trimmer
A person who refines political views to accommodate the prevailing winds; particularly, one who contrives self-serving excuses for political views now generally recognized to have been stupid.
Example:
In journalism, the current handwringer-in-chief is the New Yorker writer George Packer, whose book *The Assassins' Gate* has met with high praise from ... a subset of pundits I call trimmers... trimmers criticize ... the foolish president, but avoid unequivocal denunciations of this foolish war.
--John R, MacArthur, "Pro-War Liberals Frozen in the Headlights"
In journalism, the current handwringer-in-chief is the New Yorker writer George Packer, whose book *The Assassins' Gate* has met with high praise from ... a subset of pundits I call trimmers... trimmers criticize ... the foolish president, but avoid unequivocal denunciations of this foolish war.
--John R, MacArthur, "Pro-War Liberals Frozen in the Headlights"