Blago & Burris & Baseball: When Will They Ever Learn?

Do bad guys learn nothing from the blunders of other bad guys? That must clearly be the case. Take Blago and Burris (please), and now add A-Rod. The distance between a lie and the truth cannot be bridged incrementally. Letting the truth come out slowly in dribs is not a smart strategy. If it is to come out, let it flow and make it a one or two day story and not on our radar for weeks or months.

A-Rod never used steroids he told Katie Couric. He wasn't even tempted. Then a couple of months later, when Sports Illustrated breaks the story, oh whoops, "Well, maybe I took something, but I was young and foolish and didn't really know what it was." This week he admits to some steroid use and apologizes but still is not sure what it was. Right, maybe girlfriend Madonna can credibly deny knowing what goes into her body, but not an elite professional athlete. This story will drag on, and he will be made smaller in direct proportion to his steroid use. Ironic, huh?

As for Senator Burris of Illinois. He testified under oath that he was not contacted by Blago or his agents, and there was no quid pro quo for his appointment to the senate. Then he changed his tune--possibly when he realized that some of Blago's brother's conversations were likely on tape. So he admitted being called, but said he refused to solicit money for Blago. Now he says, well, yes he solicited money but he wasn't successful. Oh, that is good. Entering into a conspiracy is ok. Lying under oath is ok because he was not successful? So, you could try to rob a bank and get off because of incompetence?

You cannot go from a lie to the truth in stages. If you have any chance of keeping your reputation, your job or your freedom, you better either stick with denial (as implausible as it may be) or come clean (as embarrassing as it may be). Drip, drip, drip will eat away at stone, your reputation and your future.
©2009 Jonathan Dobrer
www.Dobrer.org