Obama's rural campaign promises unfulfilled

As his administration nears the end of its first year, President Obama has not fulfilled any of the rural promises he made in his campaign, according to PolitiFact, the St. Petersburg Times service that checks out politicians' claims.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning service lists only five rural promises, and finds that four are still "in the works": create a rural revitalization program, attract more doctors to rural areas, expand rural veterans' centers and support airline service to small towns. (For details, click each link.)

It finds that a fifth promise, to "establish a small business initiative for rural America," has been partly fulfilled by the economic stimulus package and lists it in the "compromise" category. Overall, "Of 502 campaign promises, a PolitiFact analysis finds Obama has fulfilled 91 and achieved at least partial success with another 33. More than half of his promises have had enough progress to be rated In the Works," write Bill Adair and Angie Drobnic Holan. (Read more)