DesMoines Register endorses Romney

[cal04]

The Register endorsement: Mitt Romney offers a fresh economic vision
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20121027/OPINION03/121026026/The-Register-endorsement-Mitt-Romney-offers-a-fresh-economic-vision?Frontpage

Ten months ago this newspaper endorsed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for the Republican nomination for president. An overarching consideration was which of the party’s candidates could we see occupying the White House, and there was no question that Romney was qualified for the job.

Now, in the closing days of the general election campaign, the question is which of the two contenders deserves to be the next president of the United States.

Both President Barack Obama and Governor Romney are superbly qualified. Both are graduates of the Harvard University Law School who have distinguished themselves in government, in public service and in private life. Both are devoted husbands and fathers.

American voters are deeply divided about this race. The Register’s editorial board, as it should, had a vigorous debate over this endorsement. Our discussion repeatedly circled back to the nation’s single most important challenge: pulling the economy out of the doldrums, getting more Americans back in the workforce in meaningful jobs with promising futures, and getting the federal government on a track to balance the budget in a bipartisan manner that the country demands.


more at link

[KelleyD]

1. Bullshit...I agree with my President, Barack Obama! n/t

[cal04]

5. Agreed! If you have the stomach to read the whole thing

I was wondering how much they were paid for all the bull they put in that endorsement

[RBInMaine]

2. "Fresh Economic Vision"??? Ya, tax cuts for billionaires and fuck the middle class.

[Blaukraut]

4. More like a tired old mirage n/t

[naviman]

3. Bullshit

They gave all the credit of the ACA to Romney. I think they did it just because of the Obama interview last week. What a bunch of losers.

[libinnyandia]

6. I will never get that paper again! Even if they gave it away.

[Tutonic]

7. Very disappointing. But my consolation is in the fact

that Iowa will go BLUE. We're on the right side of history. No doubt about that. I'm thinking that Terry Brandsted's crew worked this for RMoney. Iowa politics have long influenced this paper.

[RBInMaine]

16. Have other Iowa papers endorsed Obama?

[boingboinh]

19. Hmm..i might be wrong..but i thought another Iowa paper endorsed Obama.

Cant be sure though..

[Tutonic]

34. I'm guessing Iowa City and Davenport papers.

Des Moines Register is the largest paper and unfortunately it is somewhat of a right leaning paper. They endorsed Hillary Clinton over Obama in 2008 Primaries and likely would have endorsed McCain except he had the untimely meltdown thingy. The paper has lost significant readership over the last 5-10 years and unfortunately has been known to enter into politics depending upon who controls the statehouse. I do not think that this endorsement will assist RMoney to capture this state--42% of voting is complete and Obama has a significant lead that is not going to be overcome. I believe that Obama made a misstep with the editorial board and lost the endorsement. In the end just like in the 2008 primaries, he will prevail and the Register will go back to focusing on stories about corn and bridges.

[WI_DEM]

8. No surprise since they went out of there way to embarras Obama by demanding he release the interview

of their interview with him.

[mzmolly]

9. "Trickle down economics" is fresh?

[BootinUp]

10. Amazingly ignorant conclusion.

[WI_DEM]

11. Expect the MSM to blow this up and ignore the WP poll of VA

[russspeakeasy]

18. David Gregory is home practicing his condescending

smirk right now.

[rurallib]

12. Being old enough to remember when the DMR was

one of America's 5 best newspapers. Now it competes with FUX news and the Moonie Times.
Next editorial meeting: How to raise circulation.

[boingboinh]

13. 1972's Richard Nixon was the LAST REPUBLICAN they ever Endorsed! Now Romney!

So one can't say they are right-leaning and biased. They are very, VERY democratic. Its clear they are/were upset by Obama in not wanting to go on record thing.

[Tutonic]

41. It is a Hearst publication that is no longer

left leaning. The Cowles Family sold in 1986 and it is controlled by Gannet--that around 2000 became a bit more right leaning. It is somewhat centrist but keep in mind that they did not endorse Obama in the 2008 primaries and therefore had reason onto to do so in 2012. Don't expect this endorsement to chang ethe trajectory of the race in any manner. Iowa voters typically buck what this newspaper board recommends.

