Fresno Bee endorses Kerry

[Newsjock]

http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/story/9292568p-10197941c.html

Kerry for president
Nation needs a new course at home and abroad.

When he campaigned in 2000, George W. Bush said he would be a "uniter, not a divider." The closeness of that election made that unlikely, and the course of his administration has made the very idea preposterous. The nation has paid a steep price during the Bush presidency — mounting deficits and debt at home, loss of standing and effectiveness abroad.

Based on the president's record, he has not earned a second term. Fortunately, there is an alternative. Sen. John Kerry offers an experienced, steady choice to lead the nation in a different direction.

... Where Bush has relied primarily on unilateral, military approaches and weakened our alliances, Kerry would use all the tools in our toolbox — economic and diplomatic capabilities, as well as military power — to confront international issues. Kerry would be committed to a sustained effort to repair alliances and control weapons of mass destruction.

... The Bush circle is so self-enclosed and Bush himself so protected from dissenting views that they seem unaware of the long-term consequences of their policies. John Kerry is the best choice in this election.

[DemFromMem]

1. They endorsed Gore in 2000

If you're interested in keeping score, go to

http://www.gwu.edu/~action/natendorse5.html to see a run down of endorsement from 2000.

This is good news. Hopefully, we'll see a number of papers switch from the last time as well.

[ET Awful]

2. Woohooo . . . RimJobs hometown paper endorses Kerry :)

Freepers are gonna have a stroke over this one.

[ronnykmarshall]

8. How much you wanna bet ....

ol' Jimbo is gonna call for a mass canceling of the Bee.

[kentuck]

3. This is an important endorsement...

If more "Repub" leaning papers endorse Kerry, that is bad news for Bush and the Repubs.

[Newsjock]

5. The Bee went with Gore in 2000, but ...

... they've also endorsed Bill Jones (R) over Barbara Boxer for U.S. Senate, so they're not strict partisans. This has gotta really piss off the Freepers.

[ronnykmarshall]

7. Jones is pulling out his own $$$ from campaign.

Just read in the LA Times that he lent $2 million to his race and has now pulled it out.

He knows he's cooked.

[AntiCoup2K4]

4. And in other Fresno news this morning

...an apparent suicide bombing at the home of local nutcase Jim Robinson. Film at 11.....

[cheshire]

13. AAAWWW TS

[roseBudd]

6. See Editor and Publisher for important circulation numbers

behind the endorsements.

Send the bee endorsement to [e-mail]

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000671941

JOHN KERRY
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (G): 418,323
The Philadelphia Inquirer (G): 387.692
Detroit Free Press (G): 354,581
The Oregonian (Portland) (B): 342,040
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (G): 281,198
The Seattle Times (B): 237,303
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (G): 150,901
The Philadelphia Daily News: 139,983
Arizona Daily Star (Tucson) (G): 109,592
The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.) (G): 89,384
Portland Press Herald (Maine) (G): 73,211
The Day (New London, Conn.) (B): 39,553
The Albuquerque Tribune (B): 13,536

Total Pro-Kerry Daily Circ: 2,637,297

GEORGE W. BUSH
Las Vegas Review-Journal (B): 170,061
Tulsa World (Okla.) (B): 139,383
Mobile (Ala.) Register (B): 100,244
The Oakland Press (Pontiac, Mich.): 65,484
The Union Leader (Manchester, N.H.) (B): 59,605
Savannah Morning News (B): 57,288
The Pueblo (Colo.) Chieftain: 52,208
The Columbian (Vancouver, Wash.) (B): 51,498
Amarillo (Texas) Globe-News (B): 51,105
The Sun (Lowell, Mass.) (B): 50,369
The Courier (Findlay, Ohio) (B): 22,319
The Leaf-Chronicle (Clarksville, Tenn.) (B): 22,057
Globe-Gazette (Mason City, Iowa)(B): 18,947

Total Pro-Bush Daily Circ: 860,568

[peacetalksforall]

9. The larger papers are going Kerry-Edwards. So far.

[roseBudd]

10. Yes, definitely, the Bush endorsements are podunkville n/t

[K8-EEE]

14. Very Telling, I ThinkThe Vote Will Reflect This Same Pattern

There will be a significant amount of people who voted for Bush last time defecting: THEY THOUGHT HE WAS A MODERATE.

Kerry will retain nearly all the Gore votes.

[Steelangel]

11. excellent! that's good news

[cheshire]

12. HAHAHAHA Freeperville's own hometown. I'm ROTFLMAO

[AlCzervik]

15. I'm waiting for my local The Sacramento Bee

to do the same, i think the same family owns both.

[siliconefreak]

16. this is great!

If anyone catches some of the Freepers' comments, copy and paste them here. I think a lot of us would love to see their reactions.

[progressivebydesign]

17. Knock me over with a feather!!! OMG!

I lived on the coast, a few hours from Fresno, for many years. NEVER, NEVER would I have guessed they'd do this. The freeps have GOT to be freakin' WHOO HOOOO!!

[Duncan Grant]

18. In my book, this is a great endorsement.

This is a prophetic moment. Fresno is more conservative than moderate and if the Bee's thinking resonates similarly in communities all across America - well then, the fat lady is singing. I'm loving it! :bounce:

"Based on the president's record, he has not earned a second term." - The Fresno Bee

[autorank]

19. I grew up there. The Bee is part of a Yellow Dog Dem tradition.

In the 50's and 60's, Fresno was hardcore Yellow Dog Democrat. Our Rep. B.F. Sisk was elected every time he ran and ruled the Ag. Committee with an iron fist. Republican's couldn't win anything. As it expanded, Fresno adopted a neo-cowboy persona and the right wing emerged in a significant way. The Fresno Bee is part of the McClatchy chain (Sacramento and Modesto Bee's also) and has a great deal of integrity. They are bucking the tide in Fresno which will probably go slightly for *. My other CA home is Santa Barbara which will probably end up Kerry, Nader, Bush in that order (even if Nader is a write in). The Bee endorsements help.

Hey, maybe the Bee should be the chain to move into DC, my current abode, and just kick the snot out of the Post. I hate the Washington Post!