Like Tim Walz – I Did Not Lie — I Misspoke
Executive Summary
- Tim Walz admitting he misspoke reminded me of all the times I have misspoken.
Introduction
At the recent VP debate, Tim Walz says he misspoke about being in China during Tiananmen Square during the protests and government crackdown — when it turns out he was in Nebraska.
He categorized this inaccuracy as “misspeaking.”
Tim Walz Explaining His Misspeaking
So apparently, claiming that one was in a location where a globally prominent event occurred, making it impossible for one to be confused about whether they were there, is called “misspeaking.”
My History of Mispeaking
Something I realized is the number of times that I have misspoken.
For example, for years, I told people I had fought at the Battle of Midway.
Furthermore, I stated that in this battle, I bombed the Akagi Japanese aircraft carrier that singlehandedly sunk the Akagi — and then dropped one of the four bombs that hit the second Japanese carrier, the Hiryu. This was one of the four hits from diver bombers that eventually sunk that carrier.
And that I was awarded both the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
However, while I believed these things at the time, recently, a few things have come to light that indicate I may have “misspoken.”
- One is that the Battle of Midway was on June 4, 1942. This was 27 years before I was born.
- Second, I have never been a naval aviator, and I can’t fly any plane and have never flown a plane.
- Dick Best won both the Naval Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism; I have torn my camper van apart looking for these two medals. Either someone stole them, or I never won them in the first place.
These three facts combined to make me question how I misspoke. Then I further recalled that the person who did this was not me, but a man named Dick Best. However, I watched the movie Midway, which may have caused me to misspeak.
Here is a scene from that movie.
About Misspeaking
Misspeaking is a problem. Recently, I thought I was in England in the 18th century and had a romance with a wealthy member of the aristocracy named Mr Darcy. I have shared this story very broadly. But again, that was not me — but was Elizabeth’s character as written by Jane Austin, and played by Keira Knightly!
Once again, I saw this movie and concluded that I was Elizabeth, which you can see below.
I was so moved when Mr. Darcy asked me to marry him, but I rejected his proposal. I also recall it rained very hard that day.
Conclusion
Misspeaking is a serious problem. And it’s not lying (the new definition of lying is when your political opposition provides false information); otherwise, it’s misspeaking.
It’s essential (as Tim Walz learned and I am beginning to learn) not to see a movie or news clip and think that you were actually in that place and time and one of those characters. Therefore I am coming clean about my misspeaking — however, I was one of the four men who raised the flag on Iwo Jima.