Obama Snags San Francisco Chronicle And St. Louis Post-Dispatch Endorsement

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the San Francisco Chronicle are endorsing Barack Obama in the upcoming Feb. 5 Democratic presidential primary.

The Obama campaign announced the Post-Dispatch endorsement Saturday. The Post-Dispatch, which is the largest paper in Missouri, also circulates in Southern Illinois. Voters in both states head to the polls on Feb. 5.

California voters also go to the polls on Feb. 5.

The Post-Dispatch writes that:

We disagree with the details of some of Mr. Obama's legislative proposals, particularly his heavy reliance on insurance companies as part of an overhaul of national health policy. But we are comforted by his legislative career in Springfield and in Washington, where he worked diligently across party lines, seeking common ground and, often, finding it. He offers a welcome return to civility and cooperation.

We're afraid that wouldn't be the case with his principal opponent for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York. She has been a diligent senator since her election in 2001, but she is a lightning rod. There is a difference, too, between seeking consensus and "triangulating" core principles into positions palatable to campaign donors.

And we confess to a certain "Clinton fatigue." The emergence of the former president as the Luca Brasi of the campaign trail reminds us of the worst of the Clinton years: the divisiveness and the bickering; the too-casual, if artful, blend of truth and half-truth. We're not eager for the replay. As to John Edwards, the former senator from North Carolina, he is the right man at the wrong time, a star whose light is eclipsed by the tail of a comet.

Comets don't come around that often. In January of 1961, Ann Dunham Obama was six weeks pregnant with Barack Obama Sr.'s child when President Kennedy said at his inauguration that "the torch has been passed to a new generation." It's that time again.

The full endorsement will be posted on the Post-Dispatch Web site, stltoday.com

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The Chronicle writes that:

The American political system needs a period of reprieve and renewal.

It needs a reprieve from a White House that draws power from fear, sneers at any science that gets in the way of corporate or theocratic missions and stubbornly adheres to policies that leave the nation sinking in debt and mired in war. It craves a reprieve from the politics of bloodsport that prize clever calculation over courage, winning over principle, party label over national interest.

The renewal must come from a president who can lead by inspiration, who can set partisanship aside to define and achieve common goals, who can persuade a new generation of Americans that there is something noble and something important about public service.

There is no doubt about the Democrat with the vision and skills to bring that period of reprieve and renewal. It is Sen. Barack Obama.

The entire Chronicle endorsement can be read here.

Comments

[newyorknewyork]

SLP- wonderfully written. I especially love the 'hillary is a lightening rod' comment.

You hit the nail on the head!

[Ginzaman]

Impeach Bush and Cheney:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I7nz5rcBmI

[JMEB]

The St Louis paper's endorsement is excellently written and reasoned.

The Chron as usual disappoints. Even the SF Guardian's endorsement of Obama was better written. The Chron, as usual, peddles vaporware.

SF is the only major city without a decent newspaper (fortunately, both the Oakland Tribune and San Jose Mercury News are represent the Bay Area better)

[ljsfolly]

It all comes together on the JFK quote as his daughter has also endorsed Barack. Funny how many people call him obama and he Hillary. I guess it is to seperate her from bill who isn't seperate. She could not even be gracious when Barack won S Carolina she sent Bill to give the speech. The biggest dis I've seen in this show so far. It would give me pause if I were to support her to think she would slap the man who might beat her yet.

[caywen]

Something I see here in SF is a major swing toward Obama in sentiment. Now, SF isn't California, but it does show that Obama isn't just winning red states, it's winning ultrablue cities like SF as well.

[anghiari]

If you haven't ever experienced Obama in a round table discussion when he had no idea what the questions were going to be--check out the Chron's editorial board interview of Senator Obama...it's great!

[anghiari]

Brilliant endorsement...but then that fits Obama's demographic!

[RusStyles]

Quite the endorsement...On the mark, especially their rationale for why HRC is the wrong person to lead America. I cincur, the Obama camp should hire that writer.

[blackpope]

wow...shouldn't obama hire the person that wrote this article as an ad guru...seriously "comet tail"...."torch from kennedy---kinda like birth of the messiah story"

[willowbarcelona]

"And we confess to a certain "Clinton fatigue." The emergence of the former president as the Luca Brasi of the campaign trail reminds us of the worst of the Clinton years: the divisiveness and the bickering; the too-casual, if artful, blend of truth and half-truth. We're not eager for the replay."

That says it all. Thank you Editorial Board of the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

[Boadicea]

Beautiully put, congratulations to the St. Louis Post. And finally, someone is putting the truth out there plain and simple.

"The emergence of the former president as the Luca Brasi of the campaign trail reminds us of the worst of the Clinton years: the divisiveness and the bickering; the too-casual, if artful, blend of truth and half-truth. We're not eager for the replay."

That's the Clintons, alright. They nailed it. "The too-casual if artful blend of truth and half-truth." That's the Clintons in a nutshell.

Too bad the NYTimes is too lily-livered to tell the truth like that. OH, wait, Iraq. Judy Miller. Sorry, I forgot.

[ffa]

Luca Brasi???

It's misrepresentation of Luca Brasi. That guy was an honest loyal friend.