Chicago Tribune endorses Obama

chicagotribune.com

By DEANNA BELLANDI

Associated Press Writer

6:42 PM CDT, October 17, 2008

CHICAGO

Declaring that "he is ready," the Chicago Tribune on Friday endorsed Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, the first time the newspaper has supported a Democratic nominee for president.

It was another high-profile endorsement for Obama, whose other newspaper backings include The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. Both the Times and Tribune are owned by Chicago-based

Tribune Co.

The Chicago Sun-Times also teased its endorsement of Obama on its Web site Friday, saying the details would be forthcoming in Sunday editions.

In its endorsement the Tribune, Chicago's largest daily newspaper, tried to assuage voters who aren't as familiar with Obama as Illinoisans are because "he's pretty new to them."

"We have tremendous confidence in his intellectual rigor, his moral compass and his ability to make sound, thoughtful, careful decisions. He is ready," the Tribune wrote in the endorsement posted on its Web site.

The Tribune noted that global financial turmoil is causing Americans to feel a "personal vulnerability the likes of which they haven't experienced since Sept. 11, 2001."

"On Nov. 4 we're going to elect a president to lead us through a perilous time and restore in us a common sense of national purpose," the newspaper said. "The strongest candidate to do that is Sen. Barack Obama."

The newspaper had tough words for GOP candidate Sen. John McCain and said the Republican Party "has lost its way."

"We like McCain. We endorsed him in the Republican primary in Illinois. ... It is, though, hard to figure John McCain these days," the newspaper wrote.

The Tribune rapped McCain for failing in his "most important executive decision" by choosing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, saying "it's clear she is not prepared to step in at a moment's notice and serve as president."

"McCain put his campaign before his country," the newspaper said of his choice of Palin.

Neither campaign immediately commented on the Tribune endorsement.

But DePaul University political science professor Wayne Steger said the Tribune's choice for president likely won't matter much.

"The literature indicates that endorsements have little effect," he said.

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Associated Press Writer Michael Tarm contributed to this report.

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