Paper Endorses First Democrat For President In 72 Years: Obama

The Record, of Stockton, California, may not be the most well-known of newspapers, but they have been, for a number of decades, one of the most consistent. The last time the paper endorsed a Democrat for the White House, the year was 1936 and the lucky endorsee was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Since then, the closest a Democrat has come was in 1992, when they endorsed neither Bill Clinton nor George H. W. Bush to send a message that "a larger role for the third-party candidate" was warranted.

That's all changed over the weekend, in a move the California paper describes as a turning of the "tide":

For the first time in 72 years, The Record is endorsing a Democrat for president.

Franklin D. Roosevelt got our nod in 1936.

The reasons for the endorsement of Barack Obama over John McCain are articulated in the editorial on this page.

The unanimous decision was made by our editorial board, which consists of Publisher Roger W. Coover, Managing Editor Donald W. Blount, Opinion Page Editor Eric Grunder, Human Resources Director Sandi Johnson and me.

There are many who will question - with some validity - the power or value of such an endorsement. Our decision is hardly going to tip the balance in a competitive presidential election.

In their endorsement, the Record writes:

Barack Obama is our choice for president of the United States.

He has demonstrated time and again he can think on his feet. More importantly, he has demonstrated he will think things through, seek advice and actually listen to it.

Obama is a gifted speaker. But in addition to his smarts and energy, possibly his greatest gift is his ability to inspire.

For eight years, American politics has been marked by smears, fears and greed. For too long, we've practiced partisanship in Washington, not politics. The result is a cynicism every bit as deep as that which infected the nation when Richard Nixon was shamed from office and when Bill Clinton brought shame to the office.

This must end, but John McCain can't do it. He can't inspire, nor can he really break from a past that is breaking this nation.

[Read the rest of the Record's endorsement.]

Comments

[Kiabell04]

Wow, that's pretty awesome.

[alieninvader]

I've been canvassing for Obama on Sunday afternoons. Yesterday, I met an 80+ year old white woman who was a life long Republican. She is voting Obama.

[pahpah25]

WELLI'M PRETTY OLD ALSO..AND I WHOLE -HEARTEDLY SUPPORT OBAMA...I LIVED LONG ENOUTH TO RECOGNIZE 'SMARTS' WHEN I SEE THEM......MCCAINIS SIMPLY TOO OLD AND SET IN HIS WAYS.....ANYONE HIS AGE AND IN PUBLIC LIFE,WHO HAS NEVER BOTHERED TO LEARN BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS TELLS ME IS HIS LACKING IN CERTAIN INTELLECTUAL COURIOSITY.....IT IS COMPARABLE TO NOT LEARNING TO READ.........100 YEARS AGO.

[AlwaysFairDem]

I guess there are some Republicans left with common sense! Glad to have you on the Obama boat.

[PatriciaB]

Now that is putting country first!!!!!!!

[Wildweezle]

ROLL TIDE!!!!

[TrooAmerican]

Good.

[MrWampler]

Didn't McCain just turn 72?

[BLinCincinnati]

Haha, good catch.

[billbb]

Good to see someone else picked up on the coincidence that their last Democratic endorsement was the year Lame Brain McCain was born.

[jakitchen]

can anyone say IRONY?

[realpolitic]

McCain was probably not culturally conservative enough for the paper. in question. Strangely, the paper says: "For eight years, American politics has been marked by smears, fears and greed. For too long, we've practiced partisanship in Washington, not politics." Yes, this atmosphere is in part due to the unflinching loyalty that this and many other newspapers have to the Republican party. Republicans have proven that they can not govern!!!

[Horus45]

I would not use such a broad brush to paint the Republicans, a lot of them do fit that stereotype, but the true culprits are the NEOCONS!
Good Republicans allowed the NEOCONS to completely take over their party and that would continue with a McCain win.
McCain's top adviser Randy Scheunemann is a very big NEOCON, both he and McCain belong to PNAC as well.
Another group that has gained a lot of influence in the Republican party is the Moonies!
Because of the Moonies the Republicans stopped calling their base "Christian Conservatives" because Moonies are NOT Christians.
The Republicans have switched to calling their base Evangelicals, which has no Christian overtones and sounds so much nicer than Moonie!
Between the Moonies and the NEOCONS I don't see the Republican party changing, at all, in the near future.

[Bright Creature]

I've written on this subject before. Not every Republican is rotten, but in later years the Republican leadership certainly is rotten. Since political parties are really symbolic of certain ideologies and governing styles I don't find it at all too hard to generalize "The Republicans" are rotten. There's a difference between party and people and the party is rotten.

[realpolitic]

Yes, the neocons are the warmongers. They want to fight everyone. But the cultural conservatives are still the ones who concern me the greatest. They are so uncompromising. They are interested in a very narrow range of issues, abortion and gay marriage, and they define Christianity around these narrow concerns. They are a large group who are very disciplined and easily led by a few demagogic preachers. Their is not much independent thought among the group.

[elbzee]

Nor can they be trusted!

[JDJase]

It's simple: this election isn't about liberal v. conservative;

it's about smart v. stupid. Obama and Biden are smart, McCain and (especially) Palin are stupid

[fcsakes]

Unfortunately, the terrifying truth is that the nation apparently prefers stupid - look what we've had for the last eight years!

[JDJase]

yeah, agreed. because smart people are "elitists" right haha

[gretcheno]

Can I say BUSH!! But I wasn't s t u p i d enough to vote for him then and I not s t u p i d enough to vote for s t u p i d again.

[juzcuz]

Love this wise endorsement and well expressed. Thank you Stockton's record for thinking with your noggin instead of from hate and stupidity.
McBush and (ST)alin are dumber than stupid. They both made me sick to my stomach.

[sueno]

Obama 08!

[drec1500Madrid]

Wow, an editorial looking at the facts and writing an educated, informed commentary.

[Ruwa]

Here, here here

[huffy2001]

The Record is SO in the tank for Obama!

--Steve Schmidt

[vippy]

Watching the press and the commentors on the news and on TV the fix was always in for
McCain. Obama had a rough time to defend himself from his own like Hillary and then he
had to defend himself over and over again. I know! So when Obama is clearly in the lead
naturally someone will say the fix was in. How dare you!

[editrix66]

It's a joke.

[white mende man]

McCain/Palin '08
Thanks but NO thanks.

[white mende man]

Good to see The Record take the high road. Bravo!

[mysterygirl18]

Good stuff and let more follow...

http://www.myspace.com/wakeupnowpeople