I am confident that many of us have photo shopped someone out of a “favorite” picture before; trying to rid ourselves of bad memories.

Someone who had deceived us perhaps? Perhaps someone who failed to meet our expectations and failed to keep their promises?

The problem with this is that we can never really get over a bad experience or failed expectations just because we have “cropped” someone out of a picture.

Broken promises, failed expectations, outright deceit and dishonesty; these are all valid reasons for us to try to “remove” someone from our past.

Sadly, this is precisely President Obama’s campaign strategy for 2012.

But, just like a poorly cropped picture, Obama’s failed presidency hangs around his neck; it just won’t go away.

Obama doesn’t seem to understand that he can’t hide from his failures. He can’t run from his past words.

Team Obama wants us to forget about his now prophetic statement in an interview with Matt Lauer: “I will be held accountable. I’ve got four years…if I don’t have this done in three years, then there’s going to be a one-term proposition.”

These are the words of President Obama himself. His prophecy might well be unfolding before his very eyes.

Ironically, President Obama has taken to the campaign trail running against the very Washington establishment that he oversees.

What happened to the optimistic hopeful fellow with the charming smile who promised so many positive things five years ago, how he was going to change the harsh, partisan tone of our nation's capital and bring the country together as its first African American president?

In 2008, Barack Obama promised he would put an end to the type of politics that “breeds division and conflict and cynicism” and he would help us “rediscover our bonds to each other and get out of this constant, petty bickering that’s come to characterize our politics.”

Remember his statement in 2007? “I don't want to pit Red America against Blue America. I want to be President of the United States of America.”

How about his now hallow words in 2010? “We can’t expect to solve our problems if all we do is tear each other down. You can disagree with a certain policy without demonizing the person who espouses it. You can question somebody’s views and their judgment without questioning their motives or their patriotism.”

Or, one of my favorites from Obama in 2009: “With the magnitude of the challenges we face right now, what we need in Washington are not more political tactics -- we need more good ideas. We don't need more point-scoring -- we need more problem-solving.”

What ideas?

I was never really fond of candidate Obama in 2008; I reluctantly voted for him.

But, I think that many Americans who voted for Obama would take him back any day over the empty political vessel that occupies the White House now.

Few American presidents have dashed so many popular, deeply embedded illusions.

Lacking a popular record of accomplishment, and having betrayed his reputation for bipartisan hope and change, Obama has no other choice but to run away from his record.

This self proclaimed reformer has become nothing more than a classic politician who broke promises and compromised what once seemed like lofty ideals.

Well, it’s highly unlikely that many Americans, most importantly the growing number of independent voters, will fall for Obama’s political tactics of distraction.

Obama and his team cannot escape the facts:

•The worst recovery in U.S. history, 42 consecutive months of 8 plus percent unemployment, declining economic growth, and accumulated debt of more than $5 trillion.

•The standard of living for Americans has fallen longer and more steeply over the past three years than at any time since the U.S. government began recording it 50 years ago.

•The average individual now has less in disposable income than he or she did three years ago at the onset of the Great Recession – even though the recession ended in mid-2009.

•The Misery Index — which is the sum of the country’s inflation and unemployment rates —has risen to 13.0 percent, a 28-year high.

•A staggering number of Americans, almost 26 million, are either unemployed, marginally attached to the labor force, or involuntarily working part-time—a number experts say is unprecedented.

Obama cannot deny the facts, the data.

He cannot deny he’s been president for more than three years now. He has no one else to blame; no matter how hard he tries to demonize others.

He cannot deny by his own measurements and promises that the economy is performing much more poorly than he said it would.

He hasn’t gotten it done. In fact, in many respects, we’ve gone in reverse.

Our problems remain massive, and Obama has given Americans no confidence whatsoever in his ability to lead this nation.

Mr. Obama: You can run but you can’t hide.