--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When there are falsehoods and ludicrous…" description: "\"When there are falsehoods and ludicrous statements made at briefings, we've got to call that out.\" — Brian Stelter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/brian-stelter-4517_got_when-there-are-falsehoods-and-ludicrous_1113201.jpg" --- # When there are falsehoods and ludicrous statements made at… ![“When there are falsehoods and ludicrous statements made at briefings, we've got to call that out.” quote by Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/brian-stelter-4517_got_when-there-are-falsehoods-and-ludicrous_1113201.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/brian-stelter-4517_got_when-there-are-falsehoods-and-ludicrous_1113201.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/brian-stelter-4517_got_when-there-are-falsehoods-and-ludicrous_1113201.jpg) > “When there are falsehoods and ludicrous statements made at briefings, we've got to call that out.” [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. False and absurd statements in briefings must be challenged for truth and accountability. **In simple terms:** Call out lies. Key Takeaway Demand honesty. Themes integrity accountability truth Mood serious determined Type political inspirational When to use this quote - political briefings - press conferences - news reporting - social media Key Concepts media ethics public discourse Questions to Reflect On - How can truth be upheld without hostility? - What mechanisms ensure accountability? A Different Perspective Risk of confrontation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Falsehoods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falsehoods/) ## Related quotes > [One of the principles of White House coverage is that a wide variety of news outlets should be represented at briefings and press conferences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/one-of-the-principles-of-white-house-coverage-is-that-a-wide-variety/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [The quicker we get rid of the lobby system the better for all of us. I don't think in this day and age it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/the-quicker-we-get-rid-of-the-lobby-system-the-better-for-all-of-us-i/) [Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/) > [There's an art to asking questions. Briefings are valuable but normally communicate primarily what the subordinate leader wants you to know, and often the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/there-s-an-art-to-asking-questions-briefings-are-valuable-but/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [MPs have no real knowledge of how to function other than via gimmick and briefings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-cummings/mps-have-no-real-knowledge-of-how-to-function-other-than-via-gimmick/) [Dominic Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-cummings/) > [I would never say, as a member of the press, that there should be fewer press briefings. The more access, the better, no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-bash/i-would-never-say-as-a-member-of-the-press-that-there-should-be-fewer/) [Dana Bash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-bash/) > [Life is a very bad novelist. It is chaotic and ludicrous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javier-mar-as/life-is-a-very-bad-novelist-it-is-chaotic-and-ludicrous/) [Javier Marías](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javier-mar-as/) > [ “If it was occasionally ludicrous, it was always sublime. \[Estelle Jussim on the 19th century Cult of the Beautiful.\] ” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle-jussim/if-it-was-occasionally-ludicrous-it-was-always-sublime-estelle-jussim/) Estelle Jussim > [“The idea of spilling blood for the sake of oil would have seemed ludicrous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/the-idea-of-spilling-blood-for-the-sake-of-oil-would-have-seemed/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [One of the things that frequently gets lost in descriptions of depression is that the depressed person often knows that it is a ludicrous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/one-of-the-things-that-frequently-gets-lost-in-descriptions-of/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [But then every man is ludicrous if you look at him from outside, without taking into account what’s going on in his heart and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/but-then-every-man-is-ludicrous-if-you-look-at-him-from-outside/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“Would that I were still a ludicrous character in his lousy book!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/would-that-i-were-still-a-ludicrous-character-in-his-lousy-book/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Obviously, I've made statements that were ludicrous and crazy and outrageous and all those things, because that's the way I always was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/obviously-i-ve-made-statements-that-were-ludicrous-and-crazy-and/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [It is a truth universally acknowledged that a delusional Housewife in possession of an audience must be in want of a ludicrous storyline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-radziwill/it-is-a-truth-universally-acknowledged-that-a-delusional-housewife-in/) [Carole Radziwill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-radziwill/) > [Banning sports is a ludicrous proposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pilon/banning-sports-is-a-ludicrous-proposition/) [Mary Pilon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pilon/) > [What puzzles me is the way that some of the smaller, unknown chateaux imagine that because Chinese millionaires pay ludicrous sums for the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-hoggart/what-puzzles-me-is-the-way-that-some-of-the-smaller-unknown-chateaux/) [Simon Hoggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-hoggart/) ## More by Brian Stelter > [Donald Trump has been planting seeds for over a year, warning supporters not to trust the government, the polls or the media, because it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/donald-trump-has-been-planting-seeds-for-over-a-year-warning/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [For a broad, star-powered picture like 'The Interview,' a big-tent release in 2,000 to 3,000 theaters is the top choice for a movie studio…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/for-a-broad-star-powered-picture-like-the-interview-a-big-tent/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [Interviewers, even the ones that support the person they're interviewing, have an obligation to probe further and push back when a candidate says something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/interviewers-even-the-ones-that-support-the-person-they-re/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [These communities that are losing local news coverage are losing something deeper. They're losing a connection to American democracy. And those connections must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/these-communities-that-are-losing-local-news-coverage-are-losing/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [Some journalists are schmucks, in it for themselves, willing to cut corners. But in my experience the vast majority of journalists are trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/some-journalists-are-schmucks-in-it-for-themselves-willing-to-cut/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [News outlets use words like erratic, volatile, unstable but rarely are Trump's words and actions covered as a whole and rarely do news outlets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/news-outlets-use-words-like-erratic-volatile-unstable-but-rarely-are/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [It's not as if Trump is addicted to the best-researched, most in-depth, meticulously sourced material in the world. If he were, we'd all be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/it-s-not-as-if-trump-is-addicted-to-the-best-researched-most-in-depth/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [The