Texas newspapers favor McCain over Obama
Editor & Publisher, a trade publication, is keeping up with the endorsements.
McCain endorsements:
Amarillo Globe-News: 44,764
Beaumont Enterprise: 45,684
Corpus Christi Caller-Times: 53,368
Dallas Morning News: 368,313
The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: 49,094
San Antonio Express-News: 225,447
Times Record News (Wichita Falls) : 28,888
Wharton Journal-Spectator: 5,000
Obama endorsements:
Austin American-Statesman: 170,309
The Eagle (Bryan-College Station): 21,654
Houston Chronicle (B): 494,131
The Lufkin Daily News (K): 12,225
This is the crucial language from the endorsement of Obama by the Chronicle, the paper with the state’s largest circulation:
In comments to the Chronicle editorial board during his Texas primary fight against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama explained why he believed he would be the best choice for president.
“More than any other candidate, I could bridge some of the partisan, racial and religious divides in this country that prevent us from getting things done,” said Obama. “I believe that I could attract independents and some disillusioned Republicans into a working majority to bring about change on critical issues.”
Back in the spring, Obama’s sentiments seemed more a hope than reality. Since then, we have watched him grow in the roles of candidate and leader, maintaining grace under fire without resorting to political expediency. He is by far the best choice to deliver the changes that Americans demand.
This is the Express-News’ take on McCain:
McCain brings a proven track record of fighting the bipartisan fiscal irresponsibility that prevails in Washington.
He is a powerful opponent of wasteful earmarks, which the Arizona senator properly describes as a “gateway drug” to corruption. There can be no doubt that he would wield the veto pen against the excesses of Congress, no matter which party sits in the majority.
With deficit spending soaring, his dedication to responsible fiscal policy is desperately needed in the White House.
During his military career and 26 years in Congress, McCain has become an expert on foreign policy and security issues. From Latin America to the Caucasus to the Middle East and Asia, McCain has intimate knowledge of the issues and the personalities.
McCain’s understanding of the world and the nation’s security needs is a crucial asset in these tumultuous times.
And few leaders in U.S. history have had more first-hand knowledge of the toll war takes on military personnel and their families.
With public respect for political institutions residing at or near all-time lows, the American people need a president willing to transcend partisanship and do what is best for the nation.
Only McCain has a record of challenging his own party on key issues such as immigration and global warming.
Anonymous says:
Burka, you are such a hack.
I imagine this is how it went in your addled old brain:
1. The big news is the Statesman and Chronicle endorsements of Obama. Both papers previously endorsed Bush in 2004. This is a big friggin deal to self-appointed pundits like me, Paul Burka!
2. Quick! Find a list of papers that have endorsed McCain! If I can count more papers for McCain it will still be safe to think that Texas and the country-at-large are DEEP RED STATE territory. Facts be damned, my huge Burka-gut says this is McCain country!!
3. Write down hackery on texasmonthly.com
Burka, so far in the last 24 hours you have cherry-picked poll numbers to support the prospect of a McCain comeback and now you are assembling lists of endorsements that include papers with a circulation of 5,000???? Why don’t you just add your own blog to the list of endorsements. I guarantee you have more readers than some of those ridiculously small papers you sadly list in support of your flyboy candidate.
Get a grip.
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ConservTexan says:
What inner frustration and personal unhappiness drives people such as the first commenter to post such abusive comments anonymously on a blog? You can disagree with Paul Burka’s viewpoint — fine. But why the vitriol and the name calling?
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José says:
The newspapers that endorse McCain always refer to the candidate who unsuccessfully sought the nomination in 2000, not the one who earned by GOP’s approval in 2008 by repudiating his better qualities. The only way that McCain could deserve this kind of endorsement would be first to decline the nomination of the Republican party.
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Anonymous says:
Jose,
I have heard these vague “McCain is not the same candidate as he was in 2000″ charges over and over again from you liberals because you are afraid that McCain’s proven record as a Senator who is willing to vote against his party to get things done is the biggest threat to your reflexively liberal man, Obama. Many of McCain’s bipartisan positions have merged AFTER he ran for president in 2000.
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West Texas Hillbilly says:
Good morning pretzel people.
Do you have any idea how silly you look when you twist yourself into this ridiculous position that McCain is best for the White House because he has stood up to, challenged, and fought his own party? If fighting the GOP is the most important qualification for office, shouldn’t you consider a Democrat for the position?
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Anonymous Liberal Lout says:
To Anonymouse at 7:29,
You use the term “liberal” like its a bad thing. Just so you know how I feel about it, I have officially changed my moniker to more accurately reflect my attitudes.
I’m not scared of name calling, particularly when I live in a “liberal” democracy.
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Anonymous says:
The Houston Chronicle’s endorsement of Barack Obama marks only the second time the paper has endorsed a Democrat for President in the last 48 years. But upon further examination, it should come as no surprise.
This year, the Chronicle has also endorsed Democrat Joe Jaworski over Republican Senator Mike Jackson, Democrat Ken Redmond for Republican Rep. Robert Talton’s open House seat, Democrat Brad Neal over Republican Incumbent Rep. Debbie Riddle, Democrat Laura Ewing over Republican Incumbent David Bradley on the State Board of Education, Democrat Vince Ryan over Republican Incumbent County Attorney Mike Stafford and Democrat Joe Montemayor over Republican Incumbent State Representative Joe Crabb.
Are we noticing a pattern here?
And how many Republican challengers have been endorsed by the Houston Chronicle over a Democrat incumbent by the Chronicle? Answer: Zero.
