Presidential Flip Floppers

Barack Obama is not the only president to change his mind. Here's a look at other American leaders who flipped-flopped over policies, scandals & more.

Barack Obama

44th president

It's tempting not to negotiate with hostage takers -- unless the hostage gets harmed. Then, people will question the wisdom of that strategy. In this case, the hostage was the American people, and I was not willing to see them get harmed."

--- Barack Obama on his tax cut deal

George W. Bush

43rd president

"U.S. officials never expected that we were going to open garages and find weapons of mass destruction."

--- George W. Bush on weapons of mass destruction claim

Bill Clinton

42nd president

"I did have a relationship with Miss Lewinsky that was not appropriate. In fact, it was wrong. I misled people, including even my wife. I deeply regret that."

--- Bill Clinton on the Monica Lewinsky scandal

George H. W. Bush

41st president

I did it, and I regret it, and I regret it."

--- George H.W. Bush on raising taxes

Ronald Reagan

40th president

"A few months ago, I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart and my best intentions still tell me that's true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not."

--- Reagan's testimony with regard to the Iran-Contra affair

Richard Nixon

37th president

"I can see clearly now ... that I was wrong in not acting more decisively and more forthrightly in dealing with Watergate."

--- Richard Nixon on the Watergate scandal

Lyndon B. Johnson

36th president

"I knew from the start that I was bound to be crucified either way I moved."

--- Lyndon B. Johnson on the Vietnam War

John F. Kennedy

35th president

"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

--- John F. Kennedy on the space program

Herbert Hoover

31st president

"The willingness of our people to accept this added burden in these times in order impregnably to establish the credit of the federal government is a great tribute to their wisdom and courage."

--- Herbert Hoover on signing the Revenue Act of 1932

Warren G. Harding

29th president

"I am not fit for this office and should never have been here."

--- Warren G. Harding

Andrew Johnson

17th president

"It is true I am asked why don't I join the Democratic Party. Why don't they join me … if I have administered the office of president so well?"

--- Andrew Johnson on his party affiliation

John Tyler

10th president

"In 1840, I was called from my farm to undertake the administration of public affairs, and I foresaw that I was called to a bed of thorns. I now leave that bed which has afforded me little rest ..."

--- John Tyler on why he wouldn't run for re-election

Read more »

Presidential Flip Floppers

Barack Obama is not the only president to change his mind. Here's a look at other American leaders who flipped-flopped over policies, scandals & more.

Barack Obama

44th president

It's tempting not to negotiate with hostage takers -- unless the hostage gets harmed. Then, people will question the wisdom of that strategy. In this case, the hostage was the American people, and I was not willing to see them get harmed."

--- Barack Obama on his tax cut deal

George W. Bush

43rd president

"U.S. officials never expected that we were going to open garages and find weapons of mass destruction."

--- George W. Bush on weapons of mass destruction claim

Bill Clinton

42nd president

"I did have a relationship with Miss Lewinsky that was not appropriate. In fact, it was wrong. I misled people, including even my wife. I deeply regret that."

--- Bill Clinton on the Monica Lewinsky scandal

George H. W. Bush

41st president

I did it, and I regret it, and I regret it."

--- George H.W. Bush on raising taxes

Ronald Reagan

40th president

"A few months ago, I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart and my best intentions still tell me that's true, but the facts and the evidence tell me it is not."

--- Reagan's testimony with regard to the Iran-Contra affair

Richard Nixon

37th president

"I can see clearly now ... that I was wrong in not acting more decisively and more forthrightly in dealing with Watergate."

--- Richard Nixon on the Watergate scandal

Lyndon B. Johnson

36th president

"I knew from the start that I was bound to be crucified either way I moved."

--- Lyndon B. Johnson on the Vietnam War

John F. Kennedy

35th president

"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."

--- John F. Kennedy on the space program

Herbert Hoover

31st president

"The willingness of our people to accept this added burden in these times in order impregnably to establish the credit of the federal government is a great tribute to their wisdom and courage."

--- Herbert Hoover on signing the Revenue Act of 1932

Warren G. Harding

29th president

"I am not fit for this office and should never have been here."

--- Warren G. Harding

Andrew Johnson

17th president

"It is true I am asked why don't I join the Democratic Party. Why don't they join me … if I have administered the office of president so well?"

