Speaking of the flip-flop counter, are you going to move that project over to a Washington Monthly URL, or is it going to stay at Carpetbagger?

I'm just relieved to see Kerrey saying something negative about McCain for a change, instead of sounding like one of his surrogates.

This is true, but there's a danger in hitting it too hard, which is that it might reinforce what McCain would like the center of the electorate to think: McCain is really moderate, but he has to appease the conservatives to get elected. Once he gets in, he'll govern like the moderate that we were told he was back in 2000.

Alternative phrasing: people say they hate panderers, but they love being pandered to.

If McCain's pow status is so impressive, why did the R's reject him in 2000 for someone who avoided serving in vietnam?

Sure, McCain's record does "speak for itself" but unless "we" push the point, the MSMemia will continue to be under the "straigh-talk" meme/mythos/story arc and let it run by. Then too, there's in the tank members of the SCLM like Rove-kisser Ron "Keep up the fight" [against people like *us*] Fournier:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/14/aps-ron-fournier-to-karl_n_112696.html

How darling, AP tries to sweep away the flipflops by glossing over most and giving McCain a flattering last word.

I guess Ms. Sidoti and Mr. Fournier aren't the only ones in the tank at AP. It's a systemic thing

Per Kryptik's comment. The AP seems to be on a mission to "question" as much as they can about Obama/Biden while running puff pieces on McCain (see the latest about how McCain's struggles during the early part last summer have kept him "humble")

Yahoo has these AP feeds prominently displayed every day. The "liberal" media bias strikes again

The term "drinking the Kool-Aid" is extremely offensive to many people, as it is a disrespectful reference to the Jonestown massacre. The fact that this phrase is generally accepted is bad enough, but a presidential candidate referring to "drinking the Kool-Aid" is particularly offensive.

I guess it's okay if you're John McCain.

"...that somehow I have changed positions on the issues. All I can say is that we all grow. We all grow wiser. And we all refine our positions."
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So, he's grown, he's wiser, and he's refined some positions, but he hasn't changed any positions?

The logic is perfect for the base. They get lost at about 359 degrees and can't recognize he's just argued in a circle - effectively explaining that he has changed positions simultaneously denying this fact.

I hope AmeriCAN's don't choose this guy.

"They're drinking the Kool-Aid that somehow I have changed positions on the issues."
----------------

"In my life I've experienced times where I wasn't permitted to change positions, literally!"

Perhaps the best indication that he is flipping for political reasons is that he gives no reason for his change in position. This is in contrast to someone like Walter Jones of NC, who gives clear reasons for changing his view of the Iraq war. If anyone ever asked McCain what has made him change his mind on any given position, he'd probably just stand there for a minute with his jaw working up and down before saying, "no more questions". I'd love to hear someone ask him what specifically he has seen with the economy in the last 8 years that made him support the Bush tax cuts. Not some idealogical bs, but what has he actually seen happen in the economy to make him change.

John McCain: I did not spend five years in the Hanoi Hilton.....
The American People: I don't see any connection to Vietnam, John.
John McCain: Well, there isn't a literal connection.
The American People: John, face it, there isn't any connection..... Everything's a fuckin' travesty with you, man! And what was all that shit about Vietnam? What the FUCK, has anything got to do with Vietnam? What the fuck are you talking about?

Actually, I think 'cynical shifts for political gain' are the best kind of flip-flop. It means that the candidate is likely to go back to his original positions once he achieves office.

What worries me more are the positions McCain in which has been consistent -- namely, eternal war against anyone who gets him mad.

So why do McCain's flip-flops matter? Because all available evidence suggests his reversals aren't sincere, they're cynically calculated for political gain.

Hell, even if they weren't calculated for political gain, it would still seriously undermine any argument for McCain being President.

If you're going to vote someone into the most powerful office in the world, and you don't have reason to know if he'll believe the same things in two years that he says he believes now, then friends, you've got trouble, right here in River City.

If he's changing all his positions for reasons of political convenience, then there's at least the possibility that he's an 'honest politician' - the kind who, once bought, stays bought.

I've got no objection to a candidate's 'refining' some positions, and even reversing one or two. But by the time he's 70 years old, and running for the Presidency, he ought to know where he stands on most things. He shouldn't be reversing himself on literally dozens of positions on major issues like Iraq, Gitmo, tax cuts, and Social Security.

says Hart. "McCain's gyrations have more to do with figuring out his own party than anything else. ... He's had to sublimate for obvious reasons."

