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Much as I, too, would like to strap a lie detector to certain members of the Bush administration, I'm a bit unnerved by news that they're not ruling out the use of polygraph machines as part of the probe into the Plame leaks. These things are inadmissible in court for good reason—to wit, they're probably complete bollocks. Or at the least, they can be beaten by someone who's even minimally prepared.

Comments

[Anonymous]

They're taking all of the fun out of the Plame Name Blame Game. Geez.

[LauraN]

Has anyone else heard about Mr. Wilson being an employee of the Saudis prior to his trip to Niger to make his investigations and continues to be now? Per the Jerry Pournelle blog, "Reflect on this: Wilson is a consultant to the Saudi's, and was before he was sent on this mission."

First I've heard of it and it's not mentioned where he received that info but...it certainly makes it more interesting. After all, they are not exactly our friends, those Saudis...

[Forbes Tuttle]

Seems he works for the Corporate & Public Strategy Group in Washington. It looks like a lobbying firm for Turkish interests, but they don't disclose their clients.

[D]

What about Saudi Royal Family ties with the Carlyle Group?

[Charlie]

On the other hand, the press generally takes refusal to do a polygraph as an admission of guilt, so what choice did they have?

[chtus]

Wasn't Bruce Sterling supposed to get rid of those things?

[nm156]

Chtus: No. He just wants us to find a better way of determining who the liars are. Hey that could be a H&R headline: Wonderin' Who the Liars Are. Or is Bruce Cockburn too obscure? Anyway, here's my handy dandy foolproof lie detector: If they want your vote, they're lying to you.

[Greg Newburn]

Weren't polygraphs invented by the same guy who created "wonder woman" and her lasso of truth?

In any event...

Polygraph tests most assuredly are NOT bollocks. If they were, Maury Povich would not use them!

"You answered that you have not slept with 15 women since you were married last month. The lie detector test shows that was a lie."

Proof positive.

Take your "skepticism" elsewhere, Sanchez.

[Jon H]

Hey Greg, those lie detectors have made Maury lots of money, so they can't be wrong.

[Elmo]

I can guarantee that Polygraphs are not foolproof - I was after a McJob during one summer when I was in college - and failed the damn thing. And I told the absolute truth! Thank god it wasn't for anything really serious.

[Merkin]

Why "probably"?
Polygraphs are completely 100% certified useless.

Why anyone anywhere still believes in them is beyond me.

[Jon H]

LauraN writes: "After all, they are not exactly our friends, those Saudis..."

The White House were the ones who let the Bin Ladens get away after 9/11. Which seems a whole lot worse.

Worse than what, I'm not sure. How, exactly, was Saudi influence supposed to make a difference? His report was similar to two others that apparently gave the same information. The Saudis probably didn't own Wilson, and ambassador, and a general. Plus, the information about Niger didn't change anything.

His op/ed in the Times was after the war, so it couldn't have been because his Saudi masters wanted him to stop the war.

At worst you've got a Saudi-influenced guy doing an investigation for a Saudi-influenced administration.

Perhaps the Saudis wanted someone in the White House to out Wilson's wife, because she was on to some WMD project in Riyadh?

[Kevin Carson]

Karl Rove is just the type to beat a polygraph without breaking a sweat. Probably sleeps with his eyes open and sheds his skin every year, too.

[Wacker Leslie]

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DATE: 05/20/2004 05:03:18
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