I Like Sandals, McCain Prefers Flip-Flops

Summer is rapidly approaching, and it looks like John McCain's flip-flops are coming out just in time.  I'm not a huge fan of the whole flip-flop issue, since politicians changing their minds when faced with new facts or new realities should be applauded.  That said, Mitt Romney-style flip-flops are rightfully deplored as pandering by pathetic politicians.

I used to sort-of like McCain.  Not like like, but I thought he was, you know, okay in a Republican sort of way.  Those were back in the days when he held some positions that at least seemed defensible at first glance.

This election season, McCain seems intent on redefining himself, however.  Like Bob Dole a dozen years ago, McCain the candidate is taking a hard right turn away from the positions held by McCain the senator.  First, he did a 180 on the Bush tax cuts, going from sensible skepticism to uncritical support.  FLIP.  Then, he decided that while America should never torture, maybe it would be okay to use enhanced interrogation techniques.  FLOP.  Now, as the Huffington Post's Sam Stein points out, it turns out that his ill-conceived "100 years in Iraq" position is another flip-flop.

McCain, Stein points out, unambiguously stated his opposition to a long-term occupation of Iraq on an episode of Hardball in January 2005.  McCain not only explicitly rejected a Korea-like occupation, he gave a cogent reason against it:

I think one of our big problems has been the fact that many Iraqis resent American military presence

Stein goes even further, suggesting that McCain later reversed himself, supporting the familiar analogy to Korea on the Charlie Rose show in August 2007.  McCain then reverses position again by reverting to his previous view discounting the comparison with Korea, once again on Charlie Rose.

"Do you think that this - Korea, South Korea is an analogy of where Iraq might be," Rose asked in November 2007.

"I don't think so," replied McCain.

"Even if there are no casualties?" Rose chimed in.

"No," said McCain. "But I can see an American presence for a while. But eventually I think because of the nature of the society in Iraq and the religious aspects of it that America eventually withdraws."

It was not until the run-up to the New Hampshire primary, Stein suggests, that McCain finally adopted for good the position that he holds today: an indefinite occupation of Iraq is good for America.

The old John McCain was bad, but not horrible.  The new John McCain is a loon who should never be allowed control over our military.  I don't know whether age, political expediency, or something else is to blame, but the pattern of flip-flopping now seems pretty clear.  These do not seem to be positional shifts in light of new evidence.  The economy isn't prospering because of the tax cuts.  Torture is still morally wrong.  Iraqis still want us out of their country.  No, these are flip-flops, and they need to be brought to light.  Tell your friends.  Tell your neighbors.  McCain isn't resolute.  He isn't principled.   He is an opportunistic politician who flip-flops.  Who is with me?