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Flip-Floppers See Light—Or Just Want Job

Romney and Kerry stand in long line of political mind-changing

By Jonas Oransky, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 18, 2007 8:26 AM CDT

(Newser) – Maybe Mitt Romney and John Kerry should hold their flip-flopping heads high: Changes of mind have furthered the causes of abolition and civil rights over the centuries. Ronald Reagan defiantly claimed his biggest reversal—promising feet “in concrete” about raising taxes, then singing “the sound of concrete cracking” when he hiked them—but flip-floppers are often less than pure.

LBJ had eyes firmly set on the White House when he broke with his white Southern past to broker the 1957 Civil Rights Act, says Time’s Richard Brookhiser. For some politicians though, hypocrisy is the unfortunate part: Sixth president John Quincy Adams rose to the top through favors of Southerners—and then dedicated his post-White House years to fighting slavery.

[Images (4)]

[Videos (3)]

President Johnson signs the historic Civil Rights Act of 1964, despite speaking out against Truman's racial equality measures earlier in his career. (Executive Office of the President; Public Domain)

Republican presidential hopeful former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, right, greets former New York city Mayor Rudy Giuliani, left, before the ABC News Republican presidential debate, Sunday, Aug. 5,... (Associated Press)

As a congressman, James Madison argued for a stronger Federal Government, but as President, was a staunch advocate of States' rights. (Public Domain)

As governor of California, Ronald Reagan was firmly "in concrete" with his promise not to raise income taxes. However, upon entering office he declared it a necessity. (Executive Office of the President; Public Domain)

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Mitt Romney on 60 Minutes with Mike Wallace - Flip Flop Rap (adgadpad (YouTube))

Reality Check: Romney and Clinton Flip-Flop (realitycheck2008 (YouTube))

George Hebert Walker Bush's infamous "Read my lips: no more taxes" remark, was negated two years later by his actions in office. (Me3202093 (YouTube))

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Flip-Floppers See Light—Or Just Want Job