Ohio newspaper endorses Romney
(CNN) – One of Ohio's largest newspapers, The Columbus Dispatch, endorsed Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Sunday, about a month before the state's primary.
"American voters need someone who offers an alternative to the failed policies of President Barack Obama," the editorial read. "Romney is the candidate best able to do that."
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The editorial board cited Romney's experience in the private sector at Bain Capital, as well as his time running the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. His business experience, the board wrote, would prove effective in reducing the country's debt and deficit.
But above all, the board argued Romney was the most best-suited candidate to challenge Obama in November, especially in comparison to Newt Gingrich.
The former House speaker would not be a "sound choice" for Republicans, the board wrote, pointing to his 1997 ethics violation in the House, as well as his partnership with Nancy Pelosi in a commercial against climate change in 2008.
The board also hit Gingrich over his personal history, calling it an "easy target for ridicule."
"This alone would make Gingrich the Obama campaign's ideal challenger," the editorial read.
As for Rick Santorum and Ron Paul, the paper said the two candidates are unable to appeal to the Republican base.
"Santorum is more socially conservative than many Americans and lacks the executive experience of Romney," the board wrote. "Paul will be seen as an outlier unsuitable to the office."
While it supports Romney, the editorial board said the former Massachusetts governor has some work to do in addressing a few issues, notably his role in signing a health care bill as governor that has come under fire by some Republicans as being a model for President Barack Obama's sweeping health care reform.
In defense, Romney has repeatedly said that the Massachusetts bill was tailored for his state alone, and argues he would repeal Obama's health care reform law as president.
If he can clear those hurdles, the paper said Romney is the only who candidate who could face the president in the fall.
"Republicans should offer the voters of the United States a chief executive who is experienced at and unafraid of the often-unpopular job of turning things around. Romney fills that bill."
Ohio, a battleground in the November general election, holds its primary along with nine other states on March 6, also known as Super Tuesday.
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The Columbus Dispatch is a right-leaning newspaper and always endorses republicans. They even endorsed McCain and you-know-who in the last election.
obama has been a collossal failure. He didn't have the experience to made a difference in Washington. All he has done is spend spend spend and create programs that don't matter to steal from the rich and give to the poor. He has created an entitlement society that has made america lazy and ungreat. He is making it worse for the poor by making them more dependent on government programs to give the government more power and more control. You obama supporters are so blind and are worse than the most closeminded born again in the south. Romney is a great candidate. One of the best in years.
Yep, let's go back to Bush policies but give more to the rich this time...lol Republicans have hate of Obama on their mind more than memories of policies that got us into this mess to begin with....
wonder who they will endorse in 2016??2020??2024?? newspaper is a joke!!!
I'm surprised, although maybe I shouldn't be. I thought even the Dispatch would be able to accurately analyze the political / economic situation in this country and see that given the Republican obstruction in both the House and Senate, the Obama Administration has achieved far more than would should have expected them to.
It also surprises me that the Dispatch can't see that the policies that are being trumpeted by the Right will lead us right back into recession and open the door to the same sort of financial collapse that got us into this mess in the first place.
I feel like I'm moderate, but do tend to be financially conservative. Regardless why is any newspaper EVER endorsing any candidate in any election. How can you endorse any candidate and then claim to be objective on any political topic. News is supposed to be news. Facts and no emotions. Completely objective. Major media needs to at least try to attempt this.
Bush was the failed president.
Bush policies were the failed policies.
He's gone.
We've got a good president now.
Why would anyone want another GOPer in the White House?
What "failed policies" would those be? Is this editorial talking about the policies that dropped unemployment from +10% to 8.3%. Or the ones that have helped the DOW more than double over the last three years? Or maybe it's the policies which rescued the auto industry and saved us from turning that industry over to foreign manufacturers? Or could it be the Affordable Health Care Act which prevents private insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions and canceling a policy the minute a policyholder files a file? Then again, it could be the policies which helped us capture and kill Osama Bin Laden, and numerous other Al Qaeda leaders around the world. No. Must be the policies which have lead to 22 straight months of job creation in the private sector. Maybe it's the $4 trillion deficit reduction plan which Obama proposed that the Republicans promptly killed because it included a small tax increase on the wealthiest Americans. You know, I don't think it's any of those things. I think it's just deep-seated anger that a black man had the gall the win the last presidential election and is now sitting of the WHITE House. That's just too much to stomach, so they have to invent reasons why his administration has been a failure. And, while they're doing that, they will conveniently ignore the fact that Republicans in the Senate have orchestrated the most obstructive Congress since the Civil War. Our government isn't just broken. It's filled with hateful people who long for the antebellum days of the mid-19th century.
The Columbus Disgrace is an idiot paper that only morons buy for the ads. As an Ohioan who lives in the central part of the state it has always backed some out-of-touch right-wing loser in line with the failed policies of George W. Bush. Just like saying owned by Murdoch.
As an Ohio Voter, I'll be the first to tell you - I see more Ron Paul signs around here than any other candidates.
and always endorses republicans as well
Is this a Republican "leaning" newspaper. The print equivalent of Fixed News. Did not know that Columbus has its own Washington Times, New York Post, or Wall Street Journal. Pretty strong language from a so-called newspaper.