Tampa newspaper withholds presidential endorsement

AP ^ | 10/17/4

[SmithL]

TAMPA -- In a break with tradition, The Tampa Tribune, a Republican standard-bearer for decades, refused Sunday to endorse anyone for president for the first time since 1964.

The newspaper has solidly supported every Republican presidential nominee since 1952, except for Barry Goldwater, but withheld its endorsement this year, calling the decision "achingly difficult" and blaming shortcomings of both candidates.

Editors instead published an unusual full-page editorial with harsh criticism of the war in Iraq and President Bush's economic policies.

"President Bush told us that he was 'a uniter, not a divider,' but shortly after taking office, his administration took a sharp right turn that has divided this country," the editorial said. The newspaper said it was "deeply disappointed" with Bush on federal spending, the budget deficit and the recession.

[You Dirty Rats]

Newspaper endorsements are strictly "old media". Nobody cares anymore.

Many newspapers have lost their objectivity long ago, so their endorsements are useless and predictable.

I don't see why "New Media" can't officially endorse a candidate. JimRob, will Free Republic have an official endorsement? I'm sure that an endorsement you write will be a lot more coherent and informative than those of the Boston Globe and NY Times.

[Scales]

I just knew it. Dang. About 6 months ago the editorial page started looking and sounding like the St. Pete Times, (the Communist Daily Worker) and the front page was all articles from the NY Times. I canceled my subscription after 16 years.

[whadizit]

"...took a sharp right turn..."

IIRC, the Bush administration took a few too many left turns in effort to placate the Kennedy wing.

[Laverne]

I did the exact same thing; after 15 years of receiving the Trib, I contacted Trib's management, stated my complaints about their use of NYTimes so much, and cancelled. I just wrote a letter to the President of the Trib; his email is on their web site. I expressed my disgust with their non-endorsement.

[Rokke]

I'll second that. And as a simple matter of fact, more people read FreeRepublic everyday than read the Tampa Tribune. However, I would also argue that the reason the new media (including FreeRepublic) works is because it is based on the assumption that people can do their own research and decision making using ALL the information at their disposal. They don't need a "lead" editor to do their shepherding.

[Scales]

I recall that President Bush embraced Sen. Kennedy who promptly stabbed the President in the back repeatedly. It is tough to unite with people who want you out of office or worse.

[MinuteGal]

I have the great choice in my area of the Tampa Tribune or Pravda West (St. Pete Slimes). I subscribed to neither for the past decade and will continue to not feed the hands that bite me.

Let me add, though, we should be grateful for small favors. The Trib could have endorsed Kerry very easily and some big cheeses probably wanted to. I'll bet there was a big fight among the editorial staff, and an impasse resulted.

So, a no-endorsement is fine with me for this particular election......knowing these papers as I do.

Leni

[rang1995]

do newspapers and networks most peopole don't give a CRAP what they say..I remember growing up and everyone waiting for the scorecard what newspaper endorsed who (in new york city)there were plenty of newspapers then,now all conglomarates and ,like is there any doubts what the NY times or newsday will say??and WHO CARES,we all know they are biased..If the times says black-ill say white--it's the age of the internet and 500 channels

[Scales]

Sent the same email tonight to the president of the Trib. We need a "FoxNews" print media to come into Tampa Bay area. If that happened, the Trib would be out of business because it would be seen as both redundant and inferior to the St. Pete Times.

[NATIVEDAUGHTER]

Face it, Both Kerry and Bush stink...Bush however, may make a few saner choices for the Federal judiciary...but to say he made a "sharp right turn that has divided the country " is a joke.If anything,he has governed like a moderate liberal..What have those jerks been smoking?

[Tamzee]

Thanks for the info about the change in editors.... here she is, think this explains quite a bit.

---

Rosemary Goudreau, Enquirer managing editor, greets former president Bill Clinton Saturday at Columbia University.

Sunday, May 05, 2002

Clinton offers to help city

Racial peace would be visit's aim

By Rosemary Goudreau rgoudreau@enquirer.com
and Tim Bonfield tbonfield@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer

NEW YORK — Former president Bill Clinton said Saturday that he would like to come to Cincinnati to help mediate a solution to the city's racial divisions.

The former president was speaking at an AIDS conference at Columbia University. After the event he shook hands with some of the journalists and researchers in the audience.

In greeting an Enquirer editor, he asked how things were going with Cincinnati's racial situation.

Mr. Clinton said he had planned to offer his help, but then learned of the mediated settlements last month that ended a Department of Jus tice police investigation and a racial-profiling lawsuit against the city.

“I thought it had all been settled,” Mr. Clinton said.

When told the city remains troubled despite the settlement, Mr. Clinton said, “If you think it would help, I would be glad to come.”

Mr. Clinton, an Arkansas native and Yale Law School graduate, said he was con cerned about Cincinnati, noting its location on the border between the North and the South. “We can't have this,” he said of the unrest.

The Justice investigation and multi-party mediation followed Cincinnati's unrest of April 2001, when the city was paralyzed by riots and protest after the police shooting of an unarmed 19-year-old African-American man who was fleeing an officer.

In New York Saturday, the former president made the offer to help Cincinnati a couple of times, expressing a desire to help put systems in place to help move the city forward.

However, he said: “I would like to come but I can't invite myself. Maybe I should call the mayor's office.”

Mayor Luken was vacationing in San Francisco Saturday and could not be reached for comment.

A possible visit by Mr. Clinton could yield some progress in the stalemate that exists between boycotters and city leaders, some involved in the situation said.

“His ability to connect with people and move people is truly amazing. And, sure some people are going to complain and moan about various problems that he had as president. But the fact of the matter is he has a very high degree of experience in helping to resolve very, very difficult situations, ” said Tim Burke, who co-chairs the Hamilton County Demo cratic Party.

“I think he has a level of respect in the minority community — particularly in the African-American community — that could make him very helpful in any kind of a situation like the situation here,” Mr. Burke said. “But ... in the end it's the people in the government of the city of Cincinnati that have to resolve things.”

As president, Mr. Clinton brokered peace agreements between factions in both Northern Ireland and in the Middle East.

“A former president coming (to Cincinnati) could possibly be a good thing,” said the Rev. Damon Lynch III, leader of Cincinnati's Black United Front.

The Rev. Mr. Lynch said Mr. Clinton's presidential legacy focused on volunteerism and racial harmony and that a trip to the city would fit into that.

“I would encourage him to meet with members of the community and members of the boycott groups,” the Rev. Mr. Lynch said. “If former President Clinton is amenable to coming here, I think it's something that should be explored. There are still some substantive issues out there that need to be addressed.”

Republican City Councilman Chris Monzel said Sat urday that he wasn't opposed to a visit by the former Democratic president.

“I don't know that bringing in a third party is going to be helpful,” he said. “The city is moving forward. We're doing good things. We're trying to improve. Sitting down and negotiating the boycott, I don't see that being a helpful thing to do. I've said from day one that we shouldn't be negotiating with the boycotters.”

Mr. Clinton, a Democrat, won the City of Cincinnati vote overwhelmingly in both the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections.

His previous visits have included a major fund-raiser for the Democratic National Committee hosted by local attorney Stan Chesley.

Other national figures who have come to Cincinnati in response to the racial unrest include New York's Rev. Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King III and NAACP President Kweisi Mfume.

Others have pointedly stