Urban Policy Professor Jeff Smith wrote an article for Fast Company What John F. Kennedy’s Legacy Teaches Us About The Value Of Candor that answers the question: Was John F. Kennedy the last honest politician? In the article Smith contrasts Kennedy’s transparency and honesty with the Bay of Pigs debacle with the way modern politicians like Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and President Barack Obama handle crises. According to Smith:
“When leaders make mistakes, be they in the public or private sector, anything less than complete candor can empower rivals, the press, or, worst of all, law enforcement, to seize on a false statement, turning a speed bump into a full-blown scandal. As President Nixon taught us, the cover-up is almost always worse than the crime.”
