Mark Twain would have been a blogger

"A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes," wrote Mark Twain. The quotation is documented on p. 35 of Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain: A Book of Quotations.

Scott Johnson, The Big Trunk of PowerLine, referenced a Mark Twain quotation about the speed of lies vs. truth the other day, with a quotable quote of his own critiquing John John John Kerry's acceptance speech:

Making baseless accusations takes a second, and exposing them takes a month.

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on, goes Churchill's version, "attributed" but not "sourced" in Wikiquote's "Quotations by Winston Churchill," and while it is not listed under "Famous quotes and stories" at The Churchill Centre, neither is it listed there under "Quotes Falsely Attributed." (Yousuff Karsh photo December 1941)

But now, as we blogged here the other day, the blogosphere may be turning the Twain/Churchill formula on its head. In that instance, it was the Sandy Berger Trousergate scandal, where bloggers took early AP reports and ran with them, while the New York Times hadn't had time -- indeed had no inclination -- to put its pants on. Let's hope bloggers will give truth a similar assist with regard to waffles à la Kerry in the countdown to November 2.

Comments

[goomp]

Things always change, and the 21st century may see the world of newspapers join the horse and buggy of the 20th as the blogosphere becomes the information center of choice.

[Cap'n Bob]

Glad you liked the "Golf is a nice walk spoiled" quote from Mark Twain. I enjoyed the quote above regarding the speed of lies and truth. A great mind, our Mark Twain . . .

[Maid of Heaven]

Did you know that many of Mark Twain's books are available online free like
The Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc is available online here

[Mark Twain]

Friend, I do have a blog.

http://marktwainispissed.blogspot.com/