'NYT' Endorses Obama -- And Offers Interactive Feature on ALL of Their Picks in the Past

By: E&P Staff It wasn't exactly the shock of the year, so the question, after The New York Times put online its endorsement of Barack Obama tonight was: How did the paper frame it?

Dozens of other major metros have already backed Obama, giving him an unexpected landslide of newspaper support (see our daily tally on this site). But what did the Times say? It's all at www.nytimes.com, with an excerpt below.

Plus, on Friday online, the papers offers an interactive map of all of their picks for prez in the past. It's at:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/10/23/opinion/20081024-endorse.html

From the editorial:
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Mr. Obama has met challenge after challenge, growing as a leader and putting real flesh on his early promises of hope and change. He has shown a cool head and sound judgment. We believe he has the will and the ability to forge the broad political consensus that is essential to finding solutions to this nation?s problems.

In the same time, Senator John McCain of Arizona has retreated farther and farther to the fringe of American politics, running a campaign on partisan division, class warfare and even hints of racism. His policies and worldview are mired in the past. His choice of a running mate so evidently unfit for the office was a final act of opportunism and bad judgment that eclipsed the accomplishments of 26 years in Congress.

Given the particularly ugly nature of Mr. McCain?s campaign, the urge to choose on the basis of raw emotion is strong. But there is a greater value in looking closely at the facts of life in America today and at the prescriptions the candidates offer. The differences are profound.

Mr. McCain offers more of the Republican every-man-for-himself ideology, now lying in shards on Wall Street and in Americans? bank accounts. Mr. Obama has another vision of government?s role and responsibilities.

In his convention speech in Denver, Mr. Obama said, ?Government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves: protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.?....

Mr. Obama has withstood some of the toughest campaign attacks ever mounted against a candidate. He?s been called un-American and accused of hiding a secret Islamic faith. The Republicans have linked him to domestic terrorists and questioned his wife?s love of her country. Ms. Palin has also questioned millions of Americans? patriotism, calling Republican-leaning states ?pro-America.?

This politics of fear, division and character assassination helped Mr. Bush drive Mr. McCain from the 2000 Republican primaries and defeat Senator John Kerry in 2004. It has been the dominant theme of his failed presidency.

The nation?s problems are simply too grave to be reduced to slashing ?robo-calls? and negative ads. This country needs sensible leadership, compassionate leadership, honest leadership and strong leadership. Barack Obama has shown that he has all of those qualities.