Credibility gap
Encyclopedia
Credibility gap is a political term that came into wide use during the 1960s and 1970s. At the time, it was most frequently used to describe public skepticism about the Lyndon B. Johnson
administration's statements and policies on the Vietnam War
. Today, it is used more generally to describe almost any "gap" between the reality of a situation and what politicians and government agencies say about it.
"Credibility gap" was popularized by J. William Fulbright, a Democrat from Arkansas, when he could not get a straight answer from President Johnson's Administration regarding the war in Vietnam.http://www.upi.com/Audio/Year_in_Review/Events-of-1966/Vietnam%3A-1966/12301447861822-2/
"Credibility gap" was first used in association with the Vietnam War in the New York Herald Tribune
in March 1965, to describe then-president Lyndon Johnson's handling of the escalation of American involvement in the war. A number of events—particularly the surprise Tet Offensive, and later the 1971 release of the Pentagon Papers
—helped to confirm public suspicion that there was a significant "gap" between the administration's declarations of controlled military and political resolution, and the reality. These are just examples of Johnson's and later Richard Nixon
's duplicity. Throughout the war, Johnson worked with his officials to ensure that his public addresses would only disclose bare details of the war to the American public. During the war the country grew more and more aware of the credibility gap especially after Johnson's speech at Johns Hopkins University
in April 1965. An example of public opinion appeared in the New York Times concerning the war. "The time has come to call a spade a bloody shovel. This country is in an undeclared and unexplained war in Vietnam. Our masters have a lot of long and fancy names for it, like escalation and retaliation, but it is a war just the same." - James Reston.
The advent of the presence of television journalists allowed by the military to report and photograph events of the war within hours or days of their actual occurrence in an uncensored manner drove the discrepancy widely referred to as "the credibility gap."
However, the term had actually been used prior to its association with the Vietnam War. In December 1962, at the annual meeting of the U.S. Inter-American Council, Senator Kenneth B. Keating (R-N.Y.) praised President John F. Kennedy
's prompt action in the Cuban Missile Crisis
. But he said there was an urgent need for the United States to plug what he termed the "Credibility Gap" in U.S. policy on Cuba.
"Credibility gap" was, itself, a takeoff on the phrase "missile gap
." This phrase was used repeatedly by Kennedy during the 1960 presidential campaign to criticize the Republicans for what he saw as complacency in regard to supposed Soviet
ICBM
superiority. In fact, the missile gap was the other way around. The U.S. was, in fact, far ahead. The touted "missile gap" was revealed to be the product of exaggerated and possibly self-serving Air Force
reports, and was spoken of no more. Thus, the phrase "credibility gap" referred back to Kennedy's credibility problems with the "missile gap."
After the Vietnam War, the term "credibility gap" has come to be used by political opponents in cases where an actual, perceived or implied discrepancy exists between a politician's public pronouncements and the actual, perceived or implied reality. For example, in the 1970s the term was applied to Nixon's own handling of the Vietnam War and subsequently to the discrepancy between evidence of Richard Nixon
's complicity in the Watergate break-in and his repeated claims of innocence.
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
administration's statements and policies on the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Today, it is used more generally to describe almost any "gap" between the reality of a situation and what politicians and government agencies say about it.
"Credibility gap" was popularized by J. William Fulbright, a Democrat from Arkansas, when he could not get a straight answer from President Johnson's Administration regarding the war in Vietnam.http://www.upi.com/Audio/Year_in_Review/Events-of-1966/Vietnam%3A-1966/12301447861822-2/
"Credibility gap" was first used in association with the Vietnam War in the New York Herald Tribune
New York Herald Tribune
The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald.Other predecessors, which had earlier merged into the New York Tribune, included the original The New Yorker newsweekly , and the Whig Party's Log Cabin.The paper was home to...
in March 1965, to describe then-president Lyndon Johnson's handling of the escalation of American involvement in the war. A number of events—particularly the surprise Tet Offensive, and later the 1971 release of the Pentagon Papers
Pentagon Papers
The Pentagon Papers, officially titled United States – Vietnam Relations, 1945–1967: A Study Prepared by the Department of Defense, is a United States Department of Defense history of the United States' political-military involvement in Vietnam from 1945 to 1967...
—helped to confirm public suspicion that there was a significant "gap" between the administration's declarations of controlled military and political resolution, and the reality. These are just examples of Johnson's and later Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
's duplicity. Throughout the war, Johnson worked with his officials to ensure that his public addresses would only disclose bare details of the war to the American public. During the war the country grew more and more aware of the credibility gap especially after Johnson's speech at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in April 1965. An example of public opinion appeared in the New York Times concerning the war. "The time has come to call a spade a bloody shovel. This country is in an undeclared and unexplained war in Vietnam. Our masters have a lot of long and fancy names for it, like escalation and retaliation, but it is a war just the same." - James Reston.
The advent of the presence of television journalists allowed by the military to report and photograph events of the war within hours or days of their actual occurrence in an uncensored manner drove the discrepancy widely referred to as "the credibility gap."
However, the term had actually been used prior to its association with the Vietnam War. In December 1962, at the annual meeting of the U.S. Inter-American Council, Senator Kenneth B. Keating (R-N.Y.) praised President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's prompt action in the Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
. But he said there was an urgent need for the United States to plug what he termed the "Credibility Gap" in U.S. policy on Cuba.
"Credibility gap" was, itself, a takeoff on the phrase "missile gap
Missile gap
The missile gap was the term used in the United States for the perceived disparity between the number and power of the weapons in the U.S.S.R. and U.S. ballistic missile arsenals during the Cold War. The gap only existed in exaggerated estimates made by the Gaither Committee in 1957 and United...
." This phrase was used repeatedly by Kennedy during the 1960 presidential campaign to criticize the Republicans for what he saw as complacency in regard to supposed Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
ICBM
Intercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
superiority. In fact, the missile gap was the other way around. The U.S. was, in fact, far ahead. The touted "missile gap" was revealed to be the product of exaggerated and possibly self-serving Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
reports, and was spoken of no more. Thus, the phrase "credibility gap" referred back to Kennedy's credibility problems with the "missile gap."
After the Vietnam War, the term "credibility gap" has come to be used by political opponents in cases where an actual, perceived or implied discrepancy exists between a politician's public pronouncements and the actual, perceived or implied reality. For example, in the 1970s the term was applied to Nixon's own handling of the Vietnam War and subsequently to the discrepancy between evidence of Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
's complicity in the Watergate break-in and his repeated claims of innocence.