So what could have caused this blatant pattern of partisan behavior? One need only look at the composition of the Houston Chronicle Editorial board to learn the answer.
In 2005, Tim Fleck and Claudia Kolker joined what was already a somewhat leftward leaning editorial board. Editorial writer Fleck has a voting history of being 4 of the last 4 this decade in voting in the Democratic primary. Kolker voted in the last 2008 Democrat primary and is active in Planned Parenthood, according to the Houston Chronicle website.
Board member Andrea Georgsson is 3 for 3, voting in the 2004, 2006 and 2008 Democrat Primaries. Worse, according to blogHouston.net, Georgsson has given $250 to Barack Obama and $250 to David Mincberg, the Democrat nominee for County Judge.
And it continues.
Editorial Board member Veronica Bucio voted in the Democrat Primary in 2002, 2004 and 2008; Board member David Langworthy voted Republican in 2002 and 2004 but has drifted leftward lately, voting in the 2008 Democrat primary.
Only Publisher Jack Sweeney and Editor Jeff Cohen show no history voting in party primaries and at least try to demonstrate the appearance of neutrality. Clearly, they are outnumbered.
AS blogHouston.net, reported when the Chronicle has been asked about the Georgsson contributions the newspaper has gone into the bunker, and doesn’t intend to tell readers what it has done to try to address the issues or restore its credibility with those who take a dim view to this entire situation.
Under these circumstances, voters should view the endorsement of the Houston Chronicle with suspicion in this election. It is impossible to regard this board as a fair, impartial, neutral on political campaigns or public policy matters regarding this state, Harris County or the City of Houston.
But major endorsements remain to be given. Voters should fully prepare themselves for the possibility that Incumbent Republican Congressman John Culberson will not be endorsed for re-election, that Democrat and five time loser for public office Chris Bell may be endorsed for a vacant State Senate seat over two qualified Republicans (a seat once held by Republicans Kyle Janek and Buster Brown) or that even heavy favorite for re-election Republican U.S. Senator John Cornyn will not be endorsed over Democrat Rick Noriega.
It ultimately will be the upper management of Hearst newspapers to learn the hard way that the leftward partisan drift of the newspaper will impact not only its credibility but also its readership and eventually ad revenue. Conservatives and Republicans have little incentive to read, much less support a newspaper or its advertisers which flagrantly disregards the beliefs and values of a sizable amount of the community and their readership.
But will Hearst management figure it out before the Houston Chronicle goes the way of the Houston Post?
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anon says:
Journalism should be held accountable just as anyone else should.
But everyone has right to define things from their own perspective, even if wrong.
This makes for reading between the lines.
Hey, McCain is fighting not only the GOP but all the crooked libs out there and they do have the majority. This last financial crush is right out of their pages and book of thinking. So close to be commie I guess.
Lib is a very scary word.
Don’t have to call names for the shoe fits already.
Good for not buring news for once that show McCain as being the most responsible and qualified man for the job. No matter how you slice the pie.
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Tim says:
The real question is why the Dallas Morning News is still endorsing McCain. Dallas is blue. They should change their name to the Suburban Morning News.
The Chronicle is no surprise. Go talk to people who live in Houston. It’s turning more and more Democratic, and the city is full of the sort of Republican who is most likely to vote for Obama, socially liberal, fiscally conservatives. The Democrats have been a better fit for them for several years. Palin and McCain just pushed them over the line.
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Anonymous says:
“the city is full of the sort of Republican who is most likely to vote for Obama, socially liberal, fiscally conservatives.”
Obama is a hard core Chicago machine liberal. His campaign promises to the contrary are empty. Obama’s promise of a middle class tax cut should be viewed with the same suspicion as Bill Clinton’s promised middle class tax cut during the 1992 campaign, which he withdrew before he was even inarguated. Also, look for the $250,000 number upon which tax rates will go way up to go much lower, the better to expand Obama’s vision of big government.
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just cruzin says:
Politics has many faces; it’s the almighty buck that libs and Dems run to and in getting.
Does not escape others however who want a piece of the pie.
None of which is geared for believing Obama will live up to his empty promises.
Ohh, yes, Obama has lowered the $250,000 to $200,000 and saying he really can’t be expected to deliver via Biden while he is off getting his birth certficate and visiting his grama and Biden staying out of sight while McCain is susposed to just lie down now and roll over for we all know how touch Obama and supporters are and sympathetic to their own; and this is a time of national emergency to and for the demonic Dems.
Stay tuned for Obama moving closer to the right without fight and saying it’s right and you’ll have to wait while he taxes the rich, poor, and really causes this country economic debt and trauma. Oh, and by blaming it on the Republicans.
It’s not his fault says Obama; it’s yours. Hold onto your pants, your socks, your everything, for you are just going to have to make sacrifices as he has already warned you. Not a penney more for the poor. What a Happy Halloween thought; the mask is real! Scary.
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DalTex says:
Obama claims to be a Christian and no longer a Muslem. News flash! The penalty for denying the Muslem religion once you are one is DEATH, no if’s and’s or but’s. Obama is not only a Muslem but a lier, a socialist, far left liberal but someone who in his own words has a distain for America and it’s people. Also, his birth certificate dows not list him a African, black, or negro. It list him as ARAB just like his father’s and his brother’s. And American’s still want to vote for him? By the way, everything listed is verifiable.
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Buck says:
For the record, the Star-Telegram goes Obama.
http://www.star-telegram.com/225/story/996463.html
That’s from a Bush paper in the county with the most Republican voters in the very red state of Texas.
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chump says:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/06/13/bobirthcertificate.jpg
DalTex, wrong.
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