Slim Pickings

This is the time when influential newspapers in the key early voting states make their endorsements. So far, Senator John McCain is leading the pack, scoring the trifecta of endorsements from the Des Moines Register, the (NH) Union Leader, and the Boston Globe. Senator Barack Obama has picked up the Globe, while Senator Hillary Clinton has won the hearts and minds of those at the Register.

Endorsements used to mean a lot: in a world before the  proliferation of media, newspapers were the only game in town. What  they said was considered gospel truth, because there weren't too many  other competing sources of information. People held newspapers in great esteem, and when they endorsed someone, it came down to the reader as if on stone tablets from Horeb.

These days, it's more important to have Oprah's endorsement than the Des Moines Register's. Still, all of the candidates hope for them: this weekend, the New York Times reported that Bill Clinton lobbied the editorial board of the Register hard for Hillary's endorsement. I'm sure there was an offer they couldn't refuse in there somewhere.

Begging for endorsements is par for the course, however unseemly. The irony is that while the Republican race is all over map, there is one candidate mopping up the endorsements: McCain.  Meanwhile, the Democrats now have a see-saw of endorsements, for which they are fighting tooth and nail.

The editorial board of the Des Moines Register is made up of three women. Of course they were going to go for Hillary, even without the hard sell from Bill. But they are just 3 votes. On January 3, there will be 150,000 other Iowa Democrats who will make their own endorsements.

Comments

[SteveOk]

When I saw the title of this I thought there was some tie-in to one of my favorite films, Dr. Strangelove directed by Stanley Kubrick and co-starring the one and only Slim Pickens.

The newspaper endorsements mean very little these days. John McCain is a perfect example of that, he is not going to win the nomination and he is getting the most endorsements.

Also, the Hollywood endorsement doesn't mean anything, in fact they probably hurt the candidates. I'm still waiting for Michael Moore's endorsement this year, I'm sure that will be a big help to someone.

[charlie]

Monica,

As you've astutely noted, Newspapers' endorsements today don't seem to carry much weight.
Most of them, because of thier political biases, are either scorned or admired--depending on whose side the readers are on.
It would seem, though, that the press mostly leans to the left.
Objective reporting is going--or have gone--the way of the dinosaurs.

[SteveOk]

God bless Joe Lieberman, he has just endorsed John McCain. Now that is an endorsement with meaning. As a matter of fact I just might change my mind about McCain now that one of my favorite people in the world has endorsed McCain.

[SteveOk]

Is this a little payback for the way Lieberman was treated in 2006 when the Democrats run a candidate against him in the Primary? I think Hillary refused to endorse Joe in the general election, if I remember right. Sometimes paybacks can be very sweet, even though not very Christian. But thanks anyway to sweet Joe Liberman. I propose a toast, to Joe Lieberman and the best political move of the year.

[Dgscol]

Things are getting so bad that Roger Ailes and his little dog will no longer be able to jog in Central Park anymore.

Boy ! All this and Manhatten people still have a life expectancy just a few tenths of a point behind everyone else.

It just goes to show that media consultants, public relations people, and political scientists, lead a more healthy lifestyle than everyone else.

[FK]

There's always got to be some excuse if people choose Hillary. This time it's because they were "three women". OK. Let me point out, Monica, that you are a woman, and you don't like Hillary. So don't use that as an excuse. Maybe they just think she's the best of the bunch.

And, everyone, don't get excited about Lieberman. He's a pimp.