Other than the FISA issue people need to take a deep breath and not accuse him of flip flopping on the others.  I think researching his past positions would help oneself to not jump to conclusions.  

The problem is, there's not really any position to have on the gun ban. What are you going to do about a Supreme Court decision? Rail against activist judges? You have to basically take your medicine on that one.

Nonetheless, I still see little problem with the Heller decision. It's probably a big surprise to most people that there previously wasn't a specific individual right to carry a gun, seeing as how it's been taken as an article of faith for so long. Yet Heller also said governments CAN regulate that right; it's just a matter of how they do it.

So as a con law professor, I'm sure Obama can appreciate this.

Also, let's not pretend that we know what Clinton would've said about had she been the nominee. She wasn't exactly sounding anti-gun in Pennsylvania. It's pretty much accepted that it's political suicide these days to criticize gun rights while running for high office, except at the margins (i.e., the gun-show loophole).

Obama's personal opinion could very well be different than his understanding of the constitutionality of the ban from the perspective of the 2nd Ammendment.

You gotta understand that Obama's not just waxing philosophical when he talks about these constitutional issues; he's a credible scholar whose understanding of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights far surpasses most.  Obama believes in sensible gun control, dislikes the death penalty, and the like, but he also understands that the office that he's running for is President of the ENTIRE United States of America, not just the Democrats of the United States of America.  He will be steward of the Constitution, even the parts he doesn't particularly like.

How are his recent comments and the clarification consisent with his support for the Freedom of Choice Act for which he is a cosponsor?

"I would say he has moved to the center on FISA and DC gun ban issue from his initial position."

Obama on guns, June 2008: "Justice Scalia himself acknowledged that this right is not absolute and subject to reasonable regulations enacted by local communities to keep their streets safe. Today's ruling, the first clear statement on this issue in 127 years, will provide much-needed guidance to local jurisdictions across the country."

Obama said if elected president, he would uphold the rights of gun owners, but he said: "I know that what works in Chicago may not work in Cheyenne. We can work together to enact common-sense laws, like closing the gun show loophole and improving our background check system, so that guns do not fall into the hands of terrorists or criminals."

Obama on guns, February 2008: "Because I think we have two conflicting traditions in this country. I think it's important for us to recognize that we've got a tradition of handgun ownership and gun ownership generally. And a lot of law-abiding citizens use it for hunting, for sportsmanship, and for protecting their families. We also have a violence on the streets that is the result of illegal handgun usage. And so I think there is nothing wrong with a community saying we are going to take those illegal handguns off the streets. And cracking down on the various loopholes that exist in terms of background checks for children, the mentally ill. We can have reasonable, thoughtful gun control measure that I think respect the Second Amendment and people's traditions."

Obama on telecom immunity July 3, 2008: I know that the FISA bill that passed the House is far from perfect. I wouldn't have drafted the legislation like this, and it does not resolve all of the concerns that we have about President Bush's abuse of executive power. It grants retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that may have violated the law by cooperating with the Bush Administration's program of warrantless wiretapping. This potentially weakens the deterrent effect of the law and removes an important tool for the American people to demand accountability for past abuses. That's why I support striking Title II from the bill, and will work with Chris Dodd, Jeff Bingaman and others in an effort to remove this provision in the Senate.

Obama on telecom immunity Jan 28, 2008: No one should get a free pass to violate the basic civil liberties of the American people - not the President of the United States, and not the telecommunications companies that fell in line with his warrantless surveillance program. We have to make clear the lines that cannot be crossed.

That is why I am co-sponsoring Senator Dodd's amendment to remove the immunity provision.

Obama has not moved any place. Too many people who should know better are simply repeating talking points being issued to the press in McBush's daily conference calls.

Obama on abortion, July 2008: "I have repeatedly said that I think it's entirely appropriate for states to restrict or even prohibit late-term abortions as long as there is a strict, well-defined exception for the health of the mother. Now, I don't think that "mental distress" qualifies as the health of the mother. I think it has to be a serious physical issue that arises in pregnancy, where there are real, significant problems to the mother carrying that child to term. Otherwise, as long as there is such a medical exception in place, I think we can prohibit late-term abortions."

Obama on abortion, April 2008: "On an issue like partial birth abortion, I strongly believe that the state can properly restrict late-term abortions. I have said so repeatedly. All I've said is we should have a provision to protect the health of the mother, and many of the bills that came before me didn't have that."

It's so nice to see the daughters. A very loving family, and you gotta know no curse words come from his lips to his wife.  That was the sweetest clip.