Your post reminded me of this quote from a Laurel & Hardy film.
I took a college ethics class a couple of years ago where the instructor stated emphatically that it is ALWAYS necessary to tell the truth on EVERY occasion.
I challenged her to tell me that it was a good idea to tell the truth when a husband is asked by his wife "Does this dress make my butt look fat", to truthfully respond "Sorry Dear, it ain't the dress."
I won that argument. 8^)
I do think it is always necessary to listen to all opinions, especially your spouse, before deciding for yourself what is the correct answer. Listening is different than immediate capitulation and compliance.
To return to the earlier argument, Laura Bush has a lot of good ideas, but having Dubya stay quiet in the face of criticism is a bad idea.