--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If McNamee is lying, then he has acted…" description: "\"If McNamee is lying, then he has acted inexcusably, and he has made Clemens an innocent victim. If Clemens isn't telling the truth, then he has acted s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/jim-lehrer-10656_ifs_if-mcnamee-is-lying-then-he-has-acted-in_1055931.png" --- # If McNamee is lying, then he has acted inexcusably, and he… ![“If McNamee is lying, then he has acted inexcusably, and he has made Clemens an innocent victim. If Clemens isn't telling the truth, then he has acted shamefully and has smeared McNamee. I don't think there's anything in between.” quote by Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/jim-lehrer-10656_ifs_if-mcnamee-is-lying-then-he-has-acted-in_1055931.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/jim-lehrer-10656_ifs_if-mcnamee-is-lying-then-he-has-acted-in_1055931.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/jim-lehrer-10656_ifs_if-mcnamee-is-lying-then-he-has-acted-in_1055931.png) > “If McNamee is lying, then he has acted inexcusably, and he has made Clemens an innocent victim. If Clemens isn't telling the truth, then he has acted shamefully and has smeared McNamee. I don't think there's anything in between.” [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If one party lies, they act unjustly and victimise the other; if the other lies, they act shamefully and damage the first. No middle ground exists. **In simple terms:** Lying creates clear moral fault, leaving no gray area. Key Takeaway Demand honesty, avoid falsehoods. Themes ethics truth integrity justice polarization Mood critical serious concerned Type ethical political When to use this quote - political debate - media analysis - legal testimony - personal relationships Key Concepts moral absolutism binary thinking public discourse Questions to Reflect On - Can all lies be judged equally? - What about unintentional misinformation? A Different Perspective The view ignores nuance and potential mitigating factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clemens Innocent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clemens-innocent-2552085/) [Clemens Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clemens-isn-2552086/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inexcusably Clemens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inexcusably-clemens-2552088/) [Innocent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocent/) [Innocent victims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innocent-victims/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Mcnamee Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mcnamee-lying-2552084/) [Telling the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/telling-the-truth/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) [Victim Clemens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim-clemens-2552087/) ## Related quotes > [Samuel Clemens isn't Mark Twain. Mark Twain is Mark Twain. He doesn't become the thing until he creates himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclanahan/samuel-clemens-isn-t-mark-twain-mark-twain-is-mark-twain-he-doesn-t/) [Scott McClanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclanahan/) > [“Someone must step up and fight for the innocent victims, for those who could not protect themselves. Someone must enact justice and prevent others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kel-kade/someone-must-step-up-and-fight-for-the-innocent-victims-for-those-who/) [Kel Kade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kel-kade/) > [In order to have a society in which public issues can be openly and vigorously debated, it is not necessary to allow the brutalization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-alito/in-order-to-have-a-society-in-which-public-issues-can-be-openly-and/) [Samuel Alito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-alito/) > [Penalizing homosexuals does not save any innocent victims. The idea that God and the Church accept these people while they are celibate; and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/penalizing-homosexuals-does-not-save-any-innocent-victims-the-idea/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [Some argue that even physical databases were open to abuse and fake passports or driving licenses were fairly common. But technology, coupled with poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sucheta-dalal/some-argue-that-even-physical-databases-were-open-to-abuse-and-fake/) [Sucheta Dalal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sucheta-dalal/) > [We always see the innocent victims in the stories, and I am a little bored with that. I am much more interested in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-williams/we-always-see-the-innocent-victims-in-the-stories-and-i-am-a-little/) [Bill Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-williams/) > [“Readers often root for characters that are innocent victims – or who are subjected to forces beyond their control.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-parnell/readers-often-root-for-characters-that-are-innocent-victims-or-who/) [Rob Parnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-parnell/) > [We were innocent victims. (Angelia) Yeah, and I’m the tooth fairy. (Bride)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/we-were-innocent-victims-angelia-yeah-and-i-m-the-tooth-fairy-bride/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The injustice of defeat lies in the fact that its most innocent victims are made to look like heartless accomplices. It is impossible to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-injustice-of-defeat-lies-in-the-fact-that-its-most-innocent/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Perhaps this is how girls fall -- not in some crime of enchantment at the hands of a wicked ne'er-do-well, a grand before and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/perhaps-this-is-how-girls-fall-not-in-some-crime-of-enchantment-at/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [There is only one group to blame for the continued suffering of these innocent victims: the House majority and their Speaker, John Boehner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/there-is-only-one-group-to-blame-for-the-continued-suffering-of-these/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [“Yes, I prosecute bastards like him, make them pay for what they did to innocent victims who can’t fight for themselves. And every time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buffy-andrews/yes-i-prosecute-bastards-like-him-make-them-pay-for-what-they-did-to/) [Buffy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buffy-andrews/) > [“The