To say this endorsement by The Tennessean is an eyebrow raiser is an understatement. This is the same newspaper, where former Vice President Al Gore got his start in journalism, that endorsed Obama in 2008. Of course, the paper endorsed Gore in 2000. In 2004, the paper endorsed Democrat John Kerry over President Bush. Also, Davidson County and some of the surrounding counties are traditional Democratic stronghold.
And there’s this: “5th is historically a very safe seat for the Democratic Party, due almost entirely to the influence of heavily Democratic Nashville.”
Tennessee is safe for Romney, so perhaps the Tennessean took the safe route in endorsing him. Still, the endorsement will have political junkies across the country buzzing.
Here’s part of the editorial: “He has generally made poor choices of the people needed to get the job done, such as Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. And the number of jobs created during his term simply has not kept up with demand.
Should President Obama, as some suggested, have devoted his early political capital to jobs and debt reduction and pursuing Wall Street criminals, instead of health reform? Time will tell. But it’s clear whatever shaky bridges were burned in the push for health reform only emboldened Republicans to oppose his subsequent economic proposals. That has rendered much of his presidency ineffective.”
Reaction from the TN left:
Betsy Phillips@AuntB Holy s–t. Did @Tennessean not let any of their political reporters weigh in on their endorsement? That is hilarious.
R. Neal: Their incoherent editorial is vaguely reminiscent of the News Sentinel’s 2004 Bush endorsement.
W.W.J.D.: Tennessean Endorses Romney, Freezes Over Hell
Tennessean lamely endorses Romney…even though he is unprepared & embarassing. http://www.nashvillescene.com/pitw/archives/2012/10/18/wwjd-tennessean-endorses-romney-freezes-over-hell …
Much more on Twitter.
UPDATE: Newspaper crosses the line with campaign contribution.
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The Preference Cascade is starting. If you don’t recognize the term now is a good time to Google it.
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I had already found it curious that the News-Sentinel decided not to endorse in the presidential race. An editorial version of staying home on election day?
Phillips comment is hilarious. She’s fully admitting the bias of most of the press.
If you read the actual article, it is so full of backhanded compliments towards Romney, Republicans, and Conservatives/Libertarians in general than their “endorsement” of him is ridiculously out of place.
The article is based upon a world-view and belief system that I find wholly repugnant, namely Marxism. They don’t call it that of course, but a spade is a spade.
I grew up in middle Tennessee and I never felt that it was a leftist stronghold. A stronghold for old-time socially conservative Southern Democrats maybe, but most of those either dead, older than Methuselah, or have been voting Republican since the days of Lamar Alexander.
I grew up in Williamson county and the politics there were anything but Marxist. You did of course have a relative handful of whiny malcontents regurgitating leftard talking points, but they were oddballs and outcasts.
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