

“It is not just about the sexual affair. It is about lying under oath. It is about betraying the public trust. It is about using $8.4 million of the taxpayers’ money to cover up that information from coming out.”

How did this all come about? It appears that the allegations of the affair were made public in a whistle blower trial for two former officers of the city. While “perjury” is generally used in a criminal case, this may be the first time that the Wayne County prosecutor’s office has used perjury from statements made in a civil case.

“In January, the Free Press reported that in an analysis of nearly 14,000 text messages on Beatty’s city-issued pager it found some from 2002 and 2003 that indicated she and the mayor were having an affair.”

But, every choice has a consequence. As a business ethics speaker (www.chuckgallagher.com), I share that sentiment with audiences nation wide. You can run but you cannot hide - from the truth. It is said that you reap what you sow. Most of the people who find themselves facing consequences they did not anticipate - assume that if they are not caught or can cover up the truth - what is hidden will stay that way forever. That is further from the truth. Funny, but “truth” has a way of sneaking to the surface.

In this case the truth will either set you free or be the catalyst for a prison sentence.

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME!