The Blog

Another Day, Another Broken Obama Campaign Promise

5:53 PM, Jun 26, 2009 • By JOHN MCCORMACK
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The Hill's Michael O'Brien reports that Obama attached a signing statement to the war-funding bill--breaking, once again, his campaign pledge to end a practice that was oh-so-nefarious when President Bush did it:

What George Bush has been trying to do as part of his effort to accumulate more power in the presidency is he's been saying 'well I can basically change what Congress passed by attaching a letter saying I don't agree with this part or I don't agree with that part. I'm gonna choose to interpret it this way or that way.' That's not part of his power.

But this is part of the whole theory of George Bush that he can make laws as he's going along. I disagree with that. I taught the constitution for 10 years. I believe in the constitution, and I will obey the Constitution of the United States.

We're not going to use signing statements as a way of doing an end-run around Congress.

Hope and change.

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