evidence: But did Truman really say, "You want a friend in Washington, buy a dog?' " Or is it a myth that solidified through repetition, like a thousand witticisms wrongly attributed to George Carlin in email chains? [...] The definitive information comes from the historians at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum. Sam Rushay, supervisory archivist, told us, "We have never been able to confirm or verify that President Truman ever wrote or said, ‘If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog,’ a quote that is often attributed to him." [...] Kasich told an Ohio crowd, "You know what Truman said, ‘You want a friend in Washington, buy a dog.’ " Though that statement is often attributed to Truman, there’s no evidence Truman ever actually said that.