During these perilous times, the nation needs an experienced, proven leader in the White House. Sen. John McCain is best equipped for the job.
The Republican presidential candidate has the character, pragmatism and independence necessary to lead a united America past our poisonous partisan divisions and into a more civil and productive future.
We readily acknowledge that McCain has run a distressingly ineffective presidential campaign. He has failed to find his voice on the campaign trail, rarely revealing the appealing personal characteristics and refreshing political views that caused us to endorse him in Michigan's Republican primary in January.
His selection of Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin as his running-mate also gives us pause. Palin is a promising governor and has excited the Republican base, but she is clearly not prepared for the role she was chosen to play and is costing McCain support he might have expected from undecided voters who harbor doubts about the seasoning of Democrat Barack Obama.
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Others endorsing John McCain:
The Register Citizen-News gives several reasons why it thinks McCain is the best choice:
Today we are endorsing Sen. John McCain for president, not because of the tremendous amount of experience and wisdom he brings to foreign policy and national security in this post-9/11 world of terroristic threats, but because of his approach to the economy and government's role in our everyday lives.
Like millions of people across this country, our hearts push us strongly toward supporting Sen. Barack Obama on Nov. 4, not only because of his compelling life story and the tremendous healing power his election would have on a country torn apart by centuries of racial injustice, but also because Sen. Obama has held up well to the searing scrutiny of a long and brutal campaign. He is thoughtful, intelligent and calm under pressure, all the things we would want in a commander-in-chief.
But in the end, our heads lead us back to McCain.
Barack Obama feels it is the federal government's right and duty to "spread the wealth around."
With a Democratic majority in Congress, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the helm, you can bet that he'll do just that.
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The Cape Coral Daily Breeze believes character is crucial, and that's why it supports John McCain:
Troubling questions remain about the character of Obama. He was elected to the Senate only because of efforts by the Chicago political machine. His personal associations involved one — closer than Obama will admit — with a leader of the 1960s Weather Underground terrorist organization. That man, William Ayers, has commented that, “I don’t regret setting bombs.” And Obama’s association of many years with his pastor, the anti-American Rev. Jeremiah Wright, ended only when the relationship was brought to light by the news media.
McCain’s character, on the other hand, has been one of working closely with those who would build America up — not tear her down.
It is not too much to say that the contest for president this year pits a dedicated liberal politician, Obama, against a veteran servant of the public — McCain. Obama is easily the most liberal of the 100 senators. His running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden, is a close second.
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McCain received an endorsement from a weekly, too:
The River Falls Journal backs him:
John McCain is not the perfect presidential candidate. But he’s a better choice than Barack Obama.
McCain, the Republican senator from Arizona, embodies traditional conservative values, a streak of independence and the depth of experience that qualify him for the Oval Office. At a time when the nation faces extraordinarily difficult challenges at home and abroad, Americans should not put a rookie in the highest office in the land.
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Barack Obama newspaper endorsements:
The Merced Sun-Star came out for Obama, but I cannot for the life of me find the editorial on the site. There appears to be no archive. If anybody can find the editorial, I'd sure appreciate it.
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The North Adams Transcript endorsed Obama this past Saturday:
We wanted to vote for John McCain, the patriot, experienced senator and occasional maverick. Mr. McCain's dedication to this country is unquestionable. Eight years ago, even four years ago, he may have been the right choice for president -- certainly better than the man who has led America into unneeded war, fiscal chaos and its worst reputation abroad in its 232-year history.
But somehow over time, John McCain has lost his way. His judgment has failed, as evidenced in his choice of the strident, one-note, woefully naive Sarah Palin for his running mate and in his allowing his campaign to continually trumpet lies and messages of hate and fear about his opponent. In the three debates and in his campaign rallies and town meetings -- not to mention his erratic attempts to cope with this country's economic troubles -- Mr. McCain has shown himself to be petulant, reactionary, arrogant, angry and out of touch with the American people.
Barack Obama, on the other hand, has shown cool assurance in the face of countless personal attacks, vigorous questioning and endless scrutiny of his stands on the most important issues of our day: the economic crisis, health care, education, crumbling infrastructure and energy independence.
It is Barack Obama, not John McCain, who has shown himself to be presidential. It is Barack Obama who has evoked memories of and comparisons to John F. Kennedy, FDR and, dare we say, Ronald Reagan.
Those last two words are bad shit for Democrats, in my opinion, but probably the most true.
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The Oneonta Daily Star calls it's endorsement of Obama "enthusiastic":
There is nothing tepid about this endorsement. Rather, it is enthusiastic, full-throated and the result of a unanimous vote by an editorial board rarely in universal agreement on any topic or candidate.
The American people have had nearly two years of this campaign to get to know Obama, and while anything can happen on Election Day, the verdict on the junior senator from Illinois appears to be in.
Reflecting other responsible surveys, this week's New York Times/CBS poll reveals Obama's favorability rating "is the highest for a presidential candidate running for a first term in the last 28 years."
