promises made promises kept
Donald Trump Just Accused a Democrat of Stealing His New Campaign Slogan, But Turns Out Democrats Used It First
Early on Tuesday, President Donald Trump took to Twitter to accuse Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio of stealing his 2020 presidential campaign slogan, "Promises Made, Promises Kept."
"That's not at all nice," Trump wrote of de Blasio, who is not currently campaigning for re-election (he was re-elected last year). "No imagination!"
Bill DeBlasio, the high taxing Mayor of NYC, just stole my campaign slogan: PROMISES MADE PROMISES KEPT! That’s no… https://t.co/waf360rhmh— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump) 1534860918.0
De Blasio "appeared in front of a sign declaring “Promises Made, Promises Kept” at a groundbreaking for a new, 1000-seat school in East New York on Monday," the New York Post reported. The mayor's office said their use of the slogan was purely coincidental.
"This is stupid," City Hall spokesman Eric Phillips quipped. "It’s not the most novel turn of phrase."
But as MSNBC producer Kyle Griffin noted, "Promises Made, Promises Kept" is not a Trump original. In fact, the president borrowed the phrase from President Bill Clinton's re-election bid in 1996.
https://t.co/wi1ccPEe0t— Kyle Griffin (@Kyle Griffin) 1534862148.0
Chelsea Clinton responded to Griffin: "Perfect. Simply perfect."
Perfect. Simply perfect. https://t.co/sx1zFO5Yx2— Chelsea Clinton (@Chelsea Clinton) 1534864973.0
And one Twitter user pointed out that "Promises Made, Promises Kept" was also used at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
@ChelseaClinton It was used in 1968 at the Democratic Convention too. https://t.co/BZCz3ncdwf— Chris Harrison 🦃 (@Chris Harrison 🦃) 1534866009.0
Michigan Gov. John Engler (R) and Chicago Mayor Harold Washington (D) used this slogan as well - decades ago.
So did a mortgage company.
@DustinMauser @kylegriffin1 It’s the same slogan the mortgage company where I worked has had for 30 years. SO ORIG… https://t.co/nERhw5kfiR— liddle’ hbmcg does not exonerate (@liddle’ hbmcg does not exonerate) 1534865693.0
Perhaps even more perfect is that Trump has usurped not one but two presidential campaign slogans - Clinton/Gore 1996 - and Ronald Reagan's slogan in 1980: "Let's Make America Great Again."
@ChelseaClinton No imagination https://t.co/fJWxqp3oMb— tuna (@tuna) 1534865061.0
The White Nationalist newspaper The Crusader also employed "Make America Great Again."
Another of Trump's political catchphrases, "America First," first appeared on a coin issued by the Ku Klux Klan.
@ChelseaClinton Get this guy some new writers https://t.co/ZkN0Pr15o2— tuna (@tuna) 1534865236.0
@realDonaldTrump @foxandfriends Only fair, you stole the KKK’s slogan. https://t.co/MHNWmL8MK2— Barack Obama ____________________________🇺🇸Fan (@Barack Obama ____________________________🇺🇸Fan) 1534863990.0
@realDonaldTrump @foxandfriends You stole "America First" from 1930s Nazi sympathizers.— Nunya 🆘️ (@Nunya 🆘️) 1534867481.0
Trump has taken credit for other phrases as well. In October 2017, the president falsely boasted that he had invented the term "fake news."
@kylegriffin1 @ParkerMolloy Although it seems like ages ago, Trump claims he invented the word "Fake": https://t.co/fAficqkY98— Dan Flatt (@Dan Flatt) 1534864974.0
Trump told CNN's Lou Dobbs:
I think one of the best names is — you know, I've really started this whole 'fake news' thing. Now they've turned it around and then, now, they're calling, you know, stories put out by different — by Facebook 'fake.
"This is the opposite of what happened in real life on planet Earth," wrote Callum Borchers of the Washington Post.
Social media was ruthless in its mockery of the president.
"He stole it first."
@kylegriffin1 Obviously it's his, he stole it first.— Eric Martin (@Eric Martin) 1534862251.0
"From campaign slogans to email," one user wrote, referring to Trump's plea to Russia to hack and steal Hillary Clinton's emails.
@kylegriffin1 From Campaign Slogans to Email ....all are stolen from Clinton's ...and he is still the victim ...— Ravie (@Ravie) 1534862815.0
"The original fake president." Oof.
@kylegriffin1 Donald Trump, the original fake president.— Linda Lafaux ~Time To Rise Up! (@Linda Lafaux ~Time To Rise Up!) 1534866299.0
"The amazing ego of the toddler-in-chief makes him think everything originates with him."
@ChelseaClinton The amazing ego of the toddler-in-chief makes him think everything originates with him.— Dean Warrenfeltz (@Dean Warrenfeltz) 1534865442.0
Is this what is meant by "Be Best?"
@kylegriffin1 The Trump family Be Best at plagiarism. 😂— Dee Campbell (@Dee Campbell) 1534869774.0
A couple people itemized Trump's broken promises.
@realDonaldTrump @foxandfriends You promised ; To release your #TaxReturns. Not done. To drain the swamp. Most co… https://t.co/RvLtBsXSHj— Paul T Murphy (@Paul T Murphy) 1534866725.0
@realDonaldTrump @foxandfriends Not all of them? https://t.co/B3XYt0toX4— Veteran4aKindAmerica (@Veteran4aKindAmerica) 1534866218.0
Then there was this whopper.
@realDonaldTrump @foxandfriends You should keep THIS PROMISE! You can't LIE and call THIS #FakeNews because the… https://t.co/eggKkMpnQu— Terree Rola (@Terree Rola) 1534866383.0
Another called out other times Trump has used someone else's idea.
@realDonaldTrump @foxandfriends Your wife recited practically an entire speech by Michelle Obama at the UN and you… https://t.co/do0BPt39SM— emily nunn (@emily nunn) 1534869084.0
Trump can be credited with one memorable line, though.
@realDonaldTrump @foxandfriends Having read some of this thread, I feel compelled to ask; What original slogans hav… https://t.co/k8UO1lomqW— Simon Gregg (@Simon Gregg) 1534868984.0