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Schwarzenegger: 'Flip-Flopping Is Getting a Bad Rap'

July 13, 2008 12:08 PM

On "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" this morning, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was talking about how Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has been moving towards the center, and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., would, in his view, hopefully start doing so.

"In politics out there, they always say, 'Well, now, I don't know anymore what he really stands for.  He has just changed his mind...'" Schwarzenegger said.

"Flip-flopper," said George.

"'...and he's flip-flopping' and all those kinds of things," the Republican governor continued. "Let me tell you something.  Flip-flopping is getting a bad rap, because I think it is great.  Someone has made a mistake.  I mean, someone has, for 20 or 30 years, been in the wrong place with his idea and with his ideology and says, 'You know something?  I changed my mind.  I am now for this.' As long as he's honest or she's honest, I think that is a wonderful thing.  You can change your mind...

"I have changed my mind on things and there is nothing wrong with it," Schwarzenegger continued. "But I'd just say to the people, I'd say, 'Look, I once felt this way.  Now I think this way,' end of story."

- jpt

July 13, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (65)

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why hasn't aistria called for schwarzenegger's extradition? he is a deserter from the austrian army.

ted kennedy fixed it so this shameless unindicted felon was granted citizenship.

has this human steroid ever been to wisconsin? how did he get a college degree from the UNiv of wisconsin-superior?

Posted by: deroy | Jul 14, 2008 9:32:06 PM

Obama is not a flip flopper
He's more like a flg that flaps whichever the wind blows
But after election wind will fly left all times
Shows what kind of people vote Dem as the excused Clinton and approve of Obama
lying to get elected.
shows alot of character flaws

Posted by: mm | Jul 14, 2008 8:42:59 PM

If any of you lived in my area you'd realize how dangerous the Dems are to an economy
I will not even comment on National Security
The Dems have run my stste and city forever and results are?
2nd pooest city in nation
2nd highest taxes in nation
tempory sales tax increases that have never gone away
deficit budgets
county and city under control boards
62% of employed by government by way of city county state plus all those town village and so on
public employees with 10 wks vacation
hundreds of sick hours 6 1/2 hr work days and 13-16 paid holidays
steady poulation drain meaning more taxes and fees
some of the highest energy rates in country like .62 cent a gallon tax
plus my county tax rate is per dollar not gallon/nice windfall for them
free healthcare for children but if kid qualifies so do parents up to about 50,000
In a way i hope Obama is elected
I want the rest of the Usa to feel this pain

Posted by: mm | Jul 14, 2008 8:36:13 PM

I think it is critical that you re-evaluate your position some times. It will either confirm your position is correct or that you may have overlooked some point of view that has value. The only person who never changes his mind doesn't learn from their mistakes and very narrow minded if they really think their point of view is the only valid one. Each of use only see and experience a small fraction of the knowledge of God. We all make mistakes in our daily lives and we all make mistakes in our thinking. Point of views that are tested become stronger. Point of views that never tested are blinders.

Posted by: MikeMo1947 | Jul 14, 2008 7:09:09 PM

I don't know what flip-flop means for sure. I personally would define a person who changes his mind on an issue as flipping. If he changes his mind repeatly or states did positions to different audiences, then he is a flip-flopper.

Posted by: MikeMo1947 | Jul 14, 2008 7:01:12 PM

I believe Arnold's biggest flip flop was in the movie commando. Holding one of the bad guy leaders he asks, "remember when I said I would kill you last, I changed my mind" Then he killed him.

Posted by: X marks the spot | Jul 14, 2008 2:28:21 PM

Obama said he would personally negotiate with the leaders of "rogue" nations without preconditions. That statement was a lot more insidious than some of you understand. Members of our state dept are always carrying on a dialogue either directly or through other countries' representatives with the leadership/admin of "rogue" nations. The striking difference that shocked a lot of us when Obama made the statement was the "personally", "directly" and "without preconditions" part of his statements. While that may have appealed to some of you, it is not a smart generalization to have made. Obama now realizes that his statements about open dialogue without preconditions only appealed to liberals, so that is why he is changing/pandering on his then position.

