Greg Mitchell:Weekend Newspaper Endorsements

[cal04]

http://gregmitchellwriter.blogspot.com/2012/10/tribune-for-people.html

UPDATE Margaret Sullivan, the NYT's fine new public editor, interviewed me earlier this re: the value of newspaper endorsements, and her Sunday column, with a quote or two from me is now posted. It coincides with the Times endorsing Obama, "enthusastically."
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/public-editor/an-opinion-to-consider-before-you-vote.html?src=twr&_r=0

Earlier: I've been tracking all of the major newspaper endorsements here and at The Nation (following my practice since 2000) and most papers will have made their picks by Sunday, although some wait until the final weekend. Until now, the endorsements have been split, with Obama getting the edge in the number of larger papers, and Romney earning some key switches from papers that backed Obama in 2008. This chart for the top 100 papers finds Obama with 20 endorsees to Romney's 18, and a nice edge in circulation numbers--and with expected backing from NYT not included yet.

The San Jose Mercury-News today endorsed Obama, as it had in 2008. This is not reflected in chart mentioned above. Ditto: for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. The Miami Herald, in a key move, also has endorsed Obama: "In the end, Mr. Obama’s policies across the board — the environment, social policy, taxes and immigration — offer a more generous vision for America. The issues he has fought for, coupled with the lingering doubts about Mr. Romney’s persona and his true intentions, make this a clear choice." The Daily News in Los Angeles has backed Romney but the San Francisco Chronicle today went for the president.

The Chicago Tribune--often hard to predict--has endorsed native son Barack Obama for president. The paper, once rigidly conservative, is again owned by Republicans but still backs the president. As it admits, "On questions of economics and limited government, the Chicago Tribune has forged principles that put us closer to the challenger in this race, Republican Mitt Romney. We write with those principles clearly in our minds. Romney advocates less spending, less borrowing -- overall, a less costly and less intrusive role for government in the lives of the governed." But his deficit plan is not good, and Obama's foreign policy views much better.

links

http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_21862899/mercury-news-editorial-re-elect-president-obama

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/176032451.html?refer=y&refer=y

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/10/26/3068819/obama-for-president.html

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-obama-endorsement-chicago-tribune-20121026,0,5462618.story?fb_action_ids=10152231254155227&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=

[Cha]

1. KNR..thanks cal04

[catbyte]

2. no surprise but the Detroit Free Press endorsed Obama

I will be shocked if the Detroit News endorses him, even with the auto bailout.