Sublimate? Now that's the way to get a pithy hard-hitting sound byte out there. Not.

How about just "lie".

Dale

"Get as far out as you can and start from there."

One need not "drink the Kool Aid" to notice this. McCain's contradictory record speaks for itself.

That's outrageous -- why, when he was a POW McCain couldn't even have a policy position! And now you're criticizing him for having two at once?!?!

Steve...I haven't seen anyone posting remarks made by Bush against McCain during the 2000 race. An example...this youtube vid with Bush calling out McCain for his lobbying ties: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZGanXje3UE

If McCain can use democrats' words against Obama, let's return the favor!

Of course, you have to HAVE articulated positions on issues in the first place in order to "flip-flop" to a different position. So Obama should be pretty safe.

It's hilarious to hear Juan McClone and Obama talking about "patriotism" when both of them favor giving the country away to Mexican. Two pieces of crap.

We need an ad.

Opening piece: "We have an energy crisis. What to do? Obama can say what he wants, but John McCain has gotten personally involved. Every single opinion he has ever had on any issue is now a wind turbin, and he is flip-flop-spinning to help America."

Camera pans backwards, to show abortion, religion, and every possible opinion about anything painted on windmills, spinning madly, with Mccain quotes contradicting himself being played below.

McCain was a rebel as a Midshipman, he was a rebel in the Navy (unable to be promoted) and he was a rebel in the Senate. The question is whether the positions have ever been important. I am beginning to think being a rebel is all that mattered and he has few deeply held positions on any topic. It is far easier to become confused on a subject when you don't really have a solid position and have merely spent your Senate years being contrary.

He's worse than George Bush.

Every Presidential campaign brings out charges of flip flopping. Papa Bush made Clinton's "waffling" the centerpiece of his campaign. It didn't do him any good. It never does. Far better to focus on the issues. McCain was right and now he's wrong.

Let's talk about McCain's lack of conviction: he was right on many issues and knuckled under and voted against his opinions in solidarity with the Republican Senate--issues like torture, Iraq, and Habeas Corpus. That's not flip flopping, it's moral cowardice. If McCain, who was tortured, knuckled on that issue, what won't he do for expediency's sake and why should be trust him at all?

John McCain:

He enjoys fist fighting, drinking alcohol and adultery.
He hates education, rules and authority figures. He suffers from a clinical anger management neurosis.
As a young adult, he destroyed 4 military aircraft, and murdered countless Vietnamese civilians.
While in prison, torture was agreeable to him.
He divorced his faithful wife of 15 years, and prematurely married a rich drug addict 17 years her junior.
He is popular with the fawning media.
He is feared by his own children.
As a US Senator and Congressman, he succeeded in restricting Indian gambling, and was well known for doing favors for convicted bank robbers.
He will say anything to get elected.

"Drinking the Kool-Aid" refers to an excess of credulity, not skepticism. McCain's trying to use a phrase that the kids use, but mangling it just like George H.W. Bush (saying "lighten up" (about some Dem dog and pony show at the home of Pamela Harriman) when the right phrase was something more like "get real").

The only thing obvious about this commentary is the author's bias. Compared the recent record of the presumptive democratic candidate, McCain is rock steady.

Regarding the list:

#52 is a good thing since that bill would let foreign citizens who are here illegally take college educations away from U.S. citizens; it's no surprise that many Democrats support it.
#53 is misleading since bills change over time as others add and remove things.
#54 is misleading because the positions aren't incompatible.
Benen shouldn't worry: McCain, Bush, the Mexican government, and Obama all support the same basic amnesty, they only differ in how they want to get it.

Pretty funny--three of 74 policy reversals are judged maybe not complete hypocrisy, and this is considered "moderate." Lots of trolls tonight. I hate the GOP right now, and their evil machinations are beyond wearisome.

It is really sad, but Margaret Thatcher was displaying some of the same forgetfulness and confusion 10 years ago at the age of 72, she is now completely unaware of anything, she does not remember her husband is dead, or where she is, she has full fledged dementia. I know a lot of people are worried about McCain and why his time with the press has been limited. This is really scary and something that should be brought front and foremost in this election.