That's a lot of promises.

Because the leprechauns and unicorns kidnapped it for breeding purposes, of course. They're feeding it lollipops back behind the rainbow. Duh.

I got mine yesterday. Thanks Barry!

Frankly, I think someone should do this for every elected official.

Politicians say things when trying to be elected?

Nabb1: Frankly, I think someone should do this for every elected official.

This.

They should also go back and research past election promises and see how well each one did

JC

In his defense, he made most of the promises prior to September '08, on the assumption that there'd still be an economy. As soon as things started looking grim, even prior to the election, he was honest about the possibility of having to scale back some proposed initiatives due to the Republican leadership having so thoroughly skull-farked the economic outlook.

Don't worry, GOPmitter. This will keep happening. And soon, you'll get used to a president who adapts his position to react to changing information and circumstances as opposed to one who still sticks with the same ass-backward policies despite repeated, abject failure, all while trying to pass it off as "steadfast integrity."

MaxxLarge: In his defense, he made most of the promises prior to September '08, on the assumption that there'd still be an economy. As soon as things started looking grim, even prior to the election, he was honest about the possibility of having to scale back some proposed initiatives due to the Republican leadership having so thoroughly skull-farked the economic outlook.

Don't worry, GOPmitter. This will keep happening. And soon, you'll get used to a president who adapts his position to react to changing information and circumstances as opposed to one who still sticks with the same ass-backward policies despite repeated, abject failure, all while trying to pass it off as "steadfast integrity."

*snerk*

Think of it this way: if you had to bet on one of these two things, which would you chose?

1.) Obama fulfilling 75% of his promises

2.) John McCain not dying or becoming otherwise unable to fulfill his duties as president in the next four years, thus making Palin Commander and Chief of our military

MaxxLarge: In his defense, he made most of the promises prior to September '08, on the assumption that there'd still be an economy.

Ah, yes, September 2008. I remember the halcyon days of the spring and summer of 2008, when gas flowed cheap and freely, employment was higher than ever, the government ran a budget surplus, the stock markets were thriving and sound, interest rates were stable, the housing market was thriving with the solid backing of the mortgage industry, and there was nary a whiff of the economic troubles to come. In the campaign, the economy wasn't even really an issue until September 2008, because, well, it was so robust before then. Oh, how I long for those days to return.

Nabb1: MaxxLarge: In his defense, he made most of the promises prior to September '08, on the assumption that there'd still be an economy.

Ah, yes, September 2008. I remember the halcyon days of the spring and summer of 2008, when gas flowed cheap and freely, employment was higher than ever, the government ran a budget surplus, the stock markets were thriving and sound, interest rates were stable, the housing market was thriving with the solid backing of the mortgage industry, and there was nary a whiff of the economic troubles to come. In the campaign, the economy wasn't even really an issue until September 2008, because, well, it was so robust before then. Oh, how I long for those days to return.

It sure as hell was better then it is now.

MaxxLarge: And soon, you'll get used to a president who adapts his position to react to changing information and circumstances as opposed to one who still sticks with the same ass-backward policies despite repeated, abject failure, all while trying to pass it off as "steadfast integrity."

Cool tag.

I'm an Obama supporter and I think this is a great idea. We need accountability in our leaders. I just want to see this implemented well. (Not just a yes and no checklist, but full information and detail about the what was pledged and what has occured. The more in depth the better)

/I wonder if he promised to be a peace president, a uniter, not a divider and to have a clear and effictive plan for the middle east, like our current president (not for long!) promised in his campaigns.

Is it ponies or unicorns? I didn't hear it was BOTH. If I had known I was getting both, I wouldn't have voted for him. I can't feed and maintain a stable for both a unicorn and a pony, not to mention all the blinding rainbows and yapping puppies I'm apparently getting.

Nabb1: Ah, yes, September 2008. I remember the halcyon days of the spring and summer of 2008, when gas flowed cheap and freely, employment was higher than ever, the government ran a budget surplus, the stock markets were thriving and sound, interest rates were stable, the housing market was thriving with the solid backing of the mortgage industry, and there was nary a whiff of the economic troubles to come.

You're thinking of the Clinton years.

Nabb1: Ah, yes, September 2008. I remember the halcyon days of the spring and summer of 2008, when gas flowed cheap and freely, employment was higher than ever, the government ran a budget surplus, the stock markets were thriving and sound, interest rates were stable, the housing market was thriving with the solid backing of the mortgage industry, and there was nary a whiff of the economic troubles to come. In the campaign, the economy wasn't even really an issue until September 2008, because, well, it was so robust before then. Oh, how I long for those days to return.

*snerk*

SnakeLee: Think of it this way: if you had to bet on one of these two things, which would you chose?

1.) Obama fulfilling 75% of his promises

2.) John McCain not dying or becoming otherwise unable to fulfill his duties as president in the next four years, thus making Palin Commander and Chief of our military

The first, because no matter how slight the probability, it is still greater than the 0% chance that John McCain will be President.

