Truman nonquote: ‘If you want a friend, get a dog’ — as used by corporate raider Carl Icahn

What are the origins of the gem, “If you want a friend in Washington, buy a dog,” a quote falsely attributed to the late Harry S. Truman, as I noted in The Solomon Scandals? I’ve been doggedly at work on the case for two years. No definitive answer so far. This immortal witticism or at […]

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About Helen Thomas: Oy! But keep her name on the SPJ journalism award

I know—I’m a few days behind on the Helen Thomas controversy—but I wanted to reflect. This was a little close to home. I respected the maverick side of Ms. Thomas even if her White House questions were often activist rather than journalistic. At one point I  tried to see if she’d read Scandals for a […]

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