Daily Show mocks Obama over 'stealth care reform'

President Barack Obama has had some trouble keeping campaign promises. The Daily Show's Samantha Bee explained the problem Thursday. "He made promises he could be held accountable for," said Bee.

As a candidate, Obama promised that health care reform negotiations would be televised on C-SPAN. The Daily Show found at least 6 instances of Obama claiming the debate would be televised.

"Oh yeah we're going to do it on mother f**king C-SPAN," exclaimed Jon Stewart. But the Comedy Central host couldn't find tape of the negotiations. "I checked all the C-SPANs, even the ones I made up. What gives?" asked Stewart. A graphic dubbed the White House's actions as "stealth care reform."

C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb complained this week that the network had only been allowed about an hour of health care coverage from the White House. "The only time we've been allowed to cover the White House part of it is one hour inside the East Room, which was just a show-horse type of thing," Lamb told radio host Bill Press.

Samantha Bee joined Jon Stewart to analyze where the president had gone wrong. "Sam, this looks and sounds pretty bad for Obama," said Stewart.

"Well, only if you are watching and listening, Jon," responded Bee. "This has been a real problem for the president."

"Because he is now being held accountable for his promises?" asked Stewart.

"No, because he made promises he could be held accountable for," answered Bee. Politicians "can promise emphatically but never specifically," Bee explained.

Perhaps Obama should have taken a lesson from George W. Bush. In 2000, then candidate Bush promised, "When I put my hand on the bible, I will swear to not only uphold the laws of our land but I will swear to uphold the honor and dignity of the office I was elected so help me God."

"How do you measure that? An honor-ometer?" asked Bee.

This video is from Comedy Central's The Daily Show, broadcast Jan. 7, 2010.