Orlando Sentinel Endorses John Kerry for President

[ryban]

EDITORIAL
Kerry for president
Our position: The Bush presidency has disappointed us on almost all counts.

Posted October 24, 2004

Four years ago, the Orlando Sentinel endorsed Republican George W. Bush for president based on our trust in him to unite America. We expected him to forge bipartisan solutions to problems while keeping this nation secure and fiscally sound.

This president has utterly failed to fulfill our expectations. We turn now to his Democratic challenger, Sen. John Kerry, with the belief that he is more likely to meet the hopes we once held for Mr. Bush.

Our choice was not dictated by partisanship. Already this election season, the Sentinel has endorsed Republican Mel Martinez for the U.S. Senate and four U.S. House Republicans. In 2002, we backed Republican Gov. Jeb Bush for re-election, repeating our endorsement of four years earlier. Indeed, it has been 40 years since the Sentinel endorsed a Democrat -- Lyndon Johnson -- for president.

But we cannot forget what we wrote in endorsing Mr. Bush in 2000: "The nation needs a leader who can bring people together, who can stand firm on principle but knows the art of compromise." Four years later, Mr. Bush presides over a bitterly divided Congress and nation. The unity following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks -- the president's finest hour -- is a memory now. Mr. Bush's inflexibility has deepened the divide.

<snip>

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-edped124102404oct24,0,6815713.story?coll=orl-home-headlines

[lsuguy]

1. This is BIG!!!!!!

Yea!!!!

[hansolsen]

24. Agreed. N/T

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

2. Put that in your Funk and Wagnalls, * !!

... Unlike Mr. Bush, he understands that government accountability and civil liberties must not be needlessly compromised in the name of the war on terrorism.

Mr. Kerry's health plan would extend coverage to 27 million Americans, more than three times as many as Mr. Bush's plan. Contrary to what the president has been saying on the campaign trail, Mr. Kerry's plan would be voluntary, and include private-sector options for coverage.

Mr. Kerry has committed himself to reinstating pay-as-you-go rules that helped turn deficits into surpluses during the 1990s. Such rules would force him to scale back his plans if he can't pay for them.

In sum, we believe Mr. Kerry would be a more bipartisan and effective leader than Mr. Bush. In the Nov. 2 general election, the Sentinel endorses John Kerry for president of the United States.

[fishnfla]

3. They were one of the first to call for clinton's resignation

This is a pleasent suprise.

I still officially hate them though.....

[Lorien]

4. WooHoo!

For once the Slantinel didn't disappoint!

[TimeToGo]

5. !!!!!!!!!!

[alcuno]

6. "utterly failed"

Towels are being thrown in right and left.

[Peanut Gallery]

15. Not to look a gift horse in the mouth but,

"Utterly failed" is so much more on point than WaPo's mealymouthed, half-hearted endorsement of Kerry, imo.

[sundancekid]

7. it's been a LONG 40 years, but dang ... we'll take it ... that's a lot of

cover for republicans to vote for kerry ...
I continue to believe (and volunteer EACH DAY to help out):
it's gonna be KERRY IN A LANDSLIDE

Kerry. It. On.

[iamjoy]

8. I About Plotzed

I mean, most of their endorsments are Republican, they are owned by Tribune Media. Chicago went for Bush, Tampa Tribune refused to endorse anyone.

While pleased that my hometown paper endorsed my candidate, I must say the endoresment is weak. Aside from pointing out Bush's failed record as a "uniter not a divider" the editorial seems to rely on Kerry's talking points with few original insights. But perhaps the strongest indication is they have not endorsed a Democrat for President in 40 years (interestingly enough, the Tampa Tribune has never endorsed a Democrat for President and in 1964 refused to endorse at all)

I know there will be people who will cry "liberal media" and be angry at the Sentinel. I was angry when they endorsed Martinez, and at all their Republican endorsements, but do not see it as a Conservative bias so much as short-sightedness. I am glad they pointed out their many Republican endorsements as it shows they are not as biased as some would believe.

[6th Borough]

17. Tribune papers differ more in ideology than most media company holdings

The Chitown Tribune and Orlando Sentinel have a quite different editorial stance then, say, Newsday and The South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Perhaps they allow more local decision making :shrug:

Then again, The first to papers I listed sell in much more politically mixed markets then the latter two.

