I guess nowadays, a change of heart, or an epiphany in thinking are not allowed, and one must wear their prior choices like a millstone around their neck, forever.
Of course, “republican” and “conservative” squishes and purist sellouts get a free pass.
Nowadays, a person like Reagan would get ripped up one side and down the other, pilloried, and declared a democrat trojan horse rat traitor by the “conservative” purists here on FR, solely because of his past affiliations with democrats and evil unions.
90% of something, is better than 100% of nothing. Trump resonates with a large swath of the electorate with his “Make America great again” message. He's the only one preaching it, and that says a lot about what he wants for the US.
I agree with you that people can change and the perfect is the enemy of the good. Trump, however, has only one conservative credential: he’s calling out the establishment. That’s it. It’s great theater. Makes you want to cheer. Other than that he’s a guy who’s been buying politicians and supporting liberal policies right up to the moment that it became convenient for his ego to become a republican. Remember, the GOP embraced Blooomberg as a republican as well. If there was any ideological standard for membership in the GOP trump would fail.