In the Oct. 3 debate the president challenged Gov. Romney on his tax policy by leading with the admonition, “If you want to be president, then you owe the American people the truth.”

You’ll get no argument from me on the president’s words, but let’s look at a very recent major incident, namely, the consulate attack in Benghazi.

Within 24 hours, high level U.S. intelligence officials had determined that, unlike the Cairo demonstration at our embassy, the assault on our Benghazi consulate was a well-planned and coordinated 9/11 terrorist attack.

This assault against an essentially unprotected consulate resulted in the murder of our Ambassador and three other American citizens.

So, what were the American people told?

The Obama administration dispatched our U.N. ambassador, Susan Rice, to appear on five Sunday news programs and give the administration’s position on the consulate attack.

Two full days after the intelligence community had established that the incident was a 9/11 terrorist attack, she stated that based on the best available intelligence, the conclusion of the administration was that the Benghazi attack was precipitated by the same anti-Muhammad video that had caused the Cairo demonstrations.

She never once mentioned the official intelligence community position that the attack was the work of one or more radical Islamic groups with possible connections to al-Qaida.

Mr. President, I was always taught that actions speak louder than words. Did I miss one of your numerous executive orders that perhaps reversed this teaching?

Michael J. Keogh

Pinehurst