The Art of the Flip Flop

The BBC has done a great piece on how both major party candidates, McCain and Obama, have changed their stances on issues or flip flopped.  We all remember John Kerry’s classic line from the 2004 Presidential Election, “I was for it, before I was against it.”

The article breaks down 5 areas where both candidates have switched or “augmented” their already carefully crafted responses to the issues.

McCain is hammered on: Immigration, Christian Right, Interrogation rules, Guantanamo, Oil Drilling

Obama is held to the fire on: Campaign Finance, Surveillance program, Gun Control, Iraq, Free Trade. 

So the question is no longer who is actually “flip flopping” but which candidates flip flop will hurt them the most come November?

McCain’s flip on his issues isn’t as potentially acidic as Obama’s.  None of the issues outside of Immigration are very polarizing for voters.  However Obama has been campaigning since the beginning of this election cycle on the premise that he has been against the Iraq War the entire time and would immediately start bringing home troops if he became President. “Obama’s Iraq plan calls for an immediate, gradual redeployment of troops that would leave only a small number in the country to conduct counterterrorism operations and protect diplomats.”

If his stance on Iraq were to change this could be very damaging for his credibility especially when put in concert with the other “flip flops.” 

But whatever it’s all BS.