The real issue is that overturning the patriot act is a red herring, for two reasons. One, a president cannot overturn a law that has already been enacted. He can veto a law that Congress passes while he is president, but not one that existed when he was elected. So he simply cannot "repeal" the Patriot Act. To promise to do so would be absurd.

Second, most of the Patriot Act will expire at the end of 2005. That was built into the law. So to promise "I will repeal the Patriot Act" would really be a promise to convince a Republican-dominated Congress to repeal it within one year of being elected. He would be setting himself to fail to make such a promise.