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Oct
19
The current tally for endorsements of John McCain versus Barack Obama from newspapers in Ohio is as follows (the global tally is Obama 74, McCain 18 – I added in the Times-Reporter from below which Wikipedia didn’t list yet):
John McCain: 2
The Courier (Findlay) (Bush 2004)
The Columbus Dispatch (Bush 2004)
Barack Obama: 7
The Canton Repository (Bush 2004)
The Toledo Blade
Dayton Daily News
Springfield News-Sun
The Plain Dealer (no endorsement 2004)
Akron Beacon Journal
The Times-Reporter (Dover New Philadelphia) (Bush 2004)
There actually is not all that much debate about whether newspaper endorsements matter – many people think they don’t. But candidates still go after them, readers still read them and bloggers, well, we still write about them.
Greg Mitchell of Editor & Publisher wrote this article about if and when the endorsements matter and we might be wise to keep his thoughts in mind as we consider what’s going on with endorsements. First, CW:
Stated or unstated, the common belief is that newspaper picks for president are meaningless; they influence no one, especially in an era when media approval ratings in polls rival the paltry numbers for lawyers. Even if that’s true, it will be interesting to watch the picks that come out of newspapers with conservative new owners such as Sam Zell, Dean Singleton, and Brian Tierney.
But actually, I beg to differ with those who say endorsements have no impact. Consider my amazingly accurate 11th hour predictions in 2004– based solely on newspaper editorials.
But then, instinct:
I knew that endorsements in most states really did mean nothing, since the votes of their readers were barely being contested. The race actually would be decided in a dozen or more “toss-up” states, and in these tight contests, a newspaper endorsement — I believed — could be key, no matter how loudly others scoffed.
So, on election eve, I probed the endorsements in 15 battleground states and awarded electoral votes to one candidate or the other solely on that basis.
…
When the votes were counted, I had accurately picked the winner in 14 of the [15 battleground] states, from Hawaii to New Hampshire — including the one that would count most, Ohio. I had observed that Bush earned the nod from The Columbus Dispatch (reportedly, after some ownership intervention), got a no-decision from The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, and dominated in Cincinnati, Canton, and Youngstown. I had closed my awarding of Ohio with: “A slight nod to Bush, at least until the court cases begin.”
Mitchell’s conclusion about the role of endorsements:
So, did newspapers decide the election? A big maybe. But don’t scoff as endorsements pile up — given the trend in 2004 and some of the early indications this year, Obama may do well. That Canton paper, for Bush in 2004, just went for him.
Obama warns against having any level of certaintly right now, and I couldn’t agree more. But as you see these endorsements, and think to yourself Bradley effect! Bill Ayers! Michele Bachmann! Pro-America small towns! Helping poor people get houses caused CEOs to lose millions! SOCIALISM! RADICAL LEFTIST CONGRESS!
Remember: even the people bloggers like to vilify the most have to live and breath and raise kids and grandkids and take care of seniors, all in this country. It IS in our best interest – for all of us – to vote for and see the best person become the next president. Seventy-four papers already have shown just how well they understand that.
By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:48 pm October 19th, 2008 in Barack Obama, Elections, Endorsements, John McCain, Media, Ohio, Politics, Voting, WH2008
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2 Responses to “Ohio press endorsement tally, E&P says it matters in a swing state”
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As a former resident and candidate in Canton, I am familiar with The Canton Repository. There is a widespread misconception that the Repository is a Republican paper that basically editorializes whatever the Timkens favor.
The truth is, while the Repository is perhaps a bit on the conservative side of dead center, its editorial judgment is quite independent, and has been ever since Michael Hanke became editor about 30 years ago.
Its endorsement of Sen. Obama does not surprise me at all.
What should we know about the Republican Officials tactics of “Caging” voters? I read where they have tried it in Michigan already – on foreclosure lists! How Jim Crow desperate can these dispicable people get?