McCain Scores Key Newspaper Endorsements

The Des Moines Register Picks Clinton, McCain; McCain, Obama Get Boston Globe Nod

(CBS/AP)  In a much sought endorsement before next month's Iowa caucus, the Des Moines Register picked Sens. John McCain and Hillary Clinton. The Boston Globe, meanwhile, picked Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain ahead of the New Hampshire primary.

In Saturday's endorsement of McCain, the editorial board of The Des Moines Register had this to say:

“With dissension at home and distrust abroad, as American troops continue to fight wars on two fronts, the times call for two essential qualities in the next American president,” the Register’s editorial board concluded. “Those qualities became the paramount considerations in making endorsements for the Democratic and Republican nominees in the 2008 Iowa caucuses.

“The times call for competence. Americans want their government to work again. The times call for readiness to lead. Americans want their country to do great things again. They’ll regain trust in their government when they see a president make that happen.”

The paper praised McCain for sticking to his views even when they're political poison, like going outside the party lines on immigration, Iraq, and in Iowa - where farm subsidies are a big issue, reports CBS News correspondent Kelly Cobiella.

In endorsing McCain, who was tied for fifth in the Register’s November Iowa Poll of likely caucus-goers, the newspaper’s editorial board wrote:

The Register’s endorsement of Clinton comes at a time when polls show she has slipped behind Sen. Barack Obama in Iowa.

“Readiness to lead sets her apart from a constellation of possible stars in her party, particularly Barack Obama, who also demonstrates the potential to be a fine president,” the newspaper’s endorsement editorial concludes. “When Obama speaks before a crowd, he can be more inspirational than Clinton. Yet, with his relative inexperience, it’s hard to feel as confident he could accomplish the daunting agenda that lies ahead.”

Clinton will carefully measure her tone in the next 2 1/2 weeks - well aware of Iowa's disdain for negative campaigning, reports CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod.

In another endorsement Saturday, The Boston Globe's editorial board picked endorsed Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain ahead of the New Hampshire presidential primary and the Iowa caucus, the newspaper reported Saturday.

The board noted that Obama fulfills America's need for "a president with an intuitive sense of the wider world," and that McCain "has done more than his share to transcend partisanship and promote an honest discussion of the problems facing the United States," the newspaper reported on its Web site.

The endorsements followed in-depth interviews with the presidential contenders.

The board says Obama's diverse and international life experience helped the Illinois Democrat develop a unique perspective of the world.

"The most sobering challenges that face this country - terrorism, climate change, disease pandemics - are global," the board said in early excerpts of its endorsement. "America needs a president with an intuitive sense of the wider world, with all its perils and opportunities. Barack Obama has this understanding at his core."

Obama's relative lack of Washington experience may enable him to explore creative solutions to national problems, according to the endorsement.

"It is true that all the other Democratic contenders have more conventional resumes, and have spent more time in Washington," the board wrote. "But that exposure has tended to give them a sense of government's constraints. Obama is more open to its possibilities."

The newspaper's editorial board praised McCain as a straight talker whose honesty, despite the political cost, might help a polarized nation. The board described the Arizona Republican as a possible antidote to the "toxic political approach" of the last two presidential elections.

"McCain's views differ from those of this editorial page in a variety of ways. Yet McCain's honesty has served him well," the board wrote. "As a lawmaker and as a candidate, he has done more than his share to transcend partisanship and promote an honest discussion of the problems facing the United States. He deserves the opportunity to represent his party in November's election."

The Globe also endorsed McCain before the New Hampshire primary in 2000.

[antoniof123]

Baghdad John got an endorsement; who cares he can''t win either.

There are no Republicans worth voting for this election just more of the same and I am tired of them.

[hwy71so]

Well, they can endorse whomever they choose. Its their tabloid.

[kpowell8-2009]

The Boston globe was right to endorse Obama. He truly has a "global perspective" which is desperately needed in our country during these trying times.

[inbredwhty]

Newspapers better be more concerned with their readership numbers going down instead of endorsing candidates that won''t/can''t win...and they wonder why readership is down! LOL

[bluestardad]

no repigs could get elected to dog catcher...

[jncc1701]

I was a McCain supporter until he decided to kiss the religious right''s butt (and tried to get Bush''s $$$ support) in retrospect he very likely did not have a choice.
But the reality is he is too old, this job ages even clueless people like Bush (check out pics from 2000 and today)
we really need a president who can run the country for 8 years - McCain will be 70, he may be the most experienced but his time was 2000.

[mcv57]

grgeng, I am a true American. I don''t claim the Bushwacker as my President, and I don''t take responsibility for its corruption. You want to lay blame, foreigner, turn off the juice. NO MORE CREDIT! I really never believed in that exploitation anyway.

[mcv57]

grgeng is using WalMart discounted generic LSD. He does not read neither. Hmmmmmmmmm, iliterate maybe.

[mcv57]

grgeng is a Ron Paul croony, and he finds reading newspaper too hard. Ignorance at its best.

[mcv57]

grgeng is a RON PAUL croony.

[mcv57]

Gone are the days of Citizen Kane. Many Americans don''''t realized that the coupe has taken place. The Bushwacker has railroaded the U.S. Constitution very subtly and quitely with no resistence from the Justice Department/ U.S. Supreme Court, and the Corporations with the help of the National Security administration have manipulated the Truth to the point that all we see is deception.

Yes, the old saying "believe only half of what you read; nothing of what you hear." Well, today it''''s pure propaganda - corporations and the government dictate what our eyes and ears can have.

