Don’t Judge Until You Walk a Mile in His Flip-Flops

At last, after all these years watching politicians, I’ve finally seen one defend the flip-flop. It was a refreshing, hopeful sight.

A flip-flop normally is assailed by the flip-flopper’s enemies as a character flaw. Never mind that a flip-flop--a thoughtful shift in position--can be admirable, demonstrating an open mind in contrast to a hard head.

For months, former L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan has been portrayed by his foes’ spin meisters as goofy. And in their view, a so-called flip-flop last week fit right into the goofball picture.

Riordan was at a Sacramento news conference announcing his opposition to Proposition 45, a March ballot initiative to soften term limits. “A backdoor attempt by lobbyists to undermine the will of our people,” he charged.

Prop. 45 would permit voters to sign a petition allowing their own legislator to serve four years beyond the regular limit, assuming the politician could get reelected. Riordan objected to the signature-gathering provision, contending special interests would pay for the expensive procedure and, presumably, buy the lawmakers’ gratitude.

But Riordan added there is “nothing magic” about the current limits: three two-year Assembly terms, two four-year Senate stints. And he’d be “open-minded” about extending them.

While supporting term limits, Riordan is known privately to think these limits are too short. No sooner do legislators begin acquiring knowledge and experience than their time expires.

Moreover, he believes Assembly members should not have to run for reelection every two years. Four would be better, same as state senators.

But any change, he says, should be done in a “straightforward way.” He considers Prop. 45 “Mickey Mouse.”

Must be a flip-flop there somewhere, one rival thought.

“This is a clear indication that Mayor Riordan is not ready for prime time,” blared Secretary of State Bill Jones, who is trailing Riordan badly in their race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

Even before Riordan’s news conference, Jones accused the front-runner of “backtracking” on term limits. He noted that Riordan in 1993 strongly supported an L.A. city term limits measure, but while leaving office last June expressed misgivings. Council members should be allowed 12 years rather than eight, Riordan said, because they face a steep learning curve.

Flailing at Riordan’s brand of centrist Republicanism, Jones claimed the “backtracking” was “a terrible precedent” and it raised questions about his rival’s “fundamental philosophical support for term limits.” Jones insisted: “This is not an issue on which one can waffle, plain and simple.”

A flexible mind is a terrible precedent?

Let’s not forget that Jones himself won the California flip-flop championship in the 2000 presidential primaries when he reneged on his endorsement of George Bush and defected to Sen. John McCain. Talk about being out of step with Republicans!

At his news conference, Riordan was asked about flip-flopping on term limits. His answer makes perfect sense in the real world, even if it may be politically incorrect:

“To say that just because I have an open mind, that I’m willing to look to see if what we did wasn’t perfect, if you want to call that ‘flip-flop,’ you can. . . . I always have an open mind to things. I’m not afraid to look back to see if what I did can’t be improved.”

This nation, after all, has progressed and prospered because of flip-flops.

Lincoln flip-flopped on Southern slavery. FDR flip-flopped after promising a balanced budget during the Depression. Robert Kennedy flip-flopped against the Vietnam War. Nixon flip-flopped to “Red China.”

Of course, President Bush Sr. skewered himself while flip-flopping on his “read my lips--no new taxes” pledge.

“It’s OK to flip-flop if you’re flopping in the direction of the voters,” says veteran Democratic consultant Bill Carrick.

“If Republicans in California don’t change on some positions, they’re going to be in the minority for as long as the eye can see.”

Term limits doesn’t appear to be one of those issues, however. A recent poll by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California shows that likely voters are split about evenly on Prop. 45--not a good sign for the measure.

A closer look shows why it benefits every GOP gubernatorial candidate to oppose the Democrat-backed initiative: Republican voters are against it by 53% to 39%. Moreover, 56% of Republicans believe term limits are “a good thing.” About half of all voters do.

None of this conflicts with Riordan’s positions.

Voters don’t really care about flip-flops. They’re concerned about where a politician stands.