Sometimes it is necessary stray from a strict definition of the truth in order to accomplish a greater good. Also humans are not prefect and don't always get it right on the first go around.
Without once standing up for human perfection that's impossible to attain (so, for that matter, is perfection
in "society," however you define it, though politicians earn their keep in considerable portion by denying
that the perfect society is impossible), I seem to remember the acolytes of His Excellency Al-Hashish Field
Marshmallow Dr. Barack Obama Dada, COD, RIP, LSMFT, Would-Have-Been-Life President of the Republic
Formerly Known as the United States, saying the same thing when
he was caught lying, early enough
and often enough. Not to mention those of several previous presidents or presidential aspirants.
Funny thing, I was watching part of my DVD set of the entire run of
All in the Family the other
day and one line about Watergate stuck with me---when Archie replied to the Meathead,
Richard E.
Nixon did not lie! He just forgot to tell the truth! I wonder whether Mr. Nixon---assuming he chose not
to resign but, rather, to face the likely impeachment process as he remained in office---would have gotten
away with saying he didn't lie but, merely, forgot to tell the truth. (One remembers Droopy Drawers Clinton
offering much the same argument, though he didn't phrase it quite that way, as his impeachment
proceedings approached.)