> As if McCain isn't "flip-flopping" left and right. The whole idea of "flip-flopping" is sensible only to the shallow and ignorant.

You... accuse McCain of flip-flopping... half a sentence before pointing out that doing so is shallow and ignorant.

Ah.

> From what I understand that's a sign of mental illness...

If 'anonymous guy' thinks so, surely this must be true!

Point taken. You and Casey? seem to have missed the crux of my post, though: I was commending Sen. Obama on his 'flipping' to a more realist position. Mr. Fiore, talented cartoonist that he is, unfortunately took it upon himself to criticize Sen. McCain for his oil lobby campaign financing and drilling expansion.

"Why, it's terrible!" Cried the forumites, "It will never work. It's big oil screwing us again. Phooey on McCain!"

This, shortly before Obama declared his intentions to do the same thing. I certainly don't fault him for this; he's being realistic. Big oil is not the culprit, as I railed about weeks ago. I do, however, find it curious that an eerie silence has settled over the forumites that once so vociferously wailed out against Big Oil. On this particular issue, I also give McCain credit for being (more) straightforward with his intentions from the outset instead of dithering through half his campaign and then changing his mind.

The forumites also seem to have confused flip-flopping with adaptability. Adaptability implies that change has occurred either in the situation itself or in one's informed perception of the situation. Nothing on the energy front changed between McCain's 'horrid pandering to Big Oil', and Obama's 'reasonable willingness to explore an energy transition period'. McCain acted first; he acted rightly (in this case). Obama deserves credit only for changing his mind.

The 'flopping' part comes if Obama decides to eschew Big Oil again when the political wind so blows. Flopping implies that the situation has changed and then reverted (I suppose it can happen), or a candidate can't make up his mind. 'Can't make up his mind' typically means won't make up his mind, since he's playing politics. And 'playing politics' typically means that his perception of the situation follows public opinion rather than economic reality. And you'll excuse me if I point out how dire the (U.S. especially) economic reality is, and how few people seem to know about it.

So laugh it up at 'Hillbilly McCain'. He obviously doesn't care what you think, and neither will any of the 'undecided' voters if it becomes too obvious that you'll support whatever Obama supports and denounce whatever McCain supports, regardless of what those things might be. You guys can win this election if you don't screw it up (as you seem rather eager to do).

And you might want to tone down the 'shallow and ignorant' rhetoric. Mr. Fiore has accused the Dems of flip-flopping in many of his fine toons.

- COTO

P.S. I was being sarcastic with that whole 'rich white-guy' thing. Aren't you the same guy that wails his head off about 'racial profiling', though?

P.P.S. It's 'inane', Casey. This was the inevitable 'inane' riposte. ;)

Ture facts. My old history teacher had a sign that said, "If you can't change your mind, are you sure you still have one?" It is time to move past Flip-flop, of course peoples minds change with new information and time.
Casey?
In an effort to stop an inevitable and innane counter post not his tax dollars, COTO is a Canadian.