--- Andrew Johnson on his party affiliation

John Tyler

10th president

"In 1840, I was called from my farm to undertake the administration of public affairs, and I foresaw that I was called to a bed of thorns. I now leave that bed which has afforded me little rest ..."

--- John Tyler on why he wouldn't run for re-election

Read more »

20 Facts about Pearl Harbor

On this 69th anniversary of the attack, we revisit the sunken battleships and more.

In honor of those who lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor 69 years ago today, we offer 20 interesting facts about that ill-fated day in history.

Hawaii islands

Pearl Harbor, home to this fleet in 1941, is located on what Hawaiian island?

Japanese imperialism

What were the reasons behind the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor?

Attack on Pearl Harbor

What was the name of the Japanese admiral who led the attack on Pearl Harbor?


Imperial Japanese Navy

How many Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor?


Pearl Harbor timeline

What time did the attack on Pearl Harbor start?

Military attacks on American soil

How long did the attack on Pearl Harbor last?


US casualties

How many people, military and civilians, were killed or wounded at Pearl Harbor?


Hawaiian statehood

Since Hawaii wasn't a U.S. state yet, what treaty gave the United States access to Pearl Harbor?

US naval commanders

Who was the naval commander of the Pacific Fleet on the fateful day at Pearl Harbor?

Aviation technology history

What was the name of the officer who didn't act on the radar warning about Pearl Harbor?

Heroism at Pearl Harbor

What surprising battleship crewman was awarded the Navy Cross for firing at Japanese war planes with this weapon?

US Navy ships

To this day, more than 1,000 crewmen are entombed on what sunken battleship?

Pearl Harbor Battleship Row

Which battleships were in the port on the day Pearl Harbor was attacked?

US Navy fleets

What important military vessels escaped the Japanese bombers' attack on Pearl Harbor?

Wartime presidential addresses

What is the famous phrase from President Franklin D. Roosevelt's address to Congress the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor?

US Congress & World War II

What was the second nation on which the U.S. Congress declared war following the attack on Pearl Harbor?


Survivors of Pearl Harbor

What did the survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor say?

Aftermath of Pearl Harbor

What well-known American jurist served at Pearl Harbor during World War II?

Battle deaths in American wars

World War II remains the worst in terms of American war casualties. What military conflict takes second place?

Read more »

20 Facts about Pearl Harbor

On this 69th anniversary of the attack, we revisit the sunken battleships and more.

In honor of those who lost their lives in the attack on Pearl Harbor 69 years ago today, we offer 20 interesting facts about that ill-fated day in history.

Hawaii islands

Pearl Harbor, home to this fleet in 1941, is located on what Hawaiian island?

Japanese imperialism

What were the reasons behind the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor?

Attack on Pearl Harbor

What was the name of the Japanese admiral who led the attack on Pearl Harbor?


Imperial Japanese Navy

How many Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor?


Pearl Harbor timeline

What time did the attack on Pearl Harbor start?

Military attacks on American soil

How long did the attack on Pearl Harbor last?


US casualties

How many people, military and civilians, were killed or wounded at Pearl Harbor?


Hawaiian statehood

Since Hawaii wasn't a U.S. state yet, what treaty gave the United States access to Pearl Harbor?

US naval commanders

Who was the naval commander of the Pacific Fleet on the fateful day at Pearl Harbor?

Aviation technology history

What was the name of the officer who didn't act on the radar warning about Pearl Harbor?

Heroism at Pearl Harbor

What surprising battleship crewman was awarded the Navy Cross for firing at Japanese war planes with this weapon?

US Navy ships

To this day, more than 1,000 crewmen are entombed on what sunken battleship?

Pearl Harbor Battleship Row

Which battleships were in the port on the day Pearl Harbor was attacked?

US Navy fleets

What important military vessels escaped the Japanese bombers' attack on Pearl Harbor?

Wartime presidential addresses

What is the famous phrase from President Franklin D. Roosevelt's address to Congress the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor?

US Congress & World War II

What was the second nation on which the U.S. Congress declared war following the attack on Pearl Harbor?


Survivors of Pearl Harbor

What did the survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor say?

Aftermath of Pearl Harbor

What well-known American jurist served at Pearl Harbor during World War II?

Battle deaths in American wars

World War II remains the worst in terms of American war casualties. What military conflict takes second place?

Read more »