I'm not sure how much reassurance that was intended to convey.
All this uncertainty is part of why many commentators and many people would say it is so unwise to run large deficits during non-recessionary times. If you're in an expanding economy and times are, relatively speaking, at least not recessionary, ought not the government run a balanced budget as promised or at least try to come as close as they can so that, if there is an unforseen downturn, there is fiscal capacity to deal with it?