I HATE this line...

from a story about the Bridgewater Lee KUED debate:

"I think one of the things the people of Utah want is someone who won't vacillate, who won't waiver..."

Is it ever okay for an elected official or candidate to change their mind?

I don't want to get into who said it and what the issue was that the other person supposedly shifted on. The reason I hate this is because politicians and the media are constantly putting themselves and our public officials in boxes.

Ideologues are quick to cry that a person is "unprincipled" if they change positions. Reporters cry hypocrisy if someone changes their mind. Have YOU ever changed your mind on an issue? Of course you have. New information, evolving dialogue, etc... "Sides" of an issue are not created in a vacuum. It's also fair to say that on some issues there are no formal sides - you may not be for or against - but what if you are somewhere in between? or mostly on one "side" but differ on a few of the details?

This is the political culture of our day. Both in DC and at home. This is part of the reason why people are so frustrated with politics. Surely our elected officials need to be held accountable for what they say. I'm simply saying let's not be so quick to cry hypocrite or heresy when someone changes their mind.

Issues are important. They are also complex. In many cases I think people need time to make up their mind. Let's allow our elected officials to make the best decisions they can with out making mimes out of them.

Mike Throw's a Football...on TV

Senate candidate Mike Lee is the first to go up on TV. You can see the ad here. You can see the Desnews breakdown here. Up to this point both candidates have run ho hum radio ads - sort of a tit for tat rushed production I think to see who could be the first up on the air. Neither spot was really that compelling.

And I don't think Mike's TV spot is very compelling either. I feel like both campaigns are bit a patronizing in a way. Mike's ad starts off with "Stop the Obama liberal agenda." I don't like those sorts of broad strokes. They are kind of lazy in my mind. Granted this is his first TV spot and it's basically an introduction and bio ad to help voters get to know him, but it's short on real solutions. I think Mike needs to hit harder on specifics.

Tim's "Stop the DC Insanity" campaign is gimmicky and I think frankly a little silly for a US Senate race - a House seat maybe. And even then a House seat in Mississippi or Arkansas somewhere. But the message is the right one. I think people are less motivated by fear of Obama and the "liberal" agenda, than a simple overwhelming frustration with DC. If Mike tries to run against the democrats, Obama, and Liberals, basically - "I'm the most conservative" - I think he loses. Bob Bennett is conservative and he already lost.

The winner will be the one who makes the better case of why we need to change the culture in DC. So while DC Insanity is gimmicky it's the right message.

And because I can't resist:

Note to Mike. If you throw like a girl don't put yourself in a commercial throwing a football. Try something else to show how American you are - like grilling red meat on the 4th of July.

Post Script to Mike: Something I wanted to add earlier but forgot - if the campaign ever comes down to Tim Businessman v Mike Lawyer. Businessman wins everytime.