K
Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names
Guest
The Des Moines Register's editorial board has endorsed Republican Sen.
John McCain and Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton for the 2008 Iowa
caucuses.
The Register, Iowa's statewide newspaper, calls McCain and Clinton the
candidates it believes are most competent and ready to lead.
"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."
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:
"Time after time, McCain has stuck to his beliefs in the face of
opposition from other elected leaders and the public. He has
criticized crop and ethanol subsidies during two presidential
campaigns in Iowa. He bucked his party and president by opposing the
2001 and 2003 tax cuts. A year ago, in the face of growing criticism,
he staunchly supported President Bush's decision to increase troop
strength in Iraq.
"McCain would enter the White House with deep knowledge of national-
security and foreign-policy issues. He knows war, something we believe
would make him reluctant to start one. He's also a fierce defender of
civil liberties. As a survivor of torture, he has stood resolutely
against it. He pledges to start rebuilding America's image abroad. ...
"The force of John McCain's moral authority could go a long way toward
restoring Americans' trust in government and inspiring new generations
to believe in the goodness and greatness of America."
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."
Register editorial page editor Carol Hunter said the six editorial
board members who participated in the endorsement process disregarded
the candidates' standing in Iowa or national polls.
"We believe our job as an editorial board is to arrive at the
candidate in each party we think would be the best president, whether
a person is leading the polls or garnering 1 percent support," Hunter
wrote in a column that accompanied the editorials. "It's not to
predict a winner."
In 2004, the newspaper's endorsement of John Edwards coincided with
his dramatic surge in the state. Edwards, then a North Carolina
senator, moved from single digits in an Iowa poll taken in November
2003 to a second-place finish in the state's 2004 January caucuses.
This year's endorsements come less than three weeks before the
caucuses, set for Jan. 3. The caucuses, held five days before the New
Hampshire primaries, start the nation's 2008 presidential election
process.
The Register's editorial board members who participated in the
endorsement process were: Laura Hollingsworth, publisher; Carolyn
Washburn, editor; Carol Hunter, editorial page editor; Linda Lantor
Fandel, deputy editorial page editor; Rox Laird, editorial writer; and
Andie Dominick, editorial writer.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071215/NEWS/71215016
John McCain and Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton for the 2008 Iowa
caucuses.
The Register, Iowa's statewide newspaper, calls McCain and Clinton the
candidates it believes are most competent and ready to lead.
"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."
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:
"Time after time, McCain has stuck to his beliefs in the face of
opposition from other elected leaders and the public. He has
criticized crop and ethanol subsidies during two presidential
campaigns in Iowa. He bucked his party and president by opposing the
2001 and 2003 tax cuts. A year ago, in the face of growing criticism,
he staunchly supported President Bush's decision to increase troop
strength in Iraq.
"McCain would enter the White House with deep knowledge of national-
security and foreign-policy issues. He knows war, something we believe
would make him reluctant to start one. He's also a fierce defender of
civil liberties. As a survivor of torture, he has stood resolutely
against it. He pledges to start rebuilding America's image abroad. ...
"The force of John McCain's moral authority could go a long way toward
restoring Americans' trust in government and inspiring new generations
to believe in the goodness and greatness of America."
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."
Register editorial page editor Carol Hunter said the six editorial
board members who participated in the endorsement process disregarded
the candidates' standing in Iowa or national polls.
"We believe our job as an editorial board is to arrive at the
candidate in each party we think would be the best president, whether
a person is leading the polls or garnering 1 percent support," Hunter
wrote in a column that accompanied the editorials. "It's not to
predict a winner."
In 2004, the newspaper's endorsement of John Edwards coincided with
his dramatic surge in the state. Edwards, then a North Carolina
senator, moved from single digits in an Iowa poll taken in November
2003 to a second-place finish in the state's 2004 January caucuses.
This year's endorsements come less than three weeks before the
caucuses, set for Jan. 3. The caucuses, held five days before the New
Hampshire primaries, start the nation's 2008 presidential election
process.
The Register's editorial board members who participated in the
endorsement process were: Laura Hollingsworth, publisher; Carolyn
Washburn, editor; Carol Hunter, editorial page editor; Linda Lantor
Fandel, deputy editorial page editor; Rox Laird, editorial writer; and
Andie Dominick, editorial writer.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071215/NEWS/71215016
