As much as I like McCain, his Military record of service and his dedication to this country; he is still a flip flopper.  Obama … well, as much as I admire his charisma and charm; he is also a flip flopper. 

Let’s face it. All politicians are flip floppers – moderates, republicans, democrats, liberals, and conservatives. It’s a fact and it’s normal. In time, we all grow, change our minds, and alter our perspectives on certain issues depending on our every day experiences. But the question we need to ask ourselves is “how often are they flip flopping?� and “what are we willing to accept as a normal change in one’s mind?�

The reality is that a flip flop can either be a “valid change� in a politicians mind or just a political maneuver to “tell the people what they want to hear in order to get elected.�
In this years, 2008 Presidential Election, both McCain and Obama are guilty. Let’s examine and they you can make your own assumptions as to their true motives.

John McCain

We all know that McCain has always been on the moderate side of the political spectrum, but since his unofficial Republican nomination, he as adopted more of a conservative slant on immigration, interrogation, Guantanamo, Oil drilling to name a few. 

In regards to immigration, McCain was one of the key supporters of President Bush’s plan of a “comprehensive immigration reform”, which would have created “paths to citizenship” for illegal immigrants, while investing more money in border security.

The plan was not so popular with conservative Republicans, and the Senate succeeded in blocking the plan. And just recently and throughout the primaries, McCain announced that his immigration focus would be on securing America’s borders, rather than on giving illegal immigrants the chance to become US citizens.

“I understand why you would call it a, quote, shift,” McCain told reporters in November 2007, “I say it is a lesson learned about what the American people’s priorities are. And their priority is to secure the borders.” Verdict: He changed his mind.

Since securing the Republican nomination, McCain - one of only a few prominent Republicans to accept the argument that humans are causing global warming - has dropped his previous objection to lifting the ban on oil exploration off the coast of the United States. Verdict: Not too sure about this one.

McCain was one of the most vocal Republican voices opposed to the Bush administration’s detention policy in Guantanamo Bay. As a previous POW (Prisoner of War) in Vietnam, I can understand and appreciate his position.  But when the Supreme Court recently ruled that Guantanamo detainees have the right to challenge their detention in US civilian courts, McCain described it as “one of the worst decisions in the history of the country“. Verdict: He really flip flopped on this one.

More recently, McCain changed his position by supporting a bill exempting the CIA from following the same rules on interrogation as the US Army. I am glad he flip flopped on this one because I agree with it; but he still flip flopped. Verdict: Totally Flip flopped.

During his 2000 bid for the Republican nomination, relations between McCain and Christian Coalition founder Jerry Falwell were notoriously damaged. McCain described Falwell and fellow members of the Christian right as “agents of intolerance“.

But in 2006, McCain delivered the commencement address at Falwell’s Liberty University, after which he attended a small private party hosted by his former political adversary. Verdict: Not really a flip flop. It was an estranged relationship and they reconciled.  And, it was 6 years later.

Barack Obama

Since ousting Hillary for the Democratic nomination, Obama is also guilty of flip flopping among many many other things. : )

Obama has found more change he can believe in — as in changing his position on a fundamental issue: campaign finance.  Just last month, he announced that he won’t be participating in public funding of the general election — the first candidate of either party to take that step since federal financing was inaugurated after the 1970s Watergate scandal.

A few weeks ago, he announced that he would be rejecting public financing for his campaign, and would instead rely on private donations.

Obama was asked in a presidential campaign questionnaire in November: “If you are nominated for president in 2008 and your major opponents agree to forgo private funding in the general election campaign, will you participate in the presidential public financing system?”

“Yes,” Obama responded in writing. “If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election.”  McCain accused Obama of “going back on his word”, although Obama insisted that he had never made a promise to stay in the public finance system. Obama’s words above sound about as close to a promise as you can make without actually using the word promise. Verdict: Flat out flip flopper.

Obama also raised liberal eyebrows when he announced that he would not be opposing a bill going through Congress giving immunity to telephone companies involved in the Bush’s wiretap program. His decision angered many of his left wing (moveon.org type folks) supporters, who accused him of going back on his 2007 pledge “to support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies”. Verdict: Flat out flip flopper and I think Moveon.org agrees with me on this one.

When the Supreme Court decided to overturn Washington DC’s handgun ban, Obama declared that the ruling “provided much needed guidance”, despite having previously argued (in a written answer that he says was drafted by an aide and which he had not approved) that the ban was constitutional. Verdict: Flip flop, plain and simple.

“Bring the troops homeâ€? from an unjust war that “I never supported from the beginningâ€? has been the song and dance from the Obama campaign; and was an issue that set him apart from other Democratic candidates running for the party’s presidential nomination. Since his campaign began, however, conditions in Iraq have dramatically changed - violence has reduced and there is more stability in the region. 

Obama himself has announced that he plans to visit Iraq, where he will make “a thorough assessment” which could lead him to “refine” his policy. Some critics have seized on this as an indication that Obama is laying the groundwork for a change in position. Verdict: He could actually be changing his mind about the situations in Iraq

Obama recently hinted to Fortune magazine that his strong anti-free trade rhetoric during the primaries may not have reflected his actual trade policy should he become the President.  His remarks reflect the pressures and temptations that lead politicians to shift their positions during the process of running for office. “Sometimes during campaigns the rhetoric gets overheated and amplified,” he said, “Politicians are always guilty of that, and I don’t exempt myself.” At least he can admit it and I give him kudos for that. Verdict: Flip flop, clearly.

Tags: Campaign finance, free trade, Iraq, gun control, interrogation techniques, Guantanamo, surveillance program, off shore drilling, flip flopping, flip floppers, McCain, Obama, free trade