Ohio newspaper again backs Obama, though with 'less enthusiasm or optimism'
(CNN) - President Barack Obama again secured the endorsement of Ohio's largest newspaper, but the Cleveland Plain Dealer gave it with far less enthusiasm than in 2008.
The paper said Obama has fumbled and "often been his own worst enemy," but he has the potential to continue economic growth after leading "the nation back from the brink of depression."
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"Much of what beset America during Obama's first term lay outside his direct control," the Plain Dealer opined. "The bobsled slide into recession was in full motion when he took office. The economic calamity has been global; recovery, sporadic and weak. Obama's attempts to reach across the aisle politically were met with unbending resistance, even belligerence."
Obama's failings and lacking "vision for the many challenges that still confront America" in this campaign almost led the paper to endorse GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
"This litany of missed opportunities, as much as the grim economic statistics that have become America's unacceptable new normal, left us sorely tempted to endorse Gov. Romney this fall," the editorial board wrote. "Like President Obama, he is a man of public achievement and private honor. He was born to wealth and power, but used those advantages well: building a prosperous business; rescuing the 2002 Winter Olympics; being a leader in his church and serving as an effective governor. It is the track record of a man who gets things done. No wonder so many frustrated Americans appear eager to elect him."
"But which Romney would they elect?" it continued. "The rather liberal one who ran for the Senate in 1994? The pragmatic governor? The sharply conservative candidate of this year's GOP primaries? The reborn moderate of recent weeks?"
On the other hand, Obama made the "unpopular but gutsy" decision to further bail out automakers Chrysler and General Motors, significant players in the Ohio economy. "Romney," the newspaper wrote, "urged the companies to file for traditional bankruptcy - at a time when private-sector credit was frozen even for healthy firms."
The paper has endorsed Republicans and Democrats over the past five decades. Most recently, it threw its weight behind Obama in 2008, former President George W. Bush in 2000, former President Bill Clinton in 1996 and 1992 and former President George H.W. Bush in 1988.
The paper opted not to endorse a candidate in 2004, when Bush was seeking re-election and was challenged by Sen. John Kerry.
With 18 electoral votes, Ohio is the second-largest battleground state on the CNN Electoral Map and has been squarely in the eyes of both campaigns this year.
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"Obama's American Pie"
Is Obama showing symptoms of a terminal "Allergic Reaction" to fix the economy? Well, it’s not getting any better, or Is this the symptoms of insanity, or is this just a collaboration of a fantastic choreographed ploy to bring forth delusions of false hope served from a silver tongue with “lost” ears gathered by the kitchen table begging for scraps like well trained dogs, that only needs to obey simple commands to get nibbles of the economic pie for the future. Soon we must ask if there is any more pie, only because the pieces seem to be getting smaller.
-Terence "Tee" Fallon, Jr.
Is the economy going to be able to rebound, or is the economic balloon going to pop, and leave people with more empty hope than they can ever imagine. How do we get ourselves out of this mess, considering the economic mess seems to only be escalating?
When you pledge to put party over country you get a stalled country. This is treasonous!!! God comes first. Then country not party!?! The republicans were prayin for calamity. Now they bring us Robme to further help the rich and take why is left from poor folk... 🙁
Now what does that say about Romney? His supporters really dont like him but feel they have to support their party. I live in a red state and the people here arent crazy about Romney but are staunch republicans and will vote republican no matter what. That scares me because you are loyal to a party not considering the person. Anymore can change parties to get votes many politicans have done it. Think people why are many papers endosing the president? the media has done the research and have the facts. They know what happened in the Bush years and dont want to return...
Good to hear, this is not the time to change when the President is turning the awful situation started in the term of the last government around.
Please try to cover both presidential candidates as equally as possible. The American people realize that CNN supports and endorses the Democratic party but we would still like the same coverage on Romney. The good and the bad. Same for Obama. The good and the bad.
Ohio, I'm sure you were under emence pressure from the millions os $$$ from Romney's superpac and your disgusting and blaten attempts to sabitoge the American vote is duley noted. The ONLY reason you are doing any better than other states with employment is because of President Obama and $emocrates alone who saved your butts with the auto bailouts (1 in 8 jobs there related to auto industry) including your new steel company thanks to Obamas sanctions on China for steel and tires.Ohioans didn't let you bust the unions who also made that happen.As for ex Gov. Romney, he left Mass 47 in job creation, gave them health care (but doesnt want you or anybody else to have it) and Mass is obviously smarter than you because they are overwhelmingly for Obama!