political system, folks, is rigged. It's a rigged, disgusting, dirty system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/the-political-system-folks-is-rigged-it-s-a-rigged-disgusting-dirty/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [Many Republicans knew that Trump's anti-media attacks were damaging, and they cringed when his White House was consumed by his own narcissism. They knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/many-republicans-knew-that-trump-s-anti-media-attacks-were-damaging/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [The leaders of Fox News will never say this out loud, but they believe that their media empire is bigger than President Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/the-leaders-of-fox-news-will-never-say-this-out-loud-but-they-believe/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [Trump's war on the nation's news media, his war on truth, his war on reality ultimately caused him to become the first U.S. president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/trump-s-war-on-the-nation-s-news-media-his-war-on-truth-his-war-on/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [I keep hearing from readers who say 'Hoax' helps them understand their own family a little bit better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/i-keep-hearing-from-readers-who-say-hoax-helps-them-understand-their/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [Trump might think that Fox needs his star power, and on the margins it's true that Trump appearances and interviews are right-wing ratings boosters.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/trump-might-think-that-fox-needs-his-star-power-and-on-the-margins-it/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [Rarely, if ever, has a cable news channel employed a host who has previously campaigned for the business goals of the channel's parent company.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/rarely-if-ever-has-a-cable-news-channel-employed-a-host-who-has/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [Trump has broken the news system because he has found ways to go out there, get attention, say a lot of things that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/trump-has-broken-the-news-system-because-he-has-found-ways-to-go-out/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) [Explore all 110 Brian Stelter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) ## More Falsehoods quotes > [ A mind conscious of right laughs at the falsehoods of rumour. \[Lat., Conscia mens recti famae mendacia risit.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/a-mind-conscious-of-right-laughs-at-the-falsehoods-of-rumour-lat/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Tangible language, which often tells more falsehoods than truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tangible-language-which-often-tells-more-falsehoods-than-truths/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Inculcating the various competing - competing, note - falsehoods of the major faiths into small children is a form of child abuse, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-grayling/inculcating-the-various-competing-competing-note-falsehoods-of-the/) [A.C. Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-grayling/) > [Many falsehoods are passing into uncontradicted history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/many-falsehoods-are-passing-into-uncontradicted-history/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Vulgarity is the conduct of other people, just as falsehoods are the truths of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/vulgarity-is-the-conduct-of-other-people-just-as-falsehoods-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“A reliable way to make people believe in falsehoods is frequent repetition, because familiarity is not easily distinguished from truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/a-reliable-way-to-make-people-believe-in-falsehoods-is-frequent/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [In the world of the Internet, there are many falsehoods. Anyone can write stuff on Wikipedia, and it doesn't have to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hulce/in-the-world-of-the-internet-there-are-many-falsehoods-anyone-can/) Tom Hulce > [“The truth is a powerful force. It is the foundation of all things. The truth is so all-consuming that it cannot be denied. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-truth-is-a-powerful-force-it-is-the-foundation-of-all-things-the/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [“I once came upon a definition of history as ‘the process by which complex truths are transformed into simplified falsehoods’. That is particularly true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/i-once-came-upon-a-definition-of-history-as-the-process-by-which/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [“I have now gone through the examination of the four books ascribed to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; and when it is considered that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/i-have-now-gone-through-the-examination-of-the-four-books-ascribed-to/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [“I can't admit of an old boy of a God who takes walks in his garden with a cane in his hand, who lodges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/i-can-t-admit-of-an-old-boy-of-a-god-who-takes-walks-in-his-garden/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [ “I just wish this social institution \[religion\] wasn't based on what appears to me to be a monumental hoax built on an accumulation of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-just-wish-this-social-institution-religion-wasn-t-based-on-what/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [Alternative facts are not facts. They're falsehoods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-todd/alternative-facts-are-not-facts-they-re-falsehoods/) [Chuck Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-todd/) > [“Falsehoods not only disagree with truth, but usually quarell among themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/falsehoods-not-only-disagree-with-truth-but-usually-quarell-among/) [Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/) > [Maybe honesty is overvalued. What's truly priceless is picking out from a stream of falsehoods the ones you most need to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/maybe-honesty-is-overvalued-what-s-truly-priceless-is-picking-out/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) [Browse all 89 Falsehoods quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falsehoods/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When there are falsehoods and ludicrous statements made at briefings, we've got to call that out.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brian Stelter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/when-there-are-falsehoods-and-ludicrous-statements-made-at-briefings/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Falsehoods" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/when-there-are-falsehoods-and-ludicrous-statements-made-at-briefings/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/brian-stelter-4517_got_when-there-are-falsehoods-and-ludicrous_1113201.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/brian-stelter-4517_got_when-there-are-falsehoods-and-ludicrous_1113201.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/brian-stelter-4517_got_when-there-are-falsehoods-and-ludicrous_1113201.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When there are falsehoods and ludicrous statements made at briefings, we've got to call that out.” — Brian Stelter", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Brian Stelter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When there are falsehoods and ludicrous...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/when-there-are-falsehoods-and-ludicrous-statements-made-at-briefings/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/when-there-are-falsehoods-and-ludicrous-statements-made-at-briefings/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```