Obama wins backing from three major newspapers
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/10/17/art.papers.cnn.jpg caption="Three major papers endorsed Obama."](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.
When members of the conservative press begin to see what Obama has done in trying to get us back to one America so we can address the most important crises facing us, I know there is hope for our future.
I am so disappointed in my fickleness and weak stature! I have been preparing to vent my distain for CNN's obvious promotion of Obama:
Of all the many candidate photos available, I compared smiling, family-loving photos of Obama and wide-grinned wife with those of a straight-faced McCain with a mannequin-esque wife. I compared the many positively-spun headlines featuring Obama with the derogatory headlines boldly bashing McCain. The public "slaying" of Palin was unbelievably cruel. Biden's hair plugs headlines were accompanied with comments from "the public" emphasizing how little affect that would have on their vote.These comparisons could continue forever.
The disappointment I feel within, however, is because it worked!
CNN and all their affiliates have proven that a constant bombadment of subtly-crafted opinion will eventually "break" a weaker person!
American people is going to show the world that we are coming together to bring change in the white house........Obama/Biden are really fighting for American to have better lives, bringing jobs, health care for everybody.
Obama/Biden 08/12
BRAVO, now let's win this thing.
WHO CARES WHO THE EDITORS OF THESE NEWSPAPERS ENDORSES FOR PRESIDENT. THEY DON'T SPEAK FOR ME. AND IF ANYONE OUT THERE VOTES BASED ON THESE PEOPLE, THEN THE VOTER IS IGNORANT AND LAZY. IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN YOU MIGHT AS WELL VOTE BASED ON WHO OPRAH TELLS YOU TO VOTE FOR. PEOPLE. THINK!!! USE YOUR BRAIN. LISTEN TO THE ISSUES. READ AND LISTEN TO ALL VIEWPOINTS AND THEN CAST YOUR VOTE BASED ON YOUR CONCLUSIONS AND NOT WHAT SOMEONE TELLS YOU TO DO. BE AN INDIVIDUAL AND NOT A FOLLOWER.
I could not have articulated the 'change' better myself, but it works! Thanks, and GO OBAMA!
Change every body can BELIEVE IN.......
Barack/Biden 08'
The Trib is conservative? News to me.
Is this NEWS! The media and the newspapers have always been in the tank for Obama, their little god. Left wing radicals and socialists. Shame on the one-sided representation for this election. It was this way in the primary race; how could we hope it would be any better in the general election. Their god will fail!
Way to go!!! Thank you for knowing a true leader when you see one.
Not a big surprise. People have realized Joe is a reverse plumber, he helped put McCain's campaign down the toilet!
Maybe Sarah Palin can go back and be president of Alaska.
Too little, too late John. Never enough Sarah.
Barack should get his plumbers license since he's going to be the one to clean up this crappy mess!
Barack Obama is has truly proven himself to be an outstanding president
I live close to Ann Arbor Michigan, home of the University of Michigan and undisputedly in the midst of both one of the more liberal cities in America as well as a named "purple state". The local paper endorsed George W Bush for president in 2004. I think that the newspaper endorsements are less reflexive of their respective areas, and more reflexive of the newspaper owners political preference. Therefore, any predictive power in the endorsement factor is miniscule at best.
kudos to obama, thank you los angeles times, washington post and chicago tribune, LOS LATINOS TAMBIEN QUEREMOS MUCH A OBAMA!!!
This is actually news? These newspapers have been pushing their socialist buddy Obama on us for months now. Give me a break, CNN.
Big Surprise:
The Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times are both owned by the Tribune Company, owned by Chicago real estate billionaire Sam Zell, a self-proclaimed “professional opportunist.”
So why wouldn’t one opportunist (Zell) support another (Obama)?
As for the Washington Post, they just can’t help themselves – "Watergate" is forever in their rear-and-front-view mirror!
I endorse Barack Obama for president . . . who cares about these papers? They can't vote, I can!
A worldwide poll conducted by eight major newspapers found Obama would receive four times the votes his opponent, Republican candidate John McCain, would receive on Nov. 4, if the world was allowed to vote.
* Canada: 70 per cent
* France: 68 per cent
* Switzerland: 83 per cent
* Poland: 43 per cent
* Japan: 61 per cent
* Mexico: 46 per cent
* U.K.: 64 per cent
* Belgium: 62 per cent
This is something all of the US of A should pay attention to. You are not only electing your president but a world leader who is seen as the best choice in eight different countries from around the world. Or will you elect another George W. Bushand vote for John McCain?
Newspapers taking part in the survey were La Presse in Canada, The Guardian in the U.K., Yomiuri Shimbun in Japan, Le Monde in France, Reforma in Mexico, Gazeta Wyborcza in Poland, Le Soir in Belgium and Le Temps in Switzerland.
They are so right. Obama should be the next President. We can't afford another 4 years of the same and that is exactly what we would get from Mccain/Palin.
THE TIME FOR CHANGE HAS COME
Very Cool!
I wonder if palin is going to read any of those papers in the future????
Newspapers don't win elections although they do swing a
big "bat". I am sure Obama likes the support ,he also knows
that HE and the party must do their job well to get elected. McCain's
negative campaign will have some effect but it won't change the big
numbers that they need. But If Palin keeps making statements like
today they may shoot themselves in their own "foot". Bad decision
for V.P. choice, imo the endorsement of C. Powell wouldn't hurt
either. Hillary Clinton will also be in his cabinet in some capacity
and that should do it for McCain..