Flip Flopping is so 2004...

http://www.arkansas103.com/generator/files/flip%20flops.jpg

Framing your opponent is the ultimate goal for any candidate running for president. In 2004, the GOP framed Kerry as a flip-flopper. This year however, the public sees both candidates as flip-floppers.

CNN reports:

"Sixty-one percent of voters believe that McCain has changed his mind for political reasons; 37 percent do not. Fifty-nine percent of voters believe that Obama also shifts positions with the political winds; 38 percent do not."

Ever since the successful framing of Kerry as a Flip-Flopper many candidates have used it against their opponents. However, I believe it will become a non-issue this cycle because it will hurt both candidates equally.

Barack Obama is all about change and an era of new politics. Huffington points out,

When Obama kneecaps his own rhetoric and dilutes his positioning as a different kind of politician, he is also giving his opponent a huge opening to reassert the McCain as Maverick brand.

I completely agree that this is going to hurt Barack's brand and his overall relationship with both the liberal left and the independents. Huffington continues and says that McCain has also ruined his Maverick image by changing his position on multiple issues. This also is true. This leads me to the conclusion that this will be an issue that won't be used that frequently within the general election. Seriously, are the candidates going to run ads with the message that they flip-flop less?

I would recommend the candidates to step away from the childish game of exposing "who flip-flops more" and concentrate on reaffirming their image and framing their opponents another way.