Kerry Promises to Break His Promises

Here's a novel sort of honesty: John Kerry today admitted he was ready to break his own word.

Trying to portray himself as a fiscal conservative, in contrast with spend-crazy President Bush, the Massachusetts Democrat vowed he would not let federal programs outside of security and education grow beyond the rate of inflation, even if that meant cutting government "services" and his own campaign pledges.

"When I say a cap on spending, I mean it," Kerry said in a speech at Georgetown University. "We will have to make real choices, and that includes priorities of my own."

Among his proposals he mentioned having to "slow down": plans for nursery school - oops, "early childhood education" - and provision of college tuition in exchange for two years of national "service." He gave no details about the cuts.

"Kerry's pledge to abide by spending caps could open him to criticism that his campaign promises cannot be trusted," the Associated Press noted.

The candidate advised that he would halve the budget deficit in four years. Bush has made the same promise, but, Kerry said, "his record shows that we can't trust what he says."

"A deficit-reduction promise from George W. Bush is not exactly a gilt-edged bond," he said.

Might Kerry break his promise to break his promises? That he didn't say.

Editor's note: