New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio responded to accusations that he had “stolen” a slogan from President Donald Trump by claiming that the phrase he used — “Promises made, promises kept” — was commonplace.
President Trump began using the slogan just weeks into his presidency in order to draw attention to accomplishments made in the early days of his administration.
Trump campaign team has new signage here in Kentucky. Especially apt for discussion about Obamacare repeal. pic.twitter.com/o7JVHRfWzV
— Julie Bykowicz (@bykowicz) March 20, 2017
So when the same phrase popped up on a sign behind Mayor de Blasio, a few eyebrows went up.
So Mayor De Blasio is using the same slogan as Trump?
“Promises Made Promises Kept”
Photo by @Jill_Jorgensen pic.twitter.com/56BjagIhKD
— Yashar Ali (@yashar) August 20, 2018
President Trump joined in, claiming that de Blasio’s use of the slogan showed a lack of imagination and wasn’t “nice.”
Bill DeBlasio, the high taxing Mayor of NYC, just stole my campaign slogan: PROMISES MADE PROMISES KEPT! That’s not at all nice. No imagination! @foxandfriends
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2018
But de Blasio said he wasn’t looking at Trump’s use of the slogan when he decided to use it. His spokesman Eric Phillips told the New York Daily News that it was purely coincidental. “This is stupid. It is not novel rhetoric,” he explained.
And the slogan has been used before, as some pointed out on Twitter.
Trump accusing DeBlasio of stealing his campaign slogan. Engler used it in 1990s I know for a fact as a 90s kid Michigander with weird memory (pretty sure when he went against Fieger). Tagging Fox and Friends in his tweet is hilarious, “hey guys here’s your 10:30 a.m. segment.”
— Benjamin Raven (@BenjaminSRaven) August 21, 2018
Actually, it goes back at least to Hubert Humphrey in 1968. Hope you’re having a nice day. https://t.co/R890dA9vJo
— Jillian Jorgensen (@Jill_Jorgensen) August 21, 2018
And a few pointed out that Trump’s 2016 campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again,” was used by Ronald Reagan in 1980.
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