The Newspaper Endorsement Primary

I don't think newspaper endorsements have the kind of resonance they did before the media landscape exploded and most Americans received their news from television. Still, I have to admit that it's notable that The Washington Post, an editorial board which is aggressively center-right and still supports the war (!), endorsed Obama. The LA Times, which is very right-wing economically and which hasn't endorsed a Presidential candidate in 30 years, endorsed Obama. And the Chicago Tribune, which has NEVER endorsed a Democrat in their history, endorsed Obama.

And if you read the endorsements, they have precious little to do with policy, but with their personal comfort level with Obama's leadership. I actually think that's tragic, but the key to this is a profound disappointment with how John McCain has conducted himself in this election. He has taken his base, the media punditocracy, and showed them the hollowness, anger, and dishonor that many of us have seen for years.

Ultimately, the problem for Obama is going to be getting out of this box that these type of endorsements want to put him in, as a talented and educated man who would surely not take us to extremes like providing health care for all Americans or creating a new energy economy. The question is whether Obama wants to break out of that box.