"All I can do is absolutely promise that these stories were just daft ideas that never - and would never have - got off the drawing board, " he wrote on his blog.

BBC: Pressure mounts on PM over smears

Visio's popular technical drawing program feeds off the Windows operating system--each creating demand for upgrades of the other.

FORBES: Follow-Through

But most of those initiatives have either failed to get off the drawing board, such as the MLEC, which was aimed at relieving banks of their off-balance-sheet liabilities, or they have fallen short, such as the HOPE NOW Alliance for modifying mortgages.

ECONOMIST: Hank Paulson's latest response to the financial crisis

There are numerous types of spacecraft and missions that can be configured in various mix-and-match combinations, and many of which never launched off the drawing boards.

FORBES: The Return of "Buzz Aldrin's Race into Space" Game

Last week, the company also took the wraps off its 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups, drawing mostly positive reviews of the vehicles.

WSJ: GM Shares Lifted by Economy, New Product Launch

On-the-ground surveys reveal that many announced projects are not actually getting off the drawing board, and the reasons for the delays are the widely reported funding constraints.

FORBES: Beijing Opens M2 Spigot, Creates Instant Recovery

"I firmly believe that American voters, when faced with his reckless ideas for spending and tax hikes, will never allow those ideas to even make it off the drawing board, " said Rep. Deborah Pryce of Ohio, the fourth-ranking Republican in the House.

CNN: House Republicans assail Kerry's economics