(CNN) - Barack Obama scored three high-profile newspaper endorsements Friday, including two from papers that have never endorsed a Democratic presidential candidate before.
The Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and The Washington Post all praised Obama's handling of the grueling presidential campaign and the historical nature of his candidacy as the first African American to be the nominee for a major political party. It's the first time either the Times or the Tribune, Obama's historically conservative hometown newspaper, has endorsed a Democrat for the White House.
"The excitement of Obama's early campaign was amplified by that newness," wrote the Times, which hasn't endorsed a presidential candidate since 1972. "But as the presidential race draws to its conclusion, it is Obama's character and temperament that come to the fore. It is his steadiness. His maturity. These are qualities American leadership has sorely lacked for close to a decade."
"We have tremendous confidence in his intellectual rigor, his moral compass and his ability to make sound, thoughtful, careful decisions. He is ready," wrote the Tribune, originally led by founding members of the Republican Party. "The change that Obama talks about so much is not simply a change in this policy or that one. It is not fundamentally about lobbyists or Washington insiders. Obama envisions a change in the way we deal with one another in politics and government.
"Mr. Obama is a man of supple intelligence, with a nuanced grasp of complex issues and evident skill at conciliation and consensus-building," The post, which has a history of endorsing Democrats said.
With 18 days remaining before Election Day, more newspaper are expected to weigh in on the presidential race.
But it remains unclear if newspaper endorsements translates into a White House win. According to the newspaper trade magazine Editor and Publisher, John Kerry's losing 2004 presidential bid was endorsed by 211 newspapers while President Bush's successful campaign had the backing of 197. However, the president did win the backing of more key newspapers in the crucial presidential battlegrounds that propelled him to victory.
It is likely then that the endorsements of local papers in key states such as Missouri, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Colorado will have a greater impact than those of the Times, Post, and Tribune.
From CNN Politics
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To the Post, the Times and the Tribune, who had the guts to step out there first: Bravo!
It speaks volumes that Republican papers like the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times are endorsing a Democrat. Colonel McCormick and Otis Chandler are rolling in their graves to be sure.
This is good news for Obama but he has not won yet
I had health insurance last year – I had to pay $2510 up-front payments PLUS $3000 deductible, then they paid 80% of SOME treatments.
Thanks, but no thanks.
Obama/Biden '08
This is an outstanding accomplishment for the Obama campaign. He and Biden should be very proud. The more the Obama team make the objective case that they are better than McCain, then if and when McCain wins, no other reason for Obama's defeat will exist by the most vile and rage-filled attitudes of many Americans.
Way to really put your necks on the line, guys. Have you been sleeping the last 18 months?
Just to show why newspapers are going bankrupt. The don't agree with real Americans.
Colin Powell is next!!!!!!!!!!!! Get out and vote Obama people!!!!!!!!!! Gotta go and give more money.
Obama 08
Obama will win handily against the McCain Palin ticket. The reason why is because McCain has totally compromised himself and picked a complete numb skull for his running mate. If by the rare chance that McCain wins I will be sad for this country. I hope the American people are smart enough to know that a vote for McCain is a vote for Bush. What is even scarier is Palin the idiot as VP. She is a divider and a complete liar. She repulses me and I am ashamed of her as a woman.
I hope when Obama is President he will go back through the last 8 years and expose every single time that Bush, Cheney, McCain. etc have manipulated the American public with their lies. The republican politicians are terrorists and should all be arrested, tried, and convicted of treason.
Here come the "liberal media" remarks from republicans....
GO OBAMA!!!
So we're electing Obama because he's Black. Mind telling me what his other qualifications are??
Vote early and vote often!
Palin continues to spew lies and hate filled rhetoric in this campaign and while it is good to see endorsements I think the Dems should move quickly and decisively to discredit this woman. There is a lot of negative stuff about her that needs to be brought up. AIP, Abuse of power, playing favorites giving her friends prominent jobs that they are not qualified for all these things reflect on poor judgement and bad decision making. We all know she can dish it out now lets see if she can take it.
Thank God, people are making the best choice
Obama is in fact the best candidate
We do not want another Bush-McCain administration, their policies have brought our nation to this recession. Thousands of people are losing their homes, jobs, and thousands more will lose their access to health care if we reward the GOP with a 3rd term.
Things need to move now in the right direction. We cannot play with our present and the future of our families.
Obama – Biden 08!!!
I am just hoping this wonderful man wins the election so I can get back to work...too distracting!
steadiness, maturity, intelligence, that s a TRUE LEADER
Well since our educational system has been crumbling for years I doubt there are many people left that can read or reason. So wingnuts, shut your eyes and ears yet once again and vote McCain and continue to dummy down the next generation, with McCain in the white house they may be Americas last..
Is this suppose to be shocking news? Seriously, when was the last time these papers endorsed a republican?
Even the New York Post endorsed him. If you are a New Yorker, you know how surprising this is. We are on a roll baby. Steady as she goes.... on to the White House!!
new york time, palm beach post next.
I'd be more impressed if the papers were from Missouri, Florida, etc. These papers are in places that Obama will most likely win anyway.
Great news...it is good to see Obama's vision for America truly represented in these papers rather than the caricature that the GOP tries to present.
These are all liberal newspapers, so I am not completely shocked by this. It's the endorsements from conservatives like Buckley's son that matter most. I can guarantee you William Buckley is turning in his grave seeing the low road McCain is taking.
ALL PEOPLE FROM MEDIA, LOOKING TO SARAH PALIN (THAT COULD BECAME SUNDENTLY US PRES) AND KNOWING ABOUT WHAT AMERICA DESPERATED NEEDS NOW, THEY ALL SHOULD BACK FOR OBAMA BECAUSE ... AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULD LOOK AND THINK THEY REALY NEED SOMEONE DIFERENT FOR THE JOB THIS TIME, ALL AMERICA SHOUL VOTE FOR OBAMA ON NOV. 4 BECAUSE WILL BE DOING THAT NOT FOR OBAMA BUT FOR ALLL US AND FOR AMERICA'S BETTER FUTURE