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Defining 'always' Way, Way Down

"[John McCain's] plan is to balance the budget by the end of his first term in 2013."-- McCain economic adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin, confirming a campaign economic plan released yesterday

"The senator has always pledged to balance the budget by the end of his second term." [my bold] --Holtz-Eakin, later the same day

Now technically, I suppose, this is true: If McCain balances the budget "by" 2013, then he will also have balanced it "by" 2017. But somehow I think this may be giving the campaign too much credit.

 --Christopher Orr