Did he really say that? - That has become the dominant question about Senator Obama. He is changing his stance on many issues. And it is confusing. From his campaign against Senator Clinton to his electoral battle with Senator McCain, Senator Obama has shifted on the following issues:

• North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
• wiretapping
• Iran
• gun control
• campaign financing
• Iraq

Those are a few of the confusing reversals. - It seems that the voters want to believe. They want to believe that there can be change and that political leaders can be different. The shifting of viewpoints is not new. The voting public has seen it repeatedly. It is doing what is expedient. It is adjusting to what the polling numbers say will maximize the favorable vote.

That isn’t change. It is insulting to the campaign supporters. It may be surprising how many voters still have old-fashion notions like saying what you mean and sticking to it. Flexible convictions that can be adjusted and shaped for the moment do not engender trust.

Catherine Forsythe