ear. Now nearly everyone with the ability to rub two words together is tossing out criticism of John McCain and his offshore drilling stance as well as Barack Obama's decision to forego public funding for his campaign. Depending on your persuasion, you will argue that your candidate's opponent is "flip-flopping" which, of course, is intended to mean they are indecisive, or worse - they change with the political winds.
I won't speculate on either candidate's motive but I will say that changing your mind on an issue is not all that bad. We all do it at times once we get more information, or talk to others, or even just ruminate on it a little more. The candidates get skewered when, after consideration and maybe some new information, they change their views on an issue. If we couldn't change our minds, or be influenced by other arguments, or see another's point of view, then any further discussion and discourse would ever be necessary.
I, for one, am glad that Obama has decided not to take the taxpayer funding. As he says, he is still getting "public" funding, only now it's voluntary. McCain's change of heart on offshore drilling is also a good one. He should go farther and push for more drilling in many places in the U.S. but that's a topic for another post.
Changing one's mind, even on major issues, should be looked at carefully to be sure that it is not just pandering but we should be glad that some are not stuck in their "hidebound" ideologies and can have the courage to admit their first stance may have been wrong, or at least wrong in the current times. That signifies a greater leader than one who will not budge from a view that is now out of touch. I think both candidates have this ability to listen carefully and maybe be persuaded to consider the other person's view.
Blind Faith should exist only as the name of a band.
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