It is indeed becoming increasingly difficult to accept anything a politician says without some sort of independent corroboration.

I watched the presentation given by Colin Powell in the UN claiming the discovery of WMD in Iraq and couldn't help cringing at that pathetic replay of the Cuban missiles revelation given by Adlai Stevenson 40 years earlier.  In fact I could see a smidge of discomfort in Colin Powell as he gave the presentation; I really felt he was delivering the US Government story line, not what he personally felt to be true.