Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Conversation
The Conversation
Politics
Shannon Bow O'Brien, Associate Professor of Instruction, The University of Texas at Austin

All politicians change their minds – and have been flip-flopping on positions for hundreds of years

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are far from the first politicians to be accused of flip-flopping on issues. Francesco Zerilli/Zerillimedia/Science Photo Library

People change their opinions. As my husband says, “I always reserve the right to get smarter,” paraphrasing Konrad Adenauer, the former chancellor of Germany.

But when politicians reverse course and change their opinions, political pundits, critics and others often call them out for lack of consistency, and might label them a flip-flopper, U-turner or backflipper.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.