We have seen the way Obama reacts to situations in both the long run and short term. When he trailed his Republican opponent, John McCain, in polls earlier this year, Obama's "steady as she goes" confidence didn't waver.
When the fiscal crisis exploded last month, McCain lurched from day-to-day with a different solution, including a faux "suspension" of his campaign that only seemed to complicate the administration's and Congress' task of trying to deal with the mess.
Obama's reaction was to surround himself with experts on the economy, make reassuring statements to the public and not try to grandstand or bring presidential politics into an already-difficult situation.
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The Longview News-Journal says this country needs Obama:
Under the pressure of an extended campaign season, Democrat Barack Obama has made the case that he is the candidate best suited to tackle one of the most challenging eras in our nation's history.
Under the onslaught of questions about his experience, his toughness and his personal history, Obama has remained unflappable in his demeanor and resolute in his focus on setting a fresh course for the country.
He is not perfect — no person is — but he is candid about his ideas concerning government's role and he is adamant about putting the focus on the middle class and the working class of America.
One reason Obama was able to stun the nation with his victory in the Iowa caucuses was his ability to give voice to his confidence that he can lead the nation in a fresh direction. Voters decided his vision could lead to economic growth, innovative alternatives to our energy dependence and shore up our nation's role as the global leader.
Some critics have tried to belittle Obama's oratorical skills, but he has backed his rhetoric with substance on the issues. His politics might be different, but his appeal is quite comparable to that of Ronald Reagan.
Oh, that Ronnie!
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The Virginia Gazette claims one can access the archives for thirty days and maybe I could find the Obama endorsement, but where the hell is the archive page?
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Weeklies for Obama:
The Cincinnati City Beat believes Obama has run a very serious, focused, organized, and inspirational campaign:
The litany of Bush administration failures and scandals is too long to list here, but we can boil down the past eight years to these truths: Bush and his cronies have abused the power of the federal government (torture of accused terrorists and others, domestic spying of U.S. citizens, politicization of U.S. Attorneys, etc.) while failing to make the government effective where it should be (poor Iraq War planning and reconstruction, poor oversight of the financial markets, poor management of disaster aid, etc.).
In short, they’ve overstepped government boundaries when restraint was required and blew off responsibilities when they felt like it. An Obama presidency will move 180 degrees from Bush’s cynical, disinterested, manipulative approach.
Obama has run a serious, focused, organized and inspirational campaign for president and at every step of the long, long process has emerged both victorious and humble. His management of the big picture atop a two-year-long 50-state campaign organization bodes very well for his ability to lead the Democratic Party, Congress and the country over the next four to eight years.
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The Independent Weekly of North Carolina backs Barack:
But as historically significant as his election would be, neither Obama nor his supporters would have a moment to lose basking in transcendence, because the wreckage of the last eight years under George W. Bush is too great, and the problems we and Obama face are gigantic. Our economy is in tatters, our military is exhausted, and our gas-guzzling culture—America's signature export, along with military hardware—is threatening to exact global warming on the world. So transcendence, incredibly, isn't enough. We also need transformative policies.
Fortunately, in his smart, careful way, Obama has charted our path forward to success: First, immediately begin to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq, with the goal of having all combat forces home in 16 months. Second, launch a crash program to develop renewable energy sources and break our petroleum addiction, whether to foreign brands or domestic ones. Third, ratchet down health care costs and move toward universal insurance coverage with these critical steps: bar insurance companies from discriminating against applicants because of pre-existing conditions; create a "public" insurance alternative equivalent to what members of Congress receive; and subsidize insurance for small-business groups and the working class.
All three, it's worth noting, will save money.
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A brief endorsement by the Santa Monica Mirror:
To start with, we choose Senator Barack Hussein Obama for President of the United States. His eloquence, judgment, practical nature, and inclusive campaign stand in sharp contrast to Senator McCain’s divisive, ugly, politics-as-usual approach to the election. We are also deeply troubled by his choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate, as her lack of experience and candor do not bode well for the Vice Presidency. McCain also offers more of the same policies that placed our country into the financial and military morass that has caused so much pain to so many Americans, regardless of their political affiliation. It is time for a change. It’s time for Senator Obama.
That's it.
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And for "none of the above":
The Mountain Home News of Idaho couldn't stand either of the candidates:
At the head of the ticket, the board refused to endorse the candidacy of GOP presidential candidate John McCain, concerned about the erratic and overly negative nature of his campaign, defects it saw in his decision making during the campaign, and a belief that he had aligned himself too closely with the failed policies of President Bush. At the same time, the board did not believe that Democratic candidate Barack Obama represented the basic beliefs and philosophy of most Idaho voters and those in Elmore County in particular. As a result, the board urges voters to actually skip that race on the ballot.
Damned straight! "None of the Above" rules this year. It's too bad it isn't binding on presidential elections.
Once again, thanks to Editor & Publisher for getting those small paper endorsements. I have included most of them on the links blog, and a few of the weeklies.
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