Weasel Memories
Many years ago, I worked with a guy whose outgoing personality I envied. He was a glad-hander, a back-slapper, with a winning smile and a ready wit. Almost everybody who met him liked him instantly.
But it didn’t take long at all — a few days, maybe a few weeks — to see that he was also a lying, manipulative, back-stabbing weasel. He didn’t hide it. He would — confidentially, of course — show me just how he’d tricked or cheated someone else. Undoubtedly, he confidentially entertained others by telling them how he was fooling me.
Everybody saw through him eventually, but I don’t think he ever suspected just how transparent his dishonesty was to everyone.
I haven’t thought of that guy for years, but Mitt Romney reminds me of him.
It’s startling to see a reporter call a politician on a lie. It’s not surprising that campaign aides consider that “unprofessional.” Yeah, you sure don’t see the profession doing that very often.