The many faces of McCain

By Libby

Maybe Paul Richter, wasn't invited to the McCain barbecue because he manages to notice when it comes to flip-flopping on foreign policy, McCain should have been serving up pancakes instead of dry rub ribs at his little soiree for the press. The symbolism would surely have been more appropriate. McCain never held a position he couldn't change when the wind shifts.

Steve Benen unpacks the piece and finds this gem.

In the midst of an unpopular military campaign, one senator took a firm stand for troop withdrawal, regardless of conditions on the ground. He insisted that waiting for democracy to “flourish” is folly, and America would be better served if locals were to “police themselves.” Asking American military personnel to prevent violence between one group of local citizens and another is a mistake that would help no one. He highlighted the fact that “we were there once before,” and he saw no reason to stay and allow “mission creep” to materialize.

The senator, of course, was John McCain. The conflict was in Haiti in 1994, when President Clinton was protecting a democratically elected government.

It appears the good old Straight Talk Express switches tracks at every politically convenient coupling.