view that the citizen and dictator have nothing in common has another corollary: the view that the dictator’s victims are inherently innocent, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-view-that-the-citizen-and-dictator-have-nothing-in-common-has/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Pettiness seems to go hand in hand with vindictiveness. The smaller the person, the larger the need for revenge. This may account for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/pettiness-seems-to-go-hand-in-hand-with-vindictiveness-the-smaller/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [My political views have never made me insensitive to the pain and suffering caused to the innocent victims of events such as the Warrington…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-fox/my-political-views-have-never-made-me-insensitive-to-the-pain-and/) [Claire Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-fox/) ## More by Jim Lehrer > [I always wear blue shirts and I like wine or purple ties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/i-always-wear-blue-shirts-and-i-like-wine-or-purple-ties/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [There's always a germ of truth in just about everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/there-s-always-a-germ-of-truth-in-just-about-everything/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [No two people see things the same way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/no-two-people-see-things-the-same-way/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [Best I can do for them is to give them every piece of information I can find and let them make the judgments. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/best-i-can-do-for-them-is-to-give-them-every-piece-of-information-i/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [The shouting and opinion and jokes don't exist if there isn't first a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/the-shouting-and-opinion-and-jokes-don-t-exist-if-there-isn-t-first-a/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [I started as a print reporter. I’m a journalist and that’s what I do. My function is an anchorperson, but it’s in a journalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/i-started-as-a-print-reporter-i-m-a-journalist-and-that-s-what-i-do/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [On a daily basis there are some huge ones that are, sure, from time to time, but it is helping the reader sort through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/on-a-daily-basis-there-are-some-huge-ones-that-are-sure-from-time-to/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [We have increasingly fewer and fewer journalists who have any military experience and understand what life is like in the military and in combat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/we-have-increasingly-fewer-and-fewer-journalists-who-have-any/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [As I say, I'm a discourse advocate. What form it comes is less important to me than the fact that there is discourse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/as-i-say-i-m-a-discourse-advocate-what-form-it-comes-is-less/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [The death rate among Marines in Iraq has been more than double that of the other services.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/the-death-rate-among-marines-in-iraq-has-been-more-than-double-that/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [I'm in the reporting part of journalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/i-m-in-the-reporting-part-of-journalism/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [A skill required to be president is to explain to the American people any given thing they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/a-skill-required-to-be-president-is-to-explain-to-the-american-people/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [Those who know me know I won't hesitate to turn around and point someone out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/those-who-know-me-know-i-won-t-hesitate-to-turn-around-and-point/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [Let me be clear: Despite Roger Clemens' statements to the contrary, I never injected Roger Clemens, or anyone else, with lidocaine or B-12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/let-me-be-clear-despite-roger-clemens-statements-to-the-contrary-i/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) > [People can get their news any way they want. What I love about what's happened is that there are so many different avenues, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/people-can-get-their-news-any-way-they-want-what-i-love-about-what-s/) [Jim Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) [Explore all 64 Jim Lehrer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/) ## More Ifs quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) [Browse all 94,303 Ifs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If McNamee is lying, then he has acted inexcusably, and he has made Clemens an innocent victim. If Clemens isn't telling the truth, then he has acted shamefully and has smeared McNamee. I don't think there's anything in between.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jim Lehrer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/if-mcnamee-is-lying-then-he-has-acted-inexcusably-and-he-has-made/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ifs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/if-mcnamee-is-lying-then-he-has-acted-inexcusably-and-he-has-made/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/jim-lehrer-10656_ifs_if-mcnamee-is-lying-then-he-has-acted-in_1055931.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/jim-lehrer-10656_ifs_if-mcnamee-is-lying-then-he-has-acted-in_1055931.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/239/jim-lehrer-10656_ifs_if-mcnamee-is-lying-then-he-has-acted-in_1055931.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If McNamee is lying, then he has acted inexcusably, and he has made Clemens an innocent victim. If Clemens…” — Jim Lehrer", "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": "Jim Lehrer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lehrer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If McNamee is lying, then he...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/if-mcnamee-is-lying-then-he-has-acted-inexcusably-and-he-has-made/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lehrer/if-mcnamee-is-lying-then-he-has-acted-inexcusably-and-he-has-made/#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 } } ] } ```