No YOU'RE a Towel: It sure as hell was better then it is now.

Yeah, kind of like a corpse is better before rigor mortis and decay get ahold of it.

MaxxLarge: In his defense, he made most of the promises prior to September '08, on the assumption that there'd still be an economy. As soon as things started looking grim, even prior to the election, he was honest about the possibility of having to scale back some proposed initiatives due to the Republican leadership having so thoroughly skull-farked the economic outlook.

Don't worry, GOPmitter. This will keep happening. And soon, you'll get used to a president who adapts his position to react to changing information and circumstances as opposed to one who still sticks with the same ass-backward policies despite repeated, abject failure, all while trying to pass it off as "steadfast integrity."

You're my favorite person today.

Nabb1: No YOU'RE a Towel: It sure as hell was better then it is now.

Yeah, kind of like a corpse is better before rigor mortis and decay get ahold of it.

Something like that, yeah.

Nabb1: Yeah, kind of like a corpse is better before rigor mortis and decay get ahold of it.

I wonder how that corpse became a corpse anyway...I think 8 years ago it might have still been alive.

Or am I misinterpreting your metaphor?

I'd like to see the list. I wonder how many are "I promise to consider all options" or "I promise look into that."

I don't think it's 510 promises on the level of "I promise to eliminate al Qaeda" or "I promise to topple the Communist regime in NK" or "I promise a pony in every pot and a unicorn in every garage."

I'm actually rooting for Congress to keep him in check, whether through some new found wisdom they acquire or just being the normal road block that they are so good at being. If he can't produce 50% of his promises because Congress put some rational fiscal and macroeconomic analysis into the process, I'm all for it.

/That's Hope for you

I'm a bit skeptical that these people were able to find 510 explicit and non-vague promises...

Persepolis: I wonder if he promised to be a peace president, a uniter, not a divider and to have a clear and effictive plan for the middle east, like our current president (not for long!) promised in his campaigns.

Who cares what Bush said, he's gone. Comparing Obama to Bush isn't going to be a very good way to measure his presidency.

At least it shouldn't be, if you voted for him.

Nabb1: Ah, yes, September 2008. I remember the halcyon days of the spring and summer of 2008, when gas flowed cheap and freely, employment was higher than ever, the government ran a budget surplus, the stock markets were thriving and sound, interest rates were stable, the housing market was thriving with the solid backing of the mortgage industry, and there was nary a whiff of the economic troubles to come. In the campaign, the economy wasn't even really an issue until September 2008, because, well, it was so robust before then. Oh, how I long for those days to return.

August '08 US Unemployment rate: 6.2%
September '08 US Unemployment rate: 6.2%
December '08 US Unemployment rate: 7.2%
(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)

We were finally holding steady for one lousy month before Lehman Brothers collapsed, starting the whole domino effect on Wall St.

And you're right--before Sept the economy wasn't a campaign issue because, although the housing market was still in trouble, we still had an economy. That all changed on Sept 18th when Lehman failed and that was the turning point in the entire campaign. McCain had pulled ahead after the RNC, mostly due to Palin, but completely lost momentum when it occurred to everyone that he hadn't a clue as to what to do about the economy.

McCain: "I'm going to suspend my campaign & fix this mess!"
Obama: "Ummm, a president is supposed to be able to multitask, dumbass."

DamnYankees: I'm a bit skeptical that these people were able to find 510 explicit and non-vague promises...

Do you promise to look into that?

i don't care about the number of promises as i do about keeping the important promises. like in 2000 when i was promised by the president-elect that he was a uniter and not a divider, and had no intention of engaging in nation-building.

/hey, my first but but bush!

brigid_fitch: That all changed on Sept 18th when Lehman failed and that was the turning point in the entire campaign.

Stop trying to talk sense...just stop it.

/Wants a pony.

DamnYankees: I'm a bit skeptical that these people were able to find 510 explicit and non-vague promises...

I really want to make sure that he delivers a big box of "hope" to my home. He explicitly promised the vague idea of "hope".

thomps: i don't care about the number of promises as i do about keeping the important promises. like in 2000 when i was promised by the president-elect that he was a uniter and not a divider, and had no intention of engaging in nation-building.

/hey, my first but but bush!

But nation-building is our only export, besides jobs. What else are we going to put on those freighters if not tanks and jobs?

I_C_Weener: DamnYankees: I'm a bit skeptical that these people were able to find 510 explicit and non-vague promises...

I really want to make sure that he delivers a big box of "hope" to my home. He explicitly promised the vague idea of "hope".

Would you settle for a 40 lb. box of rape?

WaltzingMathilda: I_C_Weener: DamnYankees: I'm a bit skeptical that these people were able to find 510 explicit and non-vague promises...

I really want to make sure that he delivers a big box of "hope" to my home. He explicitly promised the vague idea of "hope".

Would you settle for a 40 lb. box of rape?

He really is scaling back on his promise isn't he?

