Lecture alert (I’m getting on my high horse):
I. The Scourge of the Flip Flopper Label: I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again: It takes great courage for politicians to admit they’ve changed their mind about something. But if they do change their mind they should champion it and just be proud of the reasons why.
If Steve Francis wants to be the friend of labor unions and environmentalists in town, he should just admit that this is a new thing for him. In response to questions about this, he should have just said “Yes, 20 years ago I was a real champion of property rights. Sometimes I believed development interests took precedence over the environment. Now, I realize our natural resources need to be better protected and I’m committed to it.”
Bam.
It is not a sign of weakness to change your mind. What’s weak is to change your mind and to exhibit discomfort with the reasons why.
II. The Mayor’s F-Bomb: So the mayor decided his rival Steve Francis deserved something other than a handshake after their debate this weekend. The mayor says he dropped the f-bomb on Steve Francis after their debate this week because he was tired of his rival questioning his integrity.
Whether the mayor inappropriately insulted Francis is one thing. But he shouldn’t get so easily upset by this campaigning. I distinctly remember Sanders telling a group of gathered press about the lies Donna Frye had supposedly told during their 2005 campaign. Integrity is sometimes up for debate in these things.
If he can dish it, he should be able to take it.