<p>He certainly believes in “evolution”. Evolution of his positions that is. </p>
<p>How convenient that, when he considered a political run in Utah, he reversed his long-standing pro-choice position and claimed to be pro-life. Then, when he picked up his carpet bag to enter Mass. politics, how convenient that he reverted back to pro-choice. And, my how convenient that, just as he was wrapping up his term in Mass and putting together his presidential run, he realized the errors of his ways and became steadfastly pro-life. 10 to 1 that he would flip back again in a general election.</p>
<p>He stands for nothing. The quintessential empty suit stepford candidate.</p>
<p>Zoosermom, I did get caught up in too many double negatives, didn’t I?</p>
<p>It’s a fine question. (Belief in evolution.) I don’t think debates should have to cater only to the base of the respective parties. The centrists may be interested.</p>
<p>It’s a fine question. (Belief in evolution.) I don’t think debates should have to cater only to the base of the respective parties. The centrists may be interested.</p>
<p>That better? "</p>
<p>Yes ma’am and thank you for responding so kindly! I was afraid when asking (because I really wasn’t sure) that you would think I was being snarky and get upset.</p>
<p>“Romney, the I’ve changed my position on practically everything now that I’m not running in Massachusetts Romney? Came off best?”</p>
<p>I think so. Best is not the same thing as saying that I think he was the most perfect candidate in the history of the universe. I know Rudy personally – actually worked at the same firm as he and was involved in one of his mayoral campaigns – and would, generally speaking, find him my most favorable candidate, but as I said, I don’t think he did particularly well last night.</p>
<p>I assume you are talking about Sen. Clinton?</p>
<p>I’m not aware of her changing her positions on major issues over a long career in political/policy life. In fact, she’s taken a good deal of heat for not renouncing her vote on the Iraq war authorization.</p>
<p>She has become a bit more pragmatic. For example, I think she would probably push more more incremental (and politically achievable) objectives in health care policy today…a lesson learned from over-reaching the first time around.</p>
<p>I also think that it would be difficult to pin the “empty-suit” moniker on Hillary Clinton.</p>
<p>I’d be interested in any specific flip-flops you can identify.</p>
<p>Any candidate who doesn’t believe that evolution doesn’t possess one of what I would consider to be essential skills for a president: being able to separate fact from fiction.</p>
<p>“I’d be interested in any specific flip-flops you can identify”</p>
<p>I didn’t say that. The quote of yours that I was responding to was “stands for nothing.” Please don’t attribute to me words that I don’t use or imply. Thank you.</p>
<p>OK. Then give me some “stands for nothing”?</p>
<p>For all of Clinton’s adult life, she’s been involved in children’s issues, starting with the Children’s Defense Fund and continuing through her children’s health care legislation in the Senate.</p>
<p>She’s been consistently and unequivocably pro-choice.</p>
<p>She’s been consistently and unequivocably pro civil rights. Pro labor. Pro health care reform. Pro education.</p>
<p>If Sen. Clinton “stands for nothing”, then her detractors sure must have it wrong. I thought the knock on her was she does “stand for things”.</p>
<p>She and Bill have positioned themselves as centrist Democrats since they moved to Arkansas. Bill ran as the DLC candidate for President 14 years ago. I agree that positioning as a centrist Democrat is expedient (although not necessarily in the Democratic primaries), but it’s been expendient over an entire career in public life. After x number of decades of consistent expediency, you kind of just have to accept that it’s the real political philosophy. I mean, we don’t really KNOW that Pat Buchanon is a conservative. It could be all an act.</p>
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<p>You are aware that she was quoting a southern gospel hymn, right?</p>
<p>“I agree that positioning as a centrist Democrat is expedient (although not necessarily in the Democratic primaries), but it’s been expendient over an entire career in public life.”</p>
<p>I disagree. Why is it so difficult to just accept that someone has a different point of view (this is not directed to you, personally, and is not rhetorical) and let it go? I share my experience/opinion, you share yours, fine. Why does it so often happen here that names get called, words get twisted and other such things? I don’t feel the need to change anyone’s opinion of anything and am just happy to hear things that I didn’t know before.</p>
<p>It’s the way the hymn is written. For example, how would you say:</p>
<p>“Ya’ll go’in’ fish’n?”</p>
<p>It’s like reading French. You kind of have to make an attempt, no matter how butchered, to “do” the French accent.</p>
<p>I will be the first to agree that New Yawkers, under no circumstances, should attempt a Southern accent. But, it’s not like she went to Selma and delivered an entire speech in an accent.</p>
<p>It seems to me that if I say “Mitt Romney is nothing but a flip-flopper”, I should be prepared to give at least one example of a signficant reversal of opinion. Otherwise, it’s just name-calling, not real political discussion of candidates.</p>
<p>"It seems to me that if I say “Mitt Romney is nothing but a flip-flopper”, </p>
<p>It seems fine to ask if you’d like to share the basis for your opinion if, in fact, you did say that. However, no one should ask you to justify something you didn’t say, and no one should be on a mission to change your opinion, no matter why you hold it. It also seems fine to me that sometimes one wants to debate in serious depth and sometimes one might want to just “chat,” more to listen than to argue. I guess what I’m saying is that sometimes people (not specifically you) who post on these threads get waaaaay too intense for something as casual as a message board. (Coming from the perspective of someone who had her feelings hurt on this particular board this week and still doesn’t know why, so take this from where it comes, ok?)</p>