Every four years a slew of Presidential candidates step up to a microphone and start making promises... the majority of which can never really be kept. And this is not a new phenomenon. In an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times, Joseph Ellis tracked the first broken campaign promise back to 1800, when Thomas Jefferson promised more than he could deliver... and started a more than 200 year trend. With the candidates talking big in New Hampshire this week, Ellis predicts more of the same for 2008, and says it's almost impossible to know which candidate can make the leap from Joe Citizen to President of the United States. We'll let him explain.
Blog Of The Nation
The one way you can tell if a candidate will be untrue to his or her word is if their mouth is moving. Having said that, Barack Obama will be the next President (mark my words).
I voted for Clinton in '92 because he promised to do something about Bosnia. He sat on his hands. So much for his 'so-called' promise!
My heart is broken here in Michigan by the candidates who seem more interested in entertaining their party and the people they choose to talk to. If I am not mistaken those that want to be president are making the promise to do the best within their ability to benefit the American people. Why is it that when they have an opportunity to spend campaign bucks in Michigan's struggling economy, most are a no show? I have already been let down. When it comes to election day I'm voting for whomever was here next week.
Surprised your guest did not mention the most recent promise made and kept. That would be, like it or not, the Bush tax cuts. Not at all like "read my lips".
A lot of talk about change seems to be the high point of one presidential candidate but no one has heard on how he plans on changing anything. At least if he gets the presidential vote no one really has to worry if he will keep his promise because he hasn't made any promises to break.
That's just it! Politics is ALL about talking and not delivering. So I don't care who gives the most passionate speeches or who makes all the promises. Atleast I know that Democrats won't wage unnecessary wars and stick their noses in other country's business and get burnt! Rigth now, that's a big deal. Security is not about putting up fences, security is about stopping people from hating America for its perceived arrogance and bullishness.
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