by Mark Silva
Barack Obama is outpacing John McCain in newspaper editorial endorsements two weeks from Election Day. But one in particular is worth noting, our friends at Top of the Ticket suggest.
The Salt Lake Tribune, Utah's major newspaper, has come out for Obama - in a state which President Bush carried with close to 72 percent of the vote for his reelection (his best showing anywhere), Don Frederick notes at the Ticket, our sister-blog at the Los Angeles Times (which also has endorsed Obama, in its first presidential recommendation of any kind since Richard Nixon's endorsement in 1972. And here at the Chicago Tribune, well, the paper's editorial board went for a Democrat, Obama, for the first time in its 161-year history.)
The Sat Lake Tribune's nod for Obama is particularly stinging in its evaluation of the Republican ticket: It harshly criticizes "the impetuous McCain" for selecting Sarah Palin instead of the Mormon Mitt Romney,'' the Ticket notes.
Palin, the editorial continues, "quickly proved grievously underequipped to step into the presidency should McCain, at 72 and with a history of health problems, die in office. More than any single factor, McCain's bad judgment in choosing the inarticulate, insular and ethically challenged Palin disqualifies him for the presidency."
Editor & Publisher, the journal of the newspaper industry, is keeping track of endorsements in the presidential race. So far, it's a rout for Obama - 3-1 over McCain.
"Many will profess not to be surprised by this,'' Frederick adds. "Still, although many newspapers -- especially the larger ones serving urban populations -- long have leaned Democratic in their editorial stances, the magazine notes that the tally in 2004 was a horserace: John Kerry barely edged George Bush, 213-205.''
Comments
I was a bit surprised by the endorsement in such a heavily conservative area until I got to this line: "It "harshly harshly criticizes "the impetuous McCain" for selecting Sarah Palin instead of the Mormon Mitt Romney,'' the Ticket notes." Of course. Now it's just easy to dismiss the endorsement as sour grapes.
Posted by: My Aunt Fanny | October 20, 2008 5:10 PM
Not so fast, Fanny. The Denver Post, which is owned by Republican William Dean Singleton (also owner of the Salt Lake Tribune), also endorsed Obama. I doubt there's much of a Romney factor in Denver, I think there's as many Evanginuts up there as Mormons.
Posted by: dt | October 20, 2008 9:07 PM
Here in Utah there are two major daily papers. The Deseret News is owned by the LDS Church, and is basically a paper by Mormons, for Mormons. The Salt Lake Tribune doesn't cater to Mormons. I don't think this was sour grapes. The majority of people in Salt Lake City are non-Mormon and quite liberal (See: Rocky Anderson). It's the rest of Utah that paints us so red.
Now, if the Deseret News endorses Obama that will be sour grapes. But I can't imagine such a thing would ever happen.
Posted by: Luke | October 22, 2008 3:00 AM