It's an unconvincing cop out to protect an uninvolved and disappointing president with the lamest of excuses.

It's like there wasn't FDR  or Martin Luther King [and others] that were able to create social programs that offered real benefits and tremendous social change. Or Susan B. Anthony and others who were responsible for women's right to vote. And Betty Freidan , et al who fought for women's right to choose.  I could go on and on.

While it's true that a Pol is just a Pol and it is also up to the citizens to react and criticize in order to affect issue change, nevertheless when Obama promised at least to be open and transparent we find he double dealed from day one with Insurance and drug monopolies to give away the PO and drug importation, drug generics [not for 10 yrs], and the entire rotten deal he struck while play acting and handing it off to Congress. Obama got political cover by remaining silent and not communicating for obvious reasons.

We have a right to expect that sometimes a rare leader presents us with an opportunity for decent social change on important issues.

There's lots about this in The Chicago SunTimes which I pointed out in many posts during the campaign.  In fact as a life long democrat I was nevertheless tarred and feathered for even suggesting Obama was being oversold and backed by party leaders as the anti Hillary, and further that he had little experience to qualify him.

 I also questioned what he believed in as his speeches were full of impassioned generalized
hyper rhetoric that smacked of religious fervor, but lacked any details about his beliefs.

Nobody believed I wasn't a Republican spy, and Huffington Post among other blogs wouldn't include my posts.
So it goes when people are whipped up in a
frenzy of idolatry.

So American Idol became President and we see he's  been deceptive in his dealings, and regarding  the issues he promised to address and change for our benefit- he bombed out.

Because the African American community finally had a hero who was within  possibility of becoming president there were powerful emotions  and hopes on the line.  If only Obama had not been a political rock star, but a believable progressive who could fight for his dreams and promises!

Actually it's now occurred to most of us  we don't really know what Obama really believes or what he stands for, if anything. His behavior as President reveals nothing more than another on the make Pol who says one thing and does another while being protected by his Chicago cadre.

When he was elected he did address everything he said he would address -- including action on our local issues --  sometimes failing, sometimes compromising, sometimes succeeding.  

I think it is ironic that the man so many people glibly dismiss as sleazy and dishonest is, if you actually bothered to learn what he really proposed and are now willing to be objective when you look into his record, one of the most honest, in his public life, presidents to serve in that office in a very long time.

I hate the term "campaign promises." Candidates don't promise, they propose. Those proposals should provide an honest idea of how they view the issues, what solutions they prefer over others, what their priorities will be in office, and what they hope for. But politicians, no more than the rest of us, can't provide a fail proof promise of what the future will bring.