This story was everywhere yesterday.

Sen. John McCain pledged yesterday that he would balance the federal budget by 2013, the end of what would be his first term in office, returning to a promise he had strayed from as he sought to emphasize his concern about the plight of the U.S. economy.

At the same time, McCain’s campaign released a document detailing his already announced economic proposals: more offshore oil drilling and a gas-tax holiday; aggressive efforts to control government spending; lower taxes for businesses and individuals; new energy research; and tax credits to spur a private health insurance market.

His promise to balance the budget within four years brought him full circle. Earlier this year, he had chosen his words carefully on the topic, saying only that he would accomplish the task by the end of eight years, should he be elected and reelected.

Democrats immediately criticized McCain, asserting that his promise is unrealistic, given his stated goals of tax cuts and other government spending. Sen. Barack Obama accused his rival of peddling tired economic policies.

“John McCain’s policies are essentially a repeat, a regurgitation of what we’ve been hearing from the Republican Party over the last two decades, maybe three,” he said. “It’s part of the reason that we’re in the situation that we find ourselves in right now.”

Now think about this promise.  He will balance the budget in four years, but yet the war will continue, taxes would be cut, etc.  Now where would you think the savings will come from?  Most likely from the programs that will effect your children and other domestic programs.

This promise is just that–a promise that cannot be kept and its faliure will be blamed on the Congress and those damn Democrats.  See it for what it is–PANDERING!