Principle of Smallest Admission (POSA)
Conceding a smaller point to avoid admitting something larger.
This is a continuation of my research using AI to unmask rhetoric and systems.
A Technique in which PR people will admit a smaller concession to conceal a larger problem.
I created this term and page so that I can link future POSA instances to this post
ChatGTP Prompt:
Q: As Joe Biden aged, his staff made minimal admissions to cover for his bigger health problems. One such admission (or excuse) was that Joe Biden had a "stutter", was used to combat allegations of cognitive decline.
This type of admission, which I will call POSA (Principle of Smallest Admission) is usually a smaller, less damaging alternative to admitting a bigger problem.
What are some other examples of this principle in American history.
The Principle of Smallest Admission (POSA)—the tactic of offering a minimal, less-damaging explanation to deflect attention from a potentially larger problem—is a well-established rhetorical and political strategy in American history. Here are several key examples where POSA appears to have been employed:
1. Bill Clinton – “I did not inhale” (Marijuana Use)
POSA: Clinton admitted to trying marijuana while in college—but emphasized that he "didn’t inhale."
Underlying Concern: A full admission of drug use could have been politically damaging in the 1990s, especially for someone aspiring to the presidency.
Effect: Diffused the issue with a technicality while signaling that he wasn’t truly a “drug user.”
2. Richard Nixon – “A third-rate burglary” (Watergate)
POSA: The White House dismissed the Watergate break-in as an isolated, low-level criminal act.
Underlying Concern: The truth involved a widespread criminal conspiracy and abuse of executive power.
Effect: Temporarily shielded Nixon from scrutiny until deeper investigations revealed the larger scandal.
3. Ronald Reagan – “I don’t recall” (Iran-Contra Affair)
POSA: Reagan frequently claimed he couldn’t remember approving the illegal arms sales or the funneling of funds.
Underlying Concern: Direct knowledge or approval would have implicated him in a major constitutional violation.
Effect: The "memory lapse" defense insulated Reagan from direct accountability while avoiding an outright denial.
4. George W. Bush – “Bad intelligence” (Iraq WMDs)
POSA: The administration claimed it had been misled by flawed intelligence about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction.
Underlying Concern: The deeper issue was possible intentional manipulation of intelligence to justify war.
Effect: Shifted blame to the CIA and analysts rather than to the administration’s decision-makers.
5. Barack Obama – “You can keep your plan” (Affordable Care Act rollout)
POSA: Obama repeatedly said, “If you like your health care plan, you can keep it.”
Underlying Concern: The law mandated minimum standards that would render many plans illegal.
Effect: The minimal claim helped sell the ACA politically, but backlash followed when many plans were canceled.
6. Donald Trump – “Just locker room talk” (Access Hollywood Tape)
POSA: Trump dismissed the lewd tape as harmless “locker room talk.”
Underlying Concern: The tape arguably reflected attitudes and behaviors potentially far more damaging.
Effect: The phrasing reduced the perception of seriousness while avoiding a fuller reckoning.
7. Joe Biden – “He has a stutter” (2020–Present Cognitive Concerns)
POSA: Biden’s verbal missteps were framed as symptoms of a lifelong stutter.
Underlying Concern: Critics alleged cognitive decline or age-related impairment.
Effect: The explanation humanized Biden and reframed scrutiny as ableism.
Example: Is Biden’s Stutter Being Mistaken for “Cognitive Decline”? (NiemanReports)
8. John F. Kennedy – “Back issues” (Hidden Addison’s Disease)
POSA: JFK’s health struggles were attributed to “a bad back.”
Underlying Concern: He suffered from Addison’s disease, a serious chronic illness requiring heavy medication.
Effect: Hid a medical condition that could have affected public confidence in his ability to lead.
9. Franklin D. Roosevelt – “Tired” or “Resting” (Concealing Paralysis and Decline)
POSA: His physical absences and limited mobility were downplayed or chalked up to fatigue.
Underlying Concern: His paralysis from polio and later severe health issues were kept from the public.
Effect: Maintained a public image of strength and stability through four terms.
10. Hillary Clinton – “Dehydration” (2016 Health Episode)
POSA: When Clinton collapsed at a 9/11 memorial event, her team first said it was dehydration from the heat.
Underlying Concern: Later admitted she had pneumonia—but critics suspected a pattern of concealment.
Effect: Tried to limit the narrative to an isolated incident rather than a broader health concern.
“Limited Hangout”
There is a term for this in intelligence operations:
A limited hangout or partial hangout is a tactic used in media relations, perception management, politics, and information management. The tactic originated as a technique in the espionage trade.
According to Victor Marchetti, a former special assistant to the Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a limited hangout is "spy jargon for a favorite and frequently used gimmick of the clandestine professionals. When their veil of secrecy is shredded and they can no longer rely on a phony cover story to misinform the public, they resort to admitting—sometimes even volunteering—some of the truth while still managing to withhold the key and damaging facts in the case. The public, however, is usually so intrigued by the new information that it never thinks to pursue the matter further."[1][2] While used by the CIA and other intelligence organizations, the tactic has become popularized in the corporate and political spheres.[3] (Wikipedia)
Negotiating Tactic: Start Small
When introducing legislation it is common to make an unreasonably large initial demand, with the hope that the final agreement will still be substantial. POSA is the opposite tactic — start small and hope you can minimize the final concession.
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