Hillary Clinton gave the exact right answer to explain her flip-flops. It still might not work

[portlander23]

Hillary Clinton gave the exact right answer to explain her flip-flops. It still might not work
Chris Cillizza
Washington Post

Well, actually, I have been very consistent. Over the course of my entire life, I have always fought for the same values and principles, but, like most human beings — including those of us who run for office — I do absorb new information. I do look at what's happening in the world.

That's absolutely the right answer for a politician to give. I've been guided by consistent values and principles but I am also open to new information and, when presented with it, I reassess certain positions on certain issues.

That said, I'm not sure Clinton's explanation for her flip-flops will convince her doubters (or even some of her allies). Here's why.

1. In each of her "evolutions" on issues, Clinton has moved from a less popular position within the Democratic base to a more popular one. She went from opposing same-sex marriage to supporting it. (President Obama made the same move.) She went from calling the Trans-Pacific Partnership the "gold standard" of trade deals in 2012 to opposing it in 2015. In each case, Clinton's decision to change positions seemed to have an obvious political motivation — to shore up her liberal flank as she faces a more serious-than-expected challenge from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

2. The key to Clinton selling her policy switches hinges on the idea that she is absorbing new information that forces a reevaluation. But, it's not entirely clear what exactly the "new" information would be on, say, same-sex marriage — other than polling that showed the public growing more and more comfortable with the idea.

Related:

NPR: Hillary Clinton Says She Opposes Keystone XL Pipeline

Vox: Hillary Clinton's flip-flop on the TPP makes no sense

[upaloopa]

1. Geez not Cillizza again! This is about number

53 in his Clinton hit pieces

[Metric System]

2. That's all he knows how to write when it comes to Hillary.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. She's aces at platitudes and generalities. K&R

[Fearless]

4. The problem is that her MORALS have changed over time. Not her POSITIONS

She was for the TPP when it was still exactly the same thing as it is now.

She claims she read up more on it... Then why exactly did she strongly support it before reading up on it?? Was it her first day and her dad died or something? Because that's a bull shit response.

The same goes true of every other issue she's flip flopped on.

She changes her MORAL positions like clockwork and the American people see through it.

This is why she will lose.

[NCjack]

5. The 47% can't afford for HRC to vote wrong on major issues, and then

years later acknowledge her mistakes. It's important in the lives of us those on the bottom that politicians vote correctly. When they don't, we lose our businesses, jobs, retirements, and lives of our children to thieving CEOs, banksters, and wars based on fraud.