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On with Kara Swisher

Stay Tuned with Preet: The Many Lies of George Santos

Dec 28, 2023
Mark Chiusano, author of "The Fabulist," joins Preet Bharara to dissect the outlandish tale of George Santos, a politician notorious for his web of lies. They discuss Santos's rise to power and the failures of the vetting process that enabled his deceitful career. The conversation also touches on the psychological factors behind such political dishonesty and how it mirrors broader trends in American politics, raising concerns about the implications for public trust and accountability.
21:51

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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • George Santos's lifelong habit of lying and deception reflects the failures in the vetting process and raises questions about the consequences of allowing individuals like him to deceive their way into office.
  • The challenge of recognizing habitual liars like George Santos highlights the difficulties in uncovering lies and the lack of accountability in the political system, emphasizing the need to understand the complexities of identifying and confronting chronic liars.

Deep dives

The Lies and Grifting of George Santos

George Santos, a former congressman expelled due to ethics violations, is the subject of Mark Chizano's book, 'The Fabulous, The Lying Hustling, Grifting, Stealing, and Very American Legend of George Santos.' Santos's lifelong habit of lying and deception is explored, with the author delving into why Santos lies and what his rise to power says about the political system. Santos's lies extend beyond simple mistruths to elaborate fabrications about his background, including college degrees, Holocaust survivor grandparents, and a volleyball championship. The book also examines the failures in the vetting process that allowed Santos to get elected and questions about his mental state.

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