Yes, George W. Bush's lies have had far more dire consequences, and Karl Rove is master of the brutish smear campaign, but no one matches Reagan's stylized lies. He made you feel like you were the only other person in the room when he lied right to your face.

Take, for example, Reagan's famous "Chicago Welfare Queen" story that he used to illustrate the dangers of a socialized welfare system. He was loosely referencing a story...