A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Philip Revard

1. Bush opposed extension of unemployment benefits, costing more than two million workers; then he flip-flopped and supported a limited extension, but only for a limited few workers. [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 6/28/04; AP, 1/8/03]

2. Candidate Bush opposed providing government assistance to help automakers develop hybrid cars; now he's flip-flopped and proposed providing them money to develop them. [Chicago Sun-Times, 10/29/00; White House, 1/28/03]

3. Governor Bush opposed a patient's bill of rights; then during the 2000 campaign candidate Bush flip-flopped and said he supported it; then President Bush flip-flopped again and had his administration fight against it. [Houston Chronicle, 5/23/97; 2000
Presidential Debate, 10/17/00; LA Times, 3/24/04]

4. Candidate Bush said he supported controls on greenhouse gases to fight global warming; then, President Bush flip-flopped and opposed them, supporting only "voluntary" reductions of gases. [Business Week, 4/9/01; AFP, 2/13/03]

5. Bush said gay marriage was a state issue; then he flip-flopped and said we needed a Constitutional amendment to ban it. [Presidential primary debate, 2/15/00; Bush, 2/24/04]

6. Bush imposed restrictions on steel imports; then he flip-flopped and removed the restrictions. [USA Today, 3/5/02; Chicago Tribune, 12/5/03]

7. Bush supported continuing the ban on assault weapons; then he flip-flopped and opposed keeping the ban. [Ashcroft Confirmation Hearing, 1/17/01; Washington Post, 2/26/04]

8. Bush opposed the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform while it was in Congress; then, he flip-flopped and said he supported it and then signed it into law. [ABC News, 3/16/01, Detroit News 3/17/01; White House press release, 2/27/02]

9. Bush supported letting 527 campaign committees run ads; now, he's flip-flopped and says he thinks they should be banned from doing so. [Bush interview, Face The Nation, 3/5/00; Wash. Post, 8/24/04]

10. Bush supported fingerprinting and photographing Mexicans who enter the US.; then, after meeting with Mexico's president, Vincente Fox, Bush flip-flopped and said he was against it. [MSNBC, 3/6/04]

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MEDIA EUPHEMISMS FOR BUSH'S FLIP-FLOP

AP (MLive): Bush Recants, Says Terror War Will Be Won

Reuters: Changing Tack, Bush Says Terror War Winnable

NYT: In Retreat, Bush Says U.S. Will Win War on Terrorism

NYT: After Citing Doubt, Bush Declares 'We Will Win' Terror War

NPR: Bush Revises Remarks, Vows to 'Win' Terror War

ABC News: Bush Now Saying 'We Will Win' Terror War

LA Times: Bush Clarifies War Remark

Dallas Morning News: Bush clarifies statement: 'We will win' terror war

Fort Worth Star Telegram: Bush backtracks, says US will win war on terror

People's Daily Online (China): Bush revises remarks over victory on anti-terror war

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel editorial: Bush's nuances on war It is tempting to label as flip-flop the president's dueling assertions about the winnability of the war on terror. Bush told a television interviewer in a segment aired Monday that, "I don't think you can win" this war. On Tuesday, he told the American Legion, " make no mistake about it, we are winning and we will win." Flip-flop? No need to go there.

A BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION

Philip Revard has a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from Central Michigan University, a Masters degree in Public Policy Administration from Baylor University, and a Ph.D. (all but dissertation) in Public Policy Research and Analysis of the University of Pittsburgh.