Mitch McConnell’s abrupt softening on Roy Moore

OPINION:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made a rather sudden turn on his opinion of Roy Moore, telling George Stephanopoulos on “This Week” on ABC News that it’s the people of Alabama — not Washington, D.C. — who should decide the outcome of this Dec. 12 race for Jeff Sessions’ old Senate seat.

That, after longtime, long-running, very vocal calls for Moore to step aside. Principle, anyone?

Here’s what McConnell says now, as Breitbart noted: “Well, I think — we’re going to let the people of Alabama decide a week from Tuesday who they want to sent to the Senate. And then we’ll address the matter appropriately.”

In other words: Wait for it, wait for it. The Senate Ethics Committee hounds are a-coming.

“I have already said in the past that I thought this was a matter that would have to be considered by the committee,” McConnell went on. “Ultimately, it would be up to them to make that decision. And they’ll make it, depending on whether Judge Moore ends up coming to the Senate.”

Know what else McConnell’s said in the past?

This: “If these allegations are true, he must step aside,” he said in early November, in a statement made on behalf of the Republicans in the Senate, The Washington Post reported.

And this, in mid-November, to a gathering of reporters in Kentucky: “I believe the women, yes,” he said. CNN reported. “I think he should step aside.”

So why the sudden switch? Why the head-spinning change in heart?

No doubt, this — a headline from CBS: “CBS News poll: Alabama Republicans say allegations against Roy Moore false.”

The story goes on to explain that fully 71 percent of Republicans in the state say the sexual misconduct allegations that have plagued Moore for weeks now are false — figments of media and leftist-leaning and establishment GOP imaginations, all a Deep State hit at giving Democrat Doug Jones the election.

That means Moore’s chances to win have gone up. That means McConnell has read the tea leaves and decided it was more politically pragmatic to soften his tones on Moore.

Thing is: What about those women?

McConnell didn’t say he now doubted the words of the Moore accusers. He only said that Alabama voters are the ones to decide the race — an obvious remark but one that nonetheless he couldn’t make just a few weeks ago because of his good conscience about the women.

Pick a side, Mitch. And stick with it. That’s the whole problem with Washington, D.C. — politicians drift in the wind on the flimsy and floaty findings of none-too-scientific polls. Principle, sometimes at least, should stand strong.