If or When?

Readers of this blog will have picked up on my interest in 1) presidential campaigns, and 2) language. So it logically follows that I'm interested in the subject of this New York Times report.

It's an age-old issue: how does a presidential candidate refer to the coming four years, when making campaign promises? Should it be "when I'm president" or "if I'm president"?

Different candidates have approached that question differently, but I believe it's true that more have gone the "if" route than have opted for "when".

The upside of using "when" is that it shows confidence. If I recall correctly, Jimmy Carter did that in 1976. That show of confidence was intended to create a sense of inevitability as he emerged as a dark horse from a crowded field.

But "when" can make a candidate sound too cocky. Also, as the Times piece points out, for a front-runner such as Obama, it could potentially contribute to one of the biggest issues for a front-runner: overconfidence.

According to the Times report, both campaigns are trying to stick with "if".