Yanks_RSJ: Who cares what Bush said, he's gone. Comparing Obama to Bush isn't going to be a very good way to measure his presidency.

At least it shouldn't be, if you voted for him.

When you're right you're right. I just wanted to get that out as far as the whole, "presidential promises" thing is concerned.

I_C_Weener: WaltzingMathilda: I_C_Weener: DamnYankees: I'm a bit skeptical that these people were able to find 510 explicit and non-vague promises...

I really want to make sure that he delivers a big box of "hope" to my home. He explicitly promised the vague idea of "hope".

Would you settle for a 40 lb. box of rape?

He really is scaling back on his promise isn't he?

Depends on whose perspective we're looking from. Yours, or the box of rape.

SnakeLee: Think of it this way: if you had to bet on one of these two things, which would you chose?

1.) Obama fulfilling 75% of his promises

2.) John McCain not dying or becoming otherwise unable to fulfill his duties as president in the next four years, thus making Palin Commander and Chief of our military

What a stupid choice. It's like asking 'which of these two statements describe you best:'

1) A deviant sex offender

or

2) A horse.

It is also a red herring.

The people who think that Obama is actually going to accomplish all his goals should start tracking his progress. Other people will not do this because they know that he is a politician and this is what politicians do, they make promises to get elected. Plain and simple.

DamnYankees: I'm a bit skeptical that these people were able to find 510 explicit and non-vague promises...

If you go to the website: Link (new window), it says some were nonspecific, but many others were quite specific. And then you can go read them. It's rather interesting, actually.

Persepolis: Yanks_RSJ: Who cares what Bush said, he's gone. Comparing Obama to Bush isn't going to be a very good way to measure his presidency.

At least it shouldn't be, if you voted for him.

When you're right you're right. I just wanted to get that out as far as the whole, "presidential promises" thing is concerned.

I would make the comparison only in the sense that the St. Pete Times probably didn't even think to do anything similar with respect to Bush. Now that the other team is in power, people are all the sudden concerned with accountability (as I am, but still). Liberal media, indeed.

Nabb1: MaxxLarge: In his defense, he made most of the promises prior to September '08, on the assumption that there'd still be an economy.

Ah, yes, September 2008. I remember the halcyon days of the spring and summer of 2008, when gas flowed cheap and freely, employment was higher than ever, the government ran a budget surplus, the stock markets were thriving and sound, interest rates were stable, the housing market was thriving with the solid backing of the mortgage industry, and there was nary a whiff of the economic troubles to come. In the campaign, the economy wasn't even really an issue until September 2008, because, well, it was so robust before then. Oh, how I long for those days to return.

If the DJIA jumps back to the 11-12 range, you can bet your sweet ass I'll be happy.

I_C_Weener: DamnYankees: I'm a bit skeptical that these people were able to find 510 explicit and non-vague promises...

I really want to make sure that he delivers a big box of "hope" to my home. He explicitly promised the vague idea of "hope".

Ohhh... I see the problem.

See, you have to go get it. It's not one of those things like a tax cut that you just "get" automatically. Doesn't matter who your daddy is or how much money you have. You can't send an employee or your wife to pick some up or anything. Guess they figure if you don't want it bad enough to bother, it would be wasted on you.

Sorry about your luck.

That should be a fun website regardless of whether you are an Obama supporter or not. It should teach everyone that we should take what candidates say with a grain of salt. I'd be surprised if any candidate were able to do 50% of the things they promised during the campaign.

i'm sure we're going to hear from obama supporters who during the campaign played up the awesome new policies and promises their guy would be bringing to DC as his policy of change...

...but who now say that if we really believe he's going to follow through with all of them we're being naive because of course he's just a politician and politicians say things they know they won't follow through on.

Nabb1: DamnYankees: I'm a bit skeptical that these people were able to find 510 explicit and non-vague promises...

If you go to the website: Link (new window), it says some were nonspecific, but many others were quite specific. And then you can go read them. It's rather interesting, actually.

Indeed. I'm appreciative they have quotes of the stuff.

I still think its silly to hold him to everything. There are such a thing as priorities.

Nabb1: Frankly, I think someone should do this for every elected official.

That would be so awesome.

DamnYankees: I still think its silly to hold him to everything. There are such a thing as priorities.

Accountability is bad when its your guy?

Obviously he shouldn't be held to all 510 promises during the first 100 days of his presidency or anything, but isn't it fair to at least compare what he actually does versus what he promised to do in the campaign?

Lionel Mandrake: I'd like to see the list. I wonder how many are "I promise to consider all options" or "I promise look into that."

Here you are.

Why only Obama? Why not all politicians? If someone would do this for all politicians, it would be genius.

KaponoFor3: Obviously he shouldn't be held to all 510 promises during the first 100 days of his presidency or anything, but isn't it fair to at least compare what he actually does versus what he promised to do in the campaign?

No, any comments about a single thing that he does not get accomplished is tantamount to hating on America.