[FVZA_Colonel]

50. And that justifies them all but endorsing Obama's agenda and then flipping around to Romney

because he can somehow be "bipartisan" for magical, as yet unfounded reasons?

[BeyondGeography]

14. What a muddle-headed endorsement

It's all about "breaking gridlock," and Romney supposedly being the better guy to do that, while they're basically begging him not to give in to his own party, who will disown him at the first indication of real bipartisanship.

I knew they were going in this direction based on their questions to Obama.

[blazeKing]

15. Glad they came out with it now

With the storm in the news, it'll be drowned out in coverage of Sandy.

[Bad Thoughts]

17. The paragraph that clinches the Register's stupidity

Early in his administration, President Obama reached out to Republicans but was rebuffed. Since then, he has abandoned the effort, and the partisan divide has hardened. That has hampered not only the economy, but the entire country. We remain a nation of red states and blue states.

Romney succeeded as governor in Massachusetts where he faced Democratic majorities in the legislature. If elected, he would have an opportunity to renew the effort. He would begin with an advantage in the House, where a Republican majority is likely to remain after the election. The challenge will be in the Senate, where it takes a super-majority to pass anything of substance.

How would the editors feel if Dems promised to be as intransigent as congressional republicans?

[TroyD]

20. What idiots

Isn't this the first time in modern history they have chosen a Republican? Why would they do this?

Don't they realize Romney even insulted Iowa's wind power industry recently?

[naviman]

22. The last Republican they endorsed was Nixon

Kind of fitting really.

[SingleSeatBiggerMeat]

21. You Know, You Can't Win Them All....

But to essentially see the third term of George "Turnip" Bush as a "...fresh economic vision" is just so insulting to people with an IQ over 80.

Hope this riles up the Democrats and they respond by voting.

[Democrats4All]

23. doesn't matter

Just vote. Paper endorsements don't matter anymore. There's thousands of political blogs and websites now where people go for information and opinions. They are dinosaurs with limited influence now.

[Thrill]

24. They did this because they didn't like being

Told The President's interview was off the record. I knew this was going to happen when they started whining about it

Mittens wants to stop wind power credits, and this is fresh for Iowa ?

[boingboinh]

25. Yikes! They've ALWAYS Chosen Democrat Each Election until Now

You have to go back to 1972 to see a republican on their endorsement list.

[bama_blue_dot]

46. You seriously smell like a troll..

I mean, the stench is overwhelming! They actually make themselves look very petty.. They cried about the President wanting the interview "off the record" yet they talk to him anyway.. Just looks like sour grapes to me.. The endorsement would've seemed more truthful if they never complained about the "off the record" interview..

[Piazza Riforma]

26. Is it just me or does it seem like

all these newspaper endorsements of Mitt Romney look like they're cribbed from the same source?

[Kteachums]

27. Which fresh new vision were they referring to? Does he ever stay with the same vision?

[TroyD]

28. They also endorsed Steve King!

A far-right Republican nut.

What does that say about their credibility?

[Cha]

43. It's says they got fucking stupid on their editorial board. Thanks for

the info.

[Mass]

29. I wonder what happened during the interview.

There was this story about the interview being off the record, then on the record, and Obama telling them that they will feel better after they endorse him. I have the feeling the interview itself did not go too well.

This said, the endorsement does not mean much. Gore got it and only won the state by 0,31 %. Kerry got it and lost the state by a very small margin. Romney got it for the primary and lost the primary, so did Hillary Clinton in 2008 and JOhn Edwards in 2004.

My feeling is that the GOTV effort is more important than this endorsement.

[LisaL]

31. Absolutely nothing happened. Obama released the transcript of the interview.

[ProSense]

42. When they made a big deal out of a

non-eventful off-the-record discussion, that was a hint.

Idiots.