Posted by: Susan | Jul 14, 2008 2:23:24 PM

It is one thing to change a long-standing position due to a change in a situation such as an economic, military, or social condition. However, it is quite another thing to change a major position you took to get a nomination within the last year just so you can appeal to more moderates. That is pandering and it is particularly disingenuous for Obama to do this when he said he was a different king of politician - pretending to be better than most. He is doing all this changing now so that he hopes all the Americans will forget when it comes to the election that he ever had the other position. Obama is a very ambitious, arrogant and Machiavellian politican to my way of thinking.

Posted by: Susan | Jul 14, 2008 2:09:14 PM


Just another excuse for the "terminator" to waffle as he always seems to.
All talk and no guts.

Posted by: wayne | Jul 14, 2008 12:39:40 PM

Arnold, you are truly the mighty oak!! You will always have my respect!!

Posted by: Alex | Jul 14, 2008 12:02:48 PM

Vote Socialism with Obama '08!

That way we, the middle class, can be forced to support more of the life forms that sit on their collective butt, collect welfare and pop out babies. As well as the illegals. Yea, just what I want.

Posted by: Charlie | Jul 14, 2008 11:39:46 AM

Everyone is born with the ideas that they will hold a lifetime. They will never change....ya right. Way to go Arnold finally someone with some sense besides Ron Paul!!!

Posted by: Ben Straub | Jul 14, 2008 11:34:40 AM

Now there is a man with no core convictions.....end of story!

Posted by: Dennis W. Atkins | Jul 14, 2008 9:45:24 AM

If you are a real blogger, all you have to do is go on some blogs and read about people flip flopping on supporting Obama. Many that voted in the primary for him are now sorry, so anyone can flip flop.

The question becomes....how many will flip flop for the GE?

Posted by: Be Independent | Jul 14, 2008 8:52:59 AM

mccain has flipped and flopped way more then obama, back in 2000 i would have voted for mccain because he was right in the middle on most subjects now he is a neocon wacko just like bush. so saying obama is a flip flopper comeing from mccain is like the pot calling the kettle black.

Posted by: tom | Jul 14, 2008 8:37:38 AM

Well if ole Dubya had the good sense to THINK and admit he was wrong (dry drunks HATE to admit they are wrong) maybe we wouldn't be in the sad and sick predicament we're in now.
Bush has been the ruin-nation of America.

Intelligent people think and rethink and at times adjust their course of action as life and situations progress.

OBAMA 08!

Posted by: Ala | Jul 14, 2008 6:27:43 AM

It's telling that Obama has thrown so much of the campaign and Dems agenda out the window, even a former Republican Governor wants to join his team. Bipartisanship sucks!

Politics is not a dirty word, it stands for will and purpose. It's about fighting for what you believe in. Obama is the sort of politician giving politics a bad name.

Posted by: Sylvia Johnsen | Jul 14, 2008 4:54:13 AM

haha - I'm a Democrat who is only voting for Obama because the alternative would be certain catastrophe. He might be as bad as all of you are predicting, but the ONE thing that outweighs all of that is that he will engage in dialogue with hostile states (nations), rather than assume a bullying and dominating attitude. We won't be around to argue about healthcare, taxes or the economy if "Bomb" McCain gets in. It's that simple. No amount of flip-flopping will change that.

Posted by: Dantheguy9 | Jul 14, 2008 3:21:24 AM

That's why we Californians love our Arnold. He makes a lot of common sense.

Posted by: Judy | Jul 14, 2008 2:59:03 AM

Ahnold wrote the book on the art
of the flip-flop....just ask any
California Republican.

Posted by: oddfellow | Jul 14, 2008 2:43:09 AM

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