Obama's Flip-Flops for the Public Good

President Obama has been shifting gears, and reversing some of his policies, at a remarkable rate. But so far, he hasn't paid much of a political price for it, a testament to his popularity and the willingness of Americans to give him a chance to get results.

The list of his fluctuations is lengthy:

• He once promised Planned Parenthood that his first act as president would be to sign an abortion-rights bill into law. Now he says it is "not my highest legislative priority."

• He pledged to gay activists that he would repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell'' policy, which allows gays to serve in the armed forces if they don't reveal their sexual preference and gives them the assurance that no one will ask them about it. Instead, he has delayed any action to change the system.

• While he released previously classified memos describing the CIA's harsh interrogation techniques, he is now trying to legally block the release of photos showing abuse of detainees, reversing his earlier position. He says his advisers persuaded him that distribution of the photos would inflame anti-American passions and endanger U.S. troops.

• He has reinstituted the previous administration's practice of using military commissions to prosecute suspected terrorists. Obama says that while he opposed how George W. Bush used these commissions, he now supports them in some cases because they will be reformed to ensure "meaningful due process," such as by giving detainees greater choice in selecting their lawyers and by limiting hearsay evidence.

• Perhaps most dramatic and politically perilous, he has decided to withdraw U.S. combat troops from Iraq by next August, a delay of three months from his former timetable. But he also plans to leave tens of thousands of troops behind to train Iraqis, protect U.S. interests, and root out al Qaeda insurgents. Many antiwar Democrats backed Obama in key primaries and caucuses last year because they believed he would end the war as soon as possible. Some of them are disappointed; others are angry.

Overall, however, Obama has been praised for his flexibility, not condemned for his flip-flops. One reason, pollsters say, is that he seems such a contrast to the still-unpopular Bush, who was the opposite—stubborn and set in his ways. "When presented with a tough problem where a change of course was called for, Bush just dug in. He felt that it was weakness to change his mind," says a senior Democratic strategist. He cites Bush's positions to limit stem cell research, oppose legislation expanding healthcare for children, enact partial privatization of Social Security, and pursue the Iraq war. In contrast, he says, "Obama is willing to change course if he feels it's needed. The American people will still support him if he is not seen as doing it for political reasons."

In addition, Obama gains respect from Americans because when he does change his mind or shift his emphasis, he takes pains to explain it to the country. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs adds that on the big issues, such as eventual withdrawal from Iraq, stimulating the economy, overhauling the healthcare system, and beefing up U.S. forces in Afghanistan, the president isn't reversing himself at all and "has done exactly what he said he would do in the campaign."

What may be the most important factor of all is that Americans seem to think the country's problems, from the economy to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, are so complex that Obama should be given a lot of leeway in searching for solutions.

In the end, Americans will understand and accept a president who changes course, as long as he does it for the public good or to acknowledge new realities, not for crass partisan reasons or to curry favor with particular interest groups. But there is hell to pay if a president breaks a fundamental promise and can't justify it. Perhaps the best example is George H. W. Bush, who violated his "read my lips—no new taxes" pledge from the 1988 campaign. Partly as a result, Bush lost his re-election bid in 1992.

So far, Obama's shifts have not risen to the level of a fundamental change in his views or a redefinition of his presidency. If Obama can continue to demonstrate his commitment to everyday Americans, and get results, voters probably won't hold either his flexibility or his flip-flops against him.