[progressivebydesign]

30. WTF if wrong with them???? They've lost their minds.

economy isn't in the fucking duldrums you morons. But I guess giving Bush style tax breaks to billionaires is going to fix it. I'm just stunned they could be so stupid.

SINCE fucking WHEN does hiring a guy that pioneered OUTSOURCING a way to get people working??? wtf?

Their board was divided, and NOW the boards include the management, who had overridden things like this in the past at other papers.

[Bad Thoughts]

32. Register gives Dems permission to go nuclear on next Republican Pres

They're rewarding the childish petulance of Boehner, Cantor, and McConnell.

[Blue Idaho]

33. So that's what happens when you let the intern run the weekend desk...

Bafoons.

[TroyD]

35. They also endorsed Steve King!

I think the Obama Campaign should use that against them if they are questioned about this by reporters.

The fact that the DMR would endorse a right-wing extremist like Steve King brings into question their endorsement of Romney.

[ProSense]

39. Clearly he's "superbly qualified"

Romney wants as partner Congressman who compared immigrants to dogs
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021297016

Dem Video Ties Mitt Romney To Steve King
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021302128

[TroyD]

40. The DMR should be torn apart over the Steve King endorsement

It should be used against them as evidence for the lack of quality and integrity of the candidates they endorse.

[ProSense]

44. It appears that is incorrect.

U.S. House District 4: Christie Vilsack / The Register endorsements
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20121021/OPINION03/310210054&Ref=AR?nclick_check=1

[BlueDemKev]

36. Damn...

How can warmed-over supply-side, trickle-down economics be considered a "fresh" economic vision?

[TexasBushwhacker]

37. Kiss those wind subsidies goodbye

It's only about 7,000 jobs. I don't know how many will be affected. Iowa has the biggest wind program in the country.

[TroyD]

38. Romney Campaign is already seizing the moment:

"The Des Moines Register endorsed Mitt Romney for President – the first time the paper has endorsed a Republican in 40 years."

[Cha]

45. And, the last one was Dick Nixon...how did that workout, mittloaf?

[progressivebydesign]

47. Ok.I've calmed down. Let me TELL you about paper endorsements in this new corporate world.

First. Des Moines Register is owned by GANNETT Company, who owns USA Today. it is a giant corporations with many papers and radio stations. It's based in Virginia.

Second. In the good old days, the endorsements were made by a REAL Editorial Board, in newspaper conference rooms. They usually had one or two corporate/management folks in the mix but it was mainly the people who actually covered the news, and the editors, who made the decision. This is how it is on some papers still, but mostly with the advent of corporate takeovers of so many industries, it's not the case anymore.

Case in point. I worked for a newspaper in California. It was a medium sized market. The paper was bought out by Knight Ridder then McClatchy. During one of the Bush election years, the paper endorsed Bush. (this was in a very liberal area) The editorial staff was LIVID. They were in the meetings, and all were against endorsing Bush. BUT.. the Editorial Board NOW included business personnel and the publisher (which was a person that had only biz experience, nothing editorial.) The Board couldn't come to an agreement, so the MANAGEMENT prevailed. It defied logic to endorse Bush, the arguments against it were strong, but the corporate shills/the suits had the last word.

Look at the endorsement of Romney by the DMR. They mention that the Board couldn't agree, that it went back and forth. I GUARANTEE it was NOT the editorial staff that fought for Romney. It was the suits who did that, and they prevailed. Just like the Seattle Times choosing to give tens of thousands in free ad to Rob McKenna (R), and the editorial staff protested, I believe this is the case with DMR.

Please don't think that the endorsement of Mitt represents the actual JOURNALISTS on that paper, it represents the bu$ine$$ people there. And frankly, I can only imagine how much money Mitt and his Super PACS have poured into the Gannett papers and radio stations.

Howard Fineman is losing his mind saying that this endorsement means the President will lose. But people need to know where it comes from.

[BootinUp]

49. Your explanation

is the only logical explanation.

[lolamio]

48. Wow. That's petty of them, isn't it? eom