The Importance of Being Earnest

— I got to be honest with you, I don't know if he's seen any of the television coverage.

— To be honest with you, Dave, I have not had a chance to talk to him about that at all. 

— To be honest with you, I don't know whether or not he caught any of the opening ceremonies. 

— I don't know if they've -- to be honest with you, I don't know if they've seen those excerpts or not. 

— To be honest with you, I have not talked to the President about his reaction to the hearing. 

—   I guess I hadn't really thought about it, to be honest with you. 

That's right. Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest, in one instance as recently as October.  It seems likely that in the future, journalists' ears should indeed "perk up" when they hear this phrase.  And if the past is any guide, the source of the alleged verbal misdirection may very well be the president, his wife, or none other than Josh Earnest himself.