I’m reminded of Monty Python’s election special tabulating the election results between the Serious Party and the Silly Party. It is conventional wisdom in America that a presidential candidate must sound like he is from the Silly Party to get the presidential nomination while he must sound like he is from the Serious Party to win in the general election.

There are people who can be very convincing at not making any sense. Such a man sounds honest. He sounds believable. He sounds honorable. He sounds compelling. He sounds wonderful. But if you stop to remember what he actually said, what he told you is utter nonsense that doesn’t add up. That’s why listening to the actual words of a speech can be more important than listening to its cadences, for the actual meaning of a speech can often escape those who are there to listen to it.

In the mental universe of a pathological liar, the logical coherence of an actual policy position is irrelevant; what’s important is sounding like the standard bearer of the Serious Party. To such a man, it is important to look straight into the camera to the point of jutting one’s face into the camera to show he is really looking you in the eye and then telling you what he thinks you want to hear with a sound of utter sincerity. Why, he may be as honest as a Denver man can be…