O'reilly flip-flops on Iraq

[Babbler]

Very true, I hate term flip-flopping. People should not be discouraged from opening their minds to other points of view.

To be fair, flip-flopping was originally used for politicians who change there platforms on the sole basis of public opinion, not any actual facts on the ground.

 

[Left]

People can change their minds. There is nothing wrong with that. As long as he does not do it more than once.

Its a complex issue and new information is becoming available all the time.

Why should people be restricted to changing their opinions only once?

 

[woody60707]

Ah, yes, here it is. On Good Morning America, date, 3.18.03, O'Reilly said:



Since I think O'Reilly is to political discourse what the Kids of Widney High are to music, I've never paid much attention to his show. But, I have the sneaking suspicion he's not kept this promise....

You have a link, it's not that i don't trust what your saying,.. but i don't trust what your saying. Thanks to all the 9/11 nuts, i have learned never to believe what readom people on the internet say.

 

[.Shane.]

Woody, cut/paste the quote and google it, you'll get tons of hits.

 

[ArneHD]

I think that politicians need to listen more to Charles Darwin "It is not the strongest of the species that survive, but the one most responsive to change".

As a leader gets more information s/he must change his/her oppinion.

 

[Brian_B]

I'm not huge fan of O'Reilly but I really hate the use of the term "flip-flop" these days. Granted on some issues you look extremely silly shifting your positions back and forth on and it would betray a lack of conviction. However, other issues, it really doesn't suprise me that reasonable people can change their mind about them.

 

[Sahkuhnder]

I see this as two different issues.

1. The initial invasion of Iraq was good/bad.

2. Now that we are in Iraq continuing to stay would be good/bad.

I don't see any combination of answers to those two statements as being able to be any sort of flip-flop.

Perhaps this example will help. I'm hungry so I decide to start eating. If I stop eating at some point for whatever reason did I somehow flip-flop or did I make a new decision based on new information and a changed situation?

 

[Bozo Erectus]

O'Reilly doesnt have 'positions' that he 'flip-flops' on. Hes just an entertainer. Him and his handlers look at the polls same as everyone else. It makes no sense for them to pander to the less than 30% of the public that still support Bush. The way you keep a show on TV is by giving people what they want, not by challenging them. Thats why that other right wing hack radio guy also already jumped ship a couple of weeks ago. All of these supposedly 'right wing conservative' blowhards would become Maoists tommorow, and spew hate speech against capitalists, if polls came out showing 80% of Americans are suddenly staunch Communists. Theyre entertainers, nothing more.

 

[Che Guava]

O'Reilly doesnt have 'positions' that he 'flip-flops' on. Hes just an entertainer. Him and his handlers look at the polls same as everyone else. It makes no sense for them to pander to the less than 30% of the public that still support Bush. The way you keep a show on TV is by giving people what they want, not by challenging them. Thats why that other right wing hack radio guy also already jumped ship a couple of weeks ago. All of these supposedly 'right wing conservative' blowhards would become Maoists tommorow, and spew hate speech against capitalists, if polls came out showing 80% of Americans are suddenly staunch Communists. Theyre entertainers, nothing more.

Too true. I think O'Reilly suffers from 'selective memory syndrome', in that he can only remember the prior claims that he has made if they agree with what he is currently defending. He's a lightning rod for the conservative public in America: he gets the outrage from them and directs it wherever the wind is blowing

 

[sysyphus]

To be fair, flip-flopping was originally used for politicians who change there platforms on the sole basis of public opinion, not any actual facts on the ground.

True, but the term is too easily flung about, often simply to make political gains.

 

[Neonanocyborgasm]

I couldn't believe it when I heard it:

You can watch the video here:

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/05/31.html#a8518

Basically, he calls Iraq an "optional war" and says we need to get out, because the fighting there will never end.

I don't see how being convinced to change your mind is "flip-flopping". Anyone who changes their mind, in response to evidence or argument, in my view, is a far smart person. It means that they aren't so stubborn as to be convinced of their position regardless of the facts.

If you mean to compare this to John Kerry, you're barking up the wrong tree. Kerry didn't just change his mind, but he didn't know what he changed it to. Although he was clearly anti-war in the election, he had no plan about what to do about it now that it was on.