The Flip-Flopper Running For President
No, silly, it's not Kerry. Arianna writes:
The list of Bush major policy U-turns is as audacious as it is long. Among the whiplash-inducing lowlights:In September 2001, Bush said capturing bin Laden was ìour number one priority.î By March 2002, he was claiming, ìI donít know where he is. I have no idea and I really donít care. Itís not that important.î
In October 2001, he was dead-set against the need for a Department of Homeland Security. Seven months later, he thought it was a great idea.
In May 2002, he opposed the creation of the 9/11 Commission. Four months later, he supported it.
During the 2000 campaign, he said that gay marriage was a statesí rights issue: ìThe states can do what they want to do.î During the 2004 campaign, he called for a constitutional ban on gay marriage.
Dizzy yet? No? OK:
Bush supported CO2 caps, then opposed them. He opposed trade tariffs, then he didnít. Then he did again. He was against nation building, then he was OK with it. Weíd found WMD, then we hadnít. Saddam was linked to Osama, then he wasnít. Then he was Ö sorta. Chalabi was in, then he was out. Way out.
In fact, Bushís entire Iraq misadventure has been one big costly, deadly flip-flop:
We didnít need more troops, then we did. We didnít need more money, then we did. Preemption was a great idea ó on to Syria, Iran and North Korea! Then it wasnít ó hello, diplomacy! Baathists were the bad guys, then Baathists were our buds. We didnít need the U.N., then we did.
And all this from a man who, once upon a time, made ìcredibilityî a key to his appeal.
Now, God knows, I have no problem with changing your mind ó so long as you admit that you have and can explain why. But Bush steadfastly ó almost comically ó refuses to admit that thereís been a change, even when the entire world can plainly see otherwise. Heís got his story and heís sticking to it. But that darn Kerry, he keeps shifting his positions!
Of course, the potential flaw in this may be assuming that Bush is doing any thinking at all, and isn't just standing still enough that Cheney and Co. can pull the strings. Clearly, they thought Bush could be puppeteer-free during an elementary school visit a few years back. The minutes Bush spent sitting bewildered, listening to "My Pet Goat," after learning the country was under attack, were particularly chilling.
(via Sheryl Evans)