In the day of Rome, only the Generals and their armies could overthrow the Emperior - Bush always s*u*cks* up to the Generals. I am really surprized how these kids (soldiers) come back deformed and maimed just don''''t realize they have sold their bodies to the Beast.

You still stupid people who think its about Republican and Democratic leadership and party politics are really dopes. I have seen both Presidents betray their own ethics, politics and fellow Congressmen. These elected A*s*S*holes don''''t care about you. All they care about is their own wealth - just as the Romans did back in the day of brutal and deadly atritions.

In truth, Bush should be hanged for treason, falsying testamony, tappering with elections, violating the U.S. Constitution, profiteering, and murder. But the dictator has the U.S. Supreme Court in his back pocket.

[mcv57]

Gone are the days of Citizen Kane. Many Americans don''t realized that the coupe has taken place. The Bushwacker has railroaded the U.S. Constitution very subtly and quitely with no resistence from the Justice Department or the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Corporations have manipulated are the Truth to the point that all we see is deception.

Yes, the old saying "believe only half of what you read; nothing of what you hear." Well, today it''s pure propaganda - corporations and the government dictate what our eyes and ears can have. In the day of Rome, only the Generals and their armies could overthrow the Emperior - Bush always s*u*cks* up to the Generals. I am really surprized how these kids (soldiers) come back deformed and maimed just don''t realize they have sold their bodies to the Beast.

You still stupid people who think its about Republican and Democratic leadership and party politics are really dopes. I have seen both Presidents betray their own ethics, politics and fellow Congressmen. These elected A*s*S*holes don''t care about you, they care about there own wealth - just as the Romans did back in the day of brutal and deadly atritions.

In truth, Bush should be hanged for treason, falsying testamony, tappering with elections, violating the U.S. Constitution, profiteering, and murder. But the dictator has the U.S. Supreme Court in his back pocket.

[homjett]

Two Liberal Papers endorse McCain, Libermann (not sure of spelling there), a demo, endorses McCain. Are they looking for a Hillary/McCain ticket. Remember Kerry had asked him to run with him. The MSM had been pushing Huckabee, because the DNC thought he would be easy to beat in the general. I was very impressed with Mitt Romney on Meet the Press today, even though Mr Russert tried to hit him with everything under the sun, an on some occasions wouldnt let Romney explain his points. I can imagine what MSNBC is going to do with that interview.

[perception5]

Now for the facts................The Des Moines Register is a liberal political/newspaper.

Their endorsement of McCain is very strange.

McCain skipped the Ames poll in August.

AND

McCain isn''t even campaigning in Iowa................................yet the liberal Des Moines endorses him?

Here''s why.

They''re hoping that they along with the corrupt liberal Boston Globe can give John a boost in New Hampshire where Mitt Romney leads by about 14%.

Our corrupt liberal wolfpack press is scare to death of Mitt Romney which is why Americans are seeing the wolfpack promoting Slick Huck and now, watch, as they promote McCain starting now.

Mitt Romney is "the" reason the Des Moines Register endorsed a guy who doesn''t even care to campaign in their state...

Really sad indeed.

[idlepugilist]

If you''re not old enough to remember Jimmy Carter as Pres, consider that Jimmy = Barrack. Both very intelligent and well-spoken, but both wanted to be at the top of the game in a very short time. Carter proved to be unable to handle the political giant of DC because of inexperience. Barrack talks virtually the same talk - time for a change, it''s on Carter/Mondale''s ''76 poster. McCain has the individual significance to not be a puppet to the ultra-conservative extremists, and Clinton has the legal/White House (only 8 years) and Senate experience that shows she can play the DC game as well as anyone. Republicans fear her. Democrats are still wondering if they can be brave enough to elect a woman as President.

[rushlimpdrug]

He''ll pick up an endorsement from the illegal immigrant coalition next week.

[tylenol6]

I just read Mike Huckabee dosen''t have a THEOLOGICAL
DEGREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is a LIAR!!!!!!!!!

[tylenol6]

Did everyone see how much RON PAUL made in donations today???? Google RON PAUL... Time to take back our country.

[starleo146]

Boy the media and the press are working overtime for this guy, don''t you think? Mc Cain is a hawk and flipped flopped himself.The people will have the word on Mc Cain and I bet the media and the press is wrong.Cbs and cnn and I do not watch faux nooze but I bet they are for him,propaganda is flying out on him, no thank you, had enough of King Bushs'' policy and he believes everything Bush believes he has no foreign policy.

[fredgrad2000]

I''m not sure whether to give the Globe credit for picking in my mind the only 2 top-tier candidates who appear to be straight-forward with the American people (lord knows Hillary, Edwards, and Romney in particular are about as earnest and straightforward as Hugo Chavez; I don''t believe anything they say is anything other than food for political gain based on polls and whoever they''re speaking to at the time), or whether, being a BOston publication owned by the NYTimes, they merely picked the most liberal viable candidate from each party. The latter wouldn''t surprise me at all. The Des Moines Register, in using experience as its criteria, hit the nail on the head with McCain again, but I have no idea where they get the idea that Hillary is experienced; she has little over 1 Senate Term and was first-lady; that''s not experience to be president!! First lady is hostess-in-chief; she drinks tea and attend charity functions, she doesn''t make policy, attend cabinet meetings, or have access to the Situation Room; her claim of "experience" based on Bill having been president is BS; and the Des Moines Register should be smart enough to call her on that. Of course, none of the "top tier" Dem candidates have anymore than her; Obama, Edwards, and Hill have combined less experience than McCain, and less executive experience than Giuliani, Huckabee, or Romney (or Richardson or Biden on the Dem side).