By DAN K. THOMASSON, Scripps Howard News Service

WASHINGTON - So much for another one of those Obama promises. You know, the ones that start out one way and suddenly become something else, mostly less.

Enough already, Mr. President!

One would hope that Jimmy Carter, as he has been frequently in the past, is dead wrong in his allegation that Rep. Joe Wilson's unfortunate accusation that President Barack Obama was lying to Congress is rooted in racism. His playing of the race card not only seems ill advised, it has been disavowed by a White House dedicated to avoiding such polarization.

There are times in any legislative endeavor when you should take what you can get and hope to win the rest later. That's the point President Obama is fast approaching in regard to health care reform. His constant, full-campaign-mode jawboning has probably run its course in effectiveness.

My 16-year-old granddaughter was outraged and she gave me specific instructions.

"You must write about this asinine nonsense about the president speaking to us," she said. "How could anyone object to their sons or daughters being told by the president of the United States to stay in school? That's incredible. Why would anyone take that position?"

With the end of summer in the wings, it is time once again for Americans to fork over hard-earned dollars, probably billions of them, to satisfy an insatiable hunger for sports escapism even in these difficult economic times.

One thing seems increasingly clear about President Obama's ambitious plan to reform the health-care system. The nation can't afford it, and even if it could, polls show that a growing number of Americans aren't ready for reform.

As every school kid knows, Harry Truman instituted the doctrine of ultimate responsibility. The "buck stops here" became the symbol of strong leadership from an Oval Office where the phrase was prominently displayed on the presidential desk.

By naming a special prosecutor to investigate prisoner abuse cases, including interrogation techniques during the Bush administration, Attorney General Eric Holder has assured the nation of a prolonged and contentious debate over how to fight a faceless enemy with potential serious damage to the CIA.

If the Secret Service and the White House don't worry about armed-to-the-teeth civilians being in relatively close proximity to Barack Obama, why should we?