The President had backed him up.

Environmentalists, to no one's surprise, attacked the wetlands and dioxin proposals and asserted that the President was backing away from pledges he made in the campaign.

But the President has steadily backed away.

The President had clearly backed away from embracing the initial Brady recommendations.

Early signs weren't good, as the President backed away from a shift in Federal land policy and allowed a toxic waste incinerator in Ohio.

He is a keen supporter of the envoy option, which the President backed during his election campaign and his recommendations will be viewed as highly influential.

But similarly, let no one believe that the President has ever backed away from his belief that the people of Nicaragua deserve a chance for democracy.

Now, suddenly, the President backs several amendments to strengthen the Justice Department's hand in prosecution and bolster its forces.

But Crimea's new President has backed away from his promise to hold a referendum on seceding from Ukraine.

The opposition got so far ahead that many expected the President to back away from Nafta.