[byronm]

9. fantastic

indeed

[reprobate]

10. Are we really talking about the Orlando Slantinel and Fishwarpper?

[AlamoDemoc]

12. This is BIG...and I mean BIG endorsment.... WOW!!!

[fla nocount]

45. No, we're talking about the Tribune family of fishwrappers.

The Slantinel doesn't have an independent postion. It used to...before it became a Chicago rag.

Cry, cry for Charlie Reese and the medium-sized city HOME page. The Tribune buyout and the introduction of Parade Magazine in the Sunday paper put the defining touches on the ignorance of the Central Fla. community......the steady dribble of T. Friedman and his drag queen doppelganger Ms.(?) K. Parker serve only to keep the nails in the lid of this coffin.

Look and think....don't listen.

[freetobegay]

11. Glad to hear

People won't listen to me, but in my humble opinion Florida is going to be the deciding factor again in the Presidential election. If we can stop the Bush cabal from stealing again we know it will go to Kerry.

[Eloriel]

26. Jeb Bush agrees with you -- or with half what you said

Florida is going to be the deciding factor again in the Presidential election

Heard him say it today, in a news clip while campaigning with his ugly brother who flew onto the field in Marine 1 I think it's called -- in yet another showy photo op stunt.

[Cha]

13. WOOOHOOOO! I got as far as .."Four years ago

we endorsed bush"..and my eyes got very Big!

snip

Mr. Kerry would bolster national security by adding 40,000 troops to the overstretched U.S. military, and doubling its special forces. He would accelerate the program that secures nuclear material in the former Soviet Union before it can fall into the hands of terrorists.

Mr. Kerry would enhance homeland security by doing more to protect ports and other vulnerable facilities. Unlike Mr. Bush, he understands that government accountability and civil liberties must not be needlessly compromised in the name of the war on terrorism.

Mr. Kerry's health plan would extend coverage to 27 million Americans, more than three times as many as Mr. Bush's plan. Contrary to what the president has been saying on the campaign trail, Mr. Kerry's plan would be voluntary, and include private-sector options for coverage.

Also to Mr. Kerry's credit, he has pledged to strengthen environmental protections. His energy plan would do far more to promote conservation and alternative fuels. end snip

I thought Orlando was repug territory? This doesn't sound like repug issues!

[Orangepeel]

19. Gore won Orange County by 4000 votes

much of the Sentinel's readership, which includes many counties, is heavily republican. But, the city of Orlando has a Democratic mayor and a Democratic city council.

[Cha]

22. Wow! I never knew..Good to know!

Thanks, orangepeel!

[6th Borough]

38. Orangepeel68: a challenge:

Give us Orange County and we promise Broward. Deal? :D

[Orangepeel]

39. I'll do my best!

:-)

[steve2470]

41. no wonder I considered downtown Orlando for a condo

maybe I'll even get the Sentinel now lol

[scarletlib]

14. OH MY GOD!

The heart of Florida Cracker Land. Disney, Nixon and Reagan are spinning in their graves tonight!

[6th Borough]

20. If you think Orlando is Cracker land...

You've never driven 10 miles out from Gainesville. Or been in the "hill country" near the Alabama/Georgia borders.

It's a bit ironic that the DEEPEST South is the least like the south...

/remembers when Key West declared themselves the "Conch Republic"

[DemocratSinceBirth]

43. Orlando Is Not Cracker Land....

I have lived here all my life....


It's hard to compare the "politics" of one state to another but it has more in common with California than it's neighbors, Alabama and Georgia...

[DemFromMem]

16. This is the most important Bush 2000 paper to switch yet!

Let's hope this makes a difference in Central Florida.

[Divine Discontent]

18. DEM FROM FLORIDA

and I'm THRILLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:) :) :)

[seafan]

21. YEAH, MAN!!!!!

It's gonna be KERRY IN A LANDSLIDE, y'all. It's a tsunami, a forest fire, a hurricane, a tectonic plate shift!!

Fasten yer seat belts!!

[GOPNotForMe]

23. Holy shit

I said would shit myself if the Sentinel endorsed Kerry. They endorsed BushClone (Mel Martinez) a few weeks ago!!! THIS IS A WONDERFUL SURPRISE.

[Cha]

25. That's just weird!

jebby must be the one shittin' in his rompers!

