The reaction to the recent conviction of Scooter Libby for perjury provoked jubilation on the Left and consternation on the Right.

Although the trial was complex and highly political it seems to me that the central issue is about lying.

Scooter was not tried for revealing the name of Ms. Plame and therefore destroying her career as a secret CIA agent. He was convicted for lying about it. (A former federal prosecutor told me that prosecuting Mr. Libby for the act of revealing Ms. Plane identity would have been extremely difficult because the Government would have had to prove intent, which is always hard to do.)

Lying to the Government and under oath can indeed have serious consequences.

In the public relation profession, the issue of truth is very important. David Finn in his article published in MOVE! (Volume 8) called: "Why We Lie" says that:

"One of the complaints about public relations people made by critics—indeed their major complaint—is that we are superficial in our thinking and too often we don't tell the truth. I think we should heed both criticisms and make a determined effort to improve our performance. Too often we don't do enough research to have reliable information about the message we are communicating, and in controversial issues we tend to believe what our clients tell us without listening to contrary views. If we're not careful we could make statements on their behalf that are not true."

Society has a high tolerance for so called "innocent" or "white" lies. The cover story of Time Out January 18, 2007 issue was: Lies (are good.) The article imagines more than 20 common day-to-day situations and "suggests" a standard lie and a deluxe lie in each situations:

Situation: Someone asks you your opinion about a big news story and you have no clue what they are talking about.

Standard lie: "Hmm..hard to say..what do you think?"

Deluxe lie: " I probably feel the same as you do, we always agree," then pause and wait expectantly to see if they will pick up the thread. Last resort: "I know! I wonder what Colbert will do with this?"

Asher Meir, the Jewish Ethicist says that "tradition does sanction an occasional "white lie" in order not to hurt someone's feeling."

However, Marc Salem, a body language specialist says, in the Time Out article, that "a normal person has a discomfort in telling an untruth." (I was told it was called a bad conscience!)

The lie-detector test is based on that premise. It measures variations in the body's temperature, heartbeat and blood pressure when the subject is lying.

The many idioms about lying reveal a general disapproval for the practice such as:

"He lied to me, looking me straight in the eyes;" Barefaced liar; Habitual liar; Lying through your teeth.

Lying and trust are certainly incompatible. Friedrich Nietzsche "I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you."