So the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader endorsed Barack Obama on Sunday. Big deal, right? Who hasn’t? Editor and Publisher says that at least 46 papers that endorsed Bush in 2004 have flipped to the not-totally-irresponsible side of the aisle, endorsing Obama this year.

But the editor and publisher of the Times Leader, Richard L. Connor, disagreed with his editorial board. He pressured them, trying to flip votes into McCain’s column. But check it out – he owns up to it:

Last week I failed to persuade our editorial board to endorse Sen. John McCain for President of the United States. I was unsuccessful not once but twice.

The first vote was 5 to 3 with one undecided. The second was 6 to 3 in favor of endorsing Sen. Barack Obama.

I could have overruled but didn’t because I believe our process was democratic, the decision a mirror of what appears to be the sentiment of many persons, perhaps even a majority, and because I respect the intellectual honesty of the members of our editorial endorsement board.

Now, we know he has the advantage of both 1) his own column space in which he can endorse McCain (at greater – much greater – length than the paper’s Obama endorsement, in fact, which does beg the question of whether column inches or official endorsements bear more weight), and 2) the title of “editor” along with publisher, which means that he probably has at least minimal respect for the processes of his paper. Unlike, say, certain Philadelphia-area Republican flacks who allegedly change longstanding newspaper policies to ensure that their voices are heard. Because it’s their ball, you know? They might just take it and go home.

But anyway, to the thoroughly retro Mr. Connor, we salute your professionalism! (Although we must say, the fact that basic journalistic professionalism is worth saluting is a sad state of affairs). And sir, democracy will only fail you this year if the voting machines fail too, and John McCain manages to win this state in a landslide. Not that we’re paranoid about this.

Previously: Update: Tierney’s McCain Stump Still Having Repercussions
Previously: Confirmation: Tierney Is A Putz
Previously: The Philebrity Translator: Mini-GOP Tierney’s Split-The-Difference Endorsement, In Plain English

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 29th, 2008 at 4:01 pm.