falsehoods, or other media focus on falsehoods, are we just playing into the hands of the president? i worry about the new york times full page all of its list of characterizing lie. and using the word when we don t know if it was deliberate. i think it s important to get accurate information. but saying something is a lie is really put in an entirely different box. what the trump administration tends to do is move statements, when they re accused of, quote, unquote lying, by saying it actually has some basis in fact, and here it is. and moving into places where you can t confirm the falsity of the claim. the important question is did they happen at all, not how they happened. if they did happen but not by phone, i wouldn t call it a lie.