One of the worst insults that can be hurled at a politician at election time is that he or she has “flip-flopped” on an issue or policy item or stance.
On the face of it, that’s ridiculous. Times and issues and nuances and factors and knowledge and experience all change. There are political opinions I held five, ten, twenty years ago that I believe differently about today. That’s called growth and (one hopes) wisdom.
Where I think the “flip-flop” rhetoric has some potential traction is in one of two cases:
1. Where it appears that the politician in question is changing their opinion, not because of a reasoned investigation or an honest re-evaluation, but because it is politically expedient. Mitt Romney, trying to appeal to the conservative base in the GOP, was accused of flip-flopping on abortion because he “conveniently” changed his tune from his recent political stance. The jury is out as to whether McCain’s appeal to the Right is convenient flip-flopping or a revelation of where he’s always been (or a combination thereof).
2. Where the politician is always (or at least now) framing the question in terms of some Epic Battle Between Right and Wrong, vilifying and demonizing the opposition for not believing what is True and Right and Correct … and, it turns out, when the politician in question was actually of that different opinion once upon a time, which is never mentioned by him or her.
I mean, it’s one thing to say, “I believe this, my opponent believes that, and he’s just plain wrong, not to mention stupid,” and to say, “I believe this. I used to believe that, but I now think that was wrong, and it was wrong for me to believe that then and it’s wrong for my opponent to believe it now.” The latter is honest; the former is simply hypocritical.
In short, it’s okay to flip-flop (at least once). But when you do, be honest about it, be up front, admit you held a different opinion, and recognize that (obviously) well-meaning people can feel differently, just like you once did. That’s the best way to defuse (I’d think) those sorts of accusations.
This also comes into play with a VP pick. Especially if your pick was a former primary opponent, chances are they’ve called you a booger-head (or questioned your judgment on various issues) during the earlier campaign. How does your new VP running-mate justify standing beside you?
Well, hopefully, if they had any thought to being VP, their rhetoric wasn’t take-no-prisoners at the time. But the best way to address those distinctions is openly and honestly. “I believe X. The guy whose ticket I’m running in believes Y. There’s actually not that much difference, especially compared to what those guys over on the other side of the aisle believe — but where there is a difference, I’m now the VP candidate and I don’t consider it a moral or personal betrayal to stand behind the Presidential candidate’s views, to let them know when I feel differently, but to carry out their policy as best I can.”
That’s not flip-flopping, any more than doing what your boss tells you, even if you disagree with it, is flip-flopping. But it is a good cautionary tale about why being too cut-throat during the primary season can land you on the beach for the final run. I think that’s a big reason why the oft-longed-for Obama/Clinton ticket could never have happened; temperamentally, neither wanted the second tier job, but more importantly, the opposition between the two of them was too intense up to the very end to let it seem like anything short of an unseemly capitulation.
Now, with time, that mellows, which is why Lincoln was able to get away with having his biggest Republican rivals serve in his cabinet. I can see that happening in the next Administratoin, potentially. But, again, that’s not simply a matter of flip-flopping, but lining up behind the leader to the extent that you can. And that’s actually a good thing, a demonstration of how the system works, and how people who are not necessarily in full agreement can work together toward a greater good.
Which is kind of a refreshing thought, once you think about it.