The late great Yogi Berra, who was occasionally grammar-challenged, was apparently attempting to dispute some of the quotes attributed to him when he apparently and somewhat oxymoronically actually said: “I really didn’t say everything I said.” In 1998 he used it as part of a book title.
Donald John Trump, who often attempts to evade responsibility for things he says or does, nonetheless constantly says (or tweets) things so stupid, ignorant, wrong, or, shall we say, inconvenient in the light of subsequent events, that he wishes he didn’t say them, and then shows his courage and decency by denying he ever said them.
One might say that denying he said or did something (that he said or did) is a sign of bad character, although who am I to judge.
Still, I was amused to see that Trump, who considers himself a natural leader and a shining exemplar of leadership qualities, reflected, by tweet of course, but way back in 2013 when he was far less important to us all, on the relationship between leadership and responsibility.
(Or, if you don’t click through, here’s what 2013 Trump tweeted):
“Leadership: Whatever happens, you’re responsible. If it doesn’t happen, you’re responsible.”
