People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election
It seems to me that "never...so much as after" is a set expression yet I failed to find any credible, detailed definition on that. Plus, what does the quote by Otto von Bismarck mean? Any help would be appreciated.
People never lie [as often (or as much)] as [they do]: after a hunt OR during a war OR before an election.
After a hunt:
The one that got away
I killed [my quarry] with a single very accurate shot from [a very great distance] away with the sun in my eyes (or under other very adverse conditions)
During a war:
- There I was, in the Pun-Tang valley, no less than 50 VC terrorists surrounding me on all sides, down to my last magazine of blanks...
Before an election:
I promise that if elected I will actually keep all the promises I am making today
-
I care more about a particular class/ethnic group/orientation/etc than my opponent does
- If you elect my opponent he will bankrupt our nation and lead us into the next Dark Ages etc
Here the preposition "after" is not part of the phrase. Stop searching for "so much as after". You should read the sentence as a list:
People never lie so much as:
- after a hunt
- during a war
- before an election
As for the meaning, it is just a funny way of telling that you should not trust politicians, especially what they promise during their election campaigns. And you should not trust the pro-war (or anti-war) propaganda. It is compared with something what the old Bismarck's contemporaries were familiar with - exaggeration of hunters related to the amount, size and ferocity of animals they have caught :)