It’s taken as a given that our President is a dishonest man. There’s some truth in that, and I’ve said it myself.

But I think the way President Trump is dishonest and the way Vice President Biden is dishonest are different, and different in an interesting way.

President Trump uses dishonesty to impress people and win approval. He boasts, exaggerates, and denies foolish things he’s said. What he doesn’t do, and this seems important to me, is hide his agenda. He didn’t come into office claiming one thing but intending to do another. He was blunt and forthright about what he would do, or try to do, once in office; for the most part (and more than most Presidents, I think) he has done or tried to do the things he said.

Vice President Biden, in contrast, uses dishonesty to mask his intentions. He evades direct questions when he thinks people might not approve of his answers. Will he pack the Supreme Court? He won’t say. Does he support the Green New Deal? Not last night, apparently (but, actually, yes).

Trump tells you what he plans to do, and lies so that you’ll like him.

Biden doesn’t tell you what he plans to do and lies so that you’ll give him the power to do it.

Biden also lies about silly things, like where he went to school and how he ranked in his class — and who actually wrote the paper he turned in. So he wants to be liked as well. But his big lie is that he’s a moderate who will stand up to the growing hard-left portion of his party. He isn’t. That’s just what he wants us to believe so that we’ll give him the power to do to us what he and his party want to do to us.

Yeah, I’d rather a thoroughly honest man were one of the choices. But I’ll take the guy who is at least honest about what he intends to do if elected — particularly as he’s already proven that he’s good for it, and has done a pretty good job.