Flip-O-Meter bounces back to life

By Bill Adair
Published on Wednesday, April 6th, 2011 at 10:53 a.m.

Related rulings:

On running for Senate if Jim Webb retires.

Tim Kaine, Tuesday, January 18th, 2011.

Ruling: Half Flip | Details

On whether the United States should intervene in Libya.

Newt Gingrich, Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011.

Ruling: Full Flop | Details

On the president unilaterally authorizing a military attack "that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation."

Barack Obama, Friday, December 7th, 2007.

Ruling: Full Flop | Details

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Tim Kaine's announcement that he is running for Senate prompted PolitiFact Virginia to fire up the Flip-O-Meter.

Our Flip-O-Meter pretty much took the winter off.

In the past few months, we didn't see many significant flip-flops. So the Flip-O-Meter has not seen much action.

Until now.

It bounced back to life recently because of statements about Libya by President Barack Obama and potential Republican presidential contender Newt Gingrich. Obama earned a Full Flop because his decision to bomb Libya in support of rebel troops was the opposite of his position on such military actions in 2007.

Gingrich also earned a Full Flop for his position on Libya. He said on March 7 that Obama should establish a no-fly zone and then, once Obama did that, said it was the wrong thing to do.

PolitiFact Virginia also used the Flip-O-Meter to rate the statements of former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, who was largely against running for the U.S. Senate and is now . . . a candidate.