Managed News: Never Say Lie

Before he headed up to Capitol Hill for what promised to be a rough grilling by the House Information Subcommittee on the subject of "managed news,"-Pentagon Press Secretary Arthur Sylvester was given some sage advice by a coworker. "Never, under any circumstances whatsoever, use the word lie," urged Defense Department Counsel John McNaughton. "Don't use it negatively, don't use it positively. If you have to tell the committee you want to lie down, say recline."

Sylvester could hardly follow McNaughton's advice; somehow he had to explain away his Cuba crisis statement that...