Campaign '04: The War Of The Flip Flops

Both candidates have made their share of course corrections-- so why is Kerry seen as the bigger waffler, and how will he fight back?

Consistency is one of those qualities that act like a virtue without necessarily being one. While we would like our Presidents to be consistently wise, it is the wisdom we are really after. But consistency and its cousin certainty still hold a sacred place in our politics. The charge that a candidate has flip-flopped on some position is not a political attack so much as a personal one. It is less about the issues being debated than about the instincts being revealed, about honor and honesty and nerve under fire. How tight the label sticks depends a lot on the impression...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!