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the doctrine to the internal decision-making process of
the Government is absurd. Any theory which, as a matter
of doctrine, places elected officials on the periphery of
the decision-making process is an invitation to error, an
abdication of responsibility, and a perversion of democratic
government.

(b) The Dangers of Using "Circumlocution" and
"Euphemism"

According to Richard Bissell, the extension of plausible
denial to internal decisionmaking required the use of cir-
cumlocution and euphemism in speaking with Presidents and
other senior officials.

Explaining this concept only heightens its absurdity.
On the one hand, it assumes that senior officials should be
shielded from the truth to enable them to deny knowledge if
the truth comes out. On the other hand, the concept assumes
that senior officials must be told enough, by way of double
talk, to grasp the subject. As a consequence, the theory
fails to accomplish its objective and only increases the
risk of misunderstanding. Subordinate officials should des-
cribe their proposals in clear, precise, and brutally frank
language; busy superiors are entitled to and should demand
no less.

Euphemism may actually have been preferred--not because

[Handwritten annotation: "doesn't necessarily"]

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