Russert: "So you will not run for president or vice president in 2008?"

Obama: "I will not."

Oh, dear. Is another routine non-truthing politician "the one we have been waiting for"? It was all very well when Bill Clinton promised to serve out his term as governor and then went back on his word and ran successfully for president. Clinton already was known as a charming liar. But Obama has promised us so much more -- no more business as usual. We can do better. Yes, we can.

Non-truthing is getting to be a habit for the waited-for one. As Sen. McCain has pointed out, Obama promised to use public funding in the general election if the Republican candidate would do so also. Well, McCain has agreed to it, but now Obama wants to back out of the deal. After all, when he made the promise, he didn't have a chance of raising more than the public's $85 million stipend. But now that he can raise $300 million, well, what's a little untruth between the waited-for one and his people? Yes, he can.

What else can he do? He can make a big point that his candidacy is not about race -- which is a good thing. But then he can brag that his will be a "historic" election. We all assume he is not referring to his having lived in Hawaii. No, obviously he means being the first black president. But "it's not about race." Yes, he can.

Obama's wife confesses that her husband has a pretty big ego. Egos are necessary things for workaday politicians. But they get in the way of sainthood. Because, it would seem, his ego is not only bigger than a breadbox but is already bigger than his sense of integrity. And egos don't get smaller (nor integrity larger) after men get elected president.