Until we have a better relationship between private performance and the public truth as was demonstrated with Watergate we as the public are absolutely right to remain suspicious contemptuous even of the secrecy and the misinformation which is the digest of our news.
The best thing I've learned is if you're going out never go out alone - you leave yourself vulnerable. If you've got someone else there you trust they can say be wary of that person. I probably used to be too trusting of people.