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It seems like everyone is mad at Kirk Caldwell. Again.

This time, it’s because the mayor’s latest batch of bans means Oahu parents can’t take their kids to the beach or the park, and a hiker can’t go hiking with their buddy even if they live in the same household. The orders are all in the name of COVID-19 prevention and were basically a step in reopening city parks, beaches and trails by first allowing solo recreation.

However, the result— essentially preventing people who live in the same household from sitting on the same patch of sand on an Oahu beach— is meaningless in terms of virus containment.

This, too, shall pass, possibly as soon as next week, both because of more favorable COVID-19 case numbers and because that’s just how Kirk Caldwell rolls.

He has a long record of reversing bold, unpopular decisions when the political costs outweigh the political benefits. If you don’t like what Caldwell declares one week, chances are good that he’ll take it all back, especially if voters start protesting or if Josh Green calls him out.

Like his big Sherwood Forest sports complex plan.

Like his big Ala Moana Beach Park play structure plan.

Like the big Blaisdell Center renovation plan.

There are many examples of big talk and big ideas that were abandoned or fundamentally changed.

A leader who is unable to pivot, adjust, reassess and respond isn’t much of a leader, so in theory, Caldwell’s flexibility is an asset, particularly in these strange days when things are changing all the time. In practice, though, the degree to which he has dropped ideas that he once stubbornly championed is almost comical, though not much is funny in these dire, unfunny times.

Some of the things Caldwell said when promoting the Kalakaua Open Street bicycle free-for-alls in July have new resonance given his recent dictate on solo recreation:

“We have been advised that being outside in the open air is safer than being in an enclosed environment,” he said.

“Opening Kalakaua Avenue to everyone so they have a place to exercise while allowing our local families the opportunity to enjoy a less-crowded Waikiki during this time is a win-win for everyone.”

But that was way back in July, when COVID-19 numbers were down. Then came August, with hundreds of new cases a day, followed by another shut down and now a police department that is already bored spinning sandy donuts on the beaches on their fancy new ATVs. Open air and local families enjoying uncrowded Waikiki have faded from Caldwell’s view.

In (yet another) press conference this week, there were signs of Caldwell beginning to turn, moving from that initial tone he gets when he’s issuing a defiant fiat to the conciliatory posture he takes when he reverses course. What we got Monday was Caldwell starting to feel bad about what he had done, commiserating and empathizing.

“I want to say for the most part, I’m very grateful for what folks have been doing to comply with orders which sometimes don’t make sense, but it’s all about enforcement and all about trying to manage the spread,” he said. “And I know it’s extremely frustrating for everybody. Everybody.”  That second “everybody” sounded so vulnerable.

Caldwell is in a tough spot, not just as a city mayor trying to deal with a global pandemic that requires leadership largely above his pay grade. He is a lame duck politician with aspirations for higher office.

His second term as mayor is about to come to an end during the most severe crisis that Honolulu has faced in generations. There isn’t much time for him to score successes that matter when the pandemic continues to move through the community and economic losses are staggering.

Caldwell is facing a gap year between the end of his term as mayor and the beginning of his anticipated gubernatorial campaign. He will be out of the game, unable to call daily press conferences on small stuff to get his face in the news. He’s going to have to actually pay for publicity come January.

For now, even when he’s taking back a decision he once fought for, at least he’s getting headlines and airtime. If he makes a decision, defends it, and then takes it back, those are at least three days of free media coverage. Even the flip-flopping has a bit of benefit.

When he was defending the decision to hand over an acre of open space at Ala Moana Beach Park to a nonprofit group to build an accessible play structure, he accused those in opposition to the plan of being uncaring toward keiki who may be differently-abled.

“There are people who I believe are heartless who have no children themselves who somehow say let them play on the beach … it’s cruel to say go play in the sand.”

So great. Now no keiki can play in the sand and people with disabilities can’t go to the beach with their caregivers. Caldwell may not be heartless, because he seems to eventually feel bad about stuff, but he’s sometimes clueless. At least for a while. And then he tries to undo the damage.