[Erika]

27. Bush Campaigned as a Moderate and

then took a hard right turn. He said he was a uniter not a divider and would govern by consensus. Oh, sure.

[Tennessee Gal]

28. Yahoooooooooo!

kick

[davhill]

29. This is a good rundown on why Bush is not a conservative

The Republican party is no longer the conservative party. It has been taken over by religious zealots who don't worry about deficits or Social Security running out or conserving the environment because they believe with their wars they can bring on the second coming and it will all be irrelevant.

[OKNancy]

30. Kick

kick

[T Roosevelt]

31. So how much should I read into this?

This was a letter I submitted to the Sentinel on October 6:

I hope that the Orlando Sentinel staff will go back and reread their Presidential endorsement from 2000 prior to issuing their 2004 endorsement. If they do, I fully expect them to endorse John Kerry for President. In the Sentinel's own words:

"The nation needs a leader who can bring people together, who can stand firm on principle but knows the art of compromise. America needs a president who is willing to serve as a role model for all its citizens."

"An upright but tolerant family man, the two-term Republican governor and former businessman bases his approach to government on a principle not blown by shifting political winds: The smaller the government, the better."

"Mr. Bush has studied history and business. He is qualified to understand what inspires business. And he has a history of achieving bipartisan success in Texas, something badly needed at the national level."

"Regarding economics, the nation's first priority should be paying down the multitrillion-dollar federal debt -- before cutting taxes or increasing spending."

"Mr. Bush has the better world view. Shunning the Clinton-Gore approach of using the military to intervene abroad frequently, Mr. Bush would involve this nation selectively, using strict tests to evaluate U.S. national interests."

While the Sentinel could not be held accountable for its expectations of then candidate Bush, they now have four years of betrayals to evaluate President Bush. He has failed in all of these areas. I trust we will see the Sentinel endorse the right candidate in 2004, John Kerry.

[otohara]

34. Congratulations - I Think They Heard You

excellent letter - I'm sitting here in CO just sickened by the Denver Post today, they endorsed Bush this year. Can't cancel them and go back to The Rocky Mt. News, cuz they endorsed Bush in 2000 & now. The News has always sucked up to right-wing... but The Post - it's beyond disgusting

[goforit]

32. "The President utterly failed..."...Hit the nail on the head!!!! YEE HAWWW

:bounce:

Isn't this a Rebublican publication????

[Proud2BAmurkin]

33. Un......believable! WOOO

.

[DawgHouse]

35. This is a great endorsement of Senator Kerry!

From the editorial:

"And because the president failed to round up more international support, more than 80 percent of the coalition forces in Iraq are American troops, and the United States is spending $1 billion a week on the conflict." -- NOTE: One BILLION A WEEK!

"Mr. Bush has been unwilling to reconsider any of his tax cuts, even as the rationale for them -- a huge budget surplus -- has vanished, and the country has gone to war. Other presidents have raised taxes to pay for wars; Mr. Bush is borrowing the money, leaving the bill for future generations." -- :mad:

[marlakay]

36. This is great and hopefully will influence undecideds

I heard somewhere that some people in Florida afraid of having their registration thrown away registered as republican but are going to vote for Kerry. Has anyone else heard that? or is it heresay?

Maybe Florida will surprise us all and be big for Kerry!

[tomreedtoon]

37. Don't count on Florida yet.

I'm planning to vote this week. The early voting has been heavier throughout the state than anyone expected. That simply means Jeb Busk, a.k.a. "Governor Duuuuh," will work harder to steal those ballots.

My union rep showed at the door earlier this week. I told him that my main worry in the election was that my vote for Kerry would not count. That somehow, the Grand-Old-Powers-that-be would either lose my ballot or invalidate my vote.

Be firm, people. Don't slack off. Make sure your vote counts. And if you can help someone else get to vote, do so. (Even under Florida's early voting it's taking upwards of two hours to vote.)

[steve2470]

40. This is one of the BEST rebuttals to the *ites

Coming from the traditionally Republican Sentinel, who backed him 4 years ago, this is manna from heaven

[deadparrot]

42. Sounds good. What's the circulation?

[VegasWolf]

44. So, we're seeing papers that have endorsed Dems since Vietnam :)

New Information Shows Bush Indecisive, Paranoid, Delusional