While I like all of what Obama says in concept, the problem is, he says one thing and does another.

For example, in one breath, he complains that the GOP speaker presents talking points and untruths in setting up a question, and how people in DC shouldn't do that, and he responds with a talking point and untruth from the Democrat side. For starters, the last 2 years of Bush's presidency, where Obama talks about these huge deficits he inherited, were controlled by a Democratic Congress. Congress spends the money. To say that "they" meaning the Dems had nothing to do with the deficits and debt he inherited is just plain false.

Additionally, he says Republicans inherited a surplus in 2000, when that is untrue. A surplus means you take in more than you spend. Any other definiition is a lie. By law, if the government takes in more than it spends, it pays down the debt. There is no year in the last 50 where the national debt has gone down, year over year. Clinton's team, while doing well in large part because of the revenues generated by the internet bubble, essentially played with figures so that the budget showed a surplus, when in fact the actual revenues vs. actual expenditures did not. It's like saying your budget is balanced, or a surplus, as long as you ignore your mortgage payment. If you don't believe me, please provide the data that shows a decrease in our national debt in any year of Clinton's presidency.

So when Sedley asks which side uses lies and deciept more to promote their agenda, the fact is, even the evidence that they tout to support their views contains lies and deceit. I'm not saying Republicans don't do the same, I'm just pointing out that Obama is no different, and potentially worse, in that he can look you in the eye and convincingly present his argument, and points, even though he knows they're not true. He can plead for a different tone and tactics from Republicans, yet promote and support and utilize the very same tactics he's railing against.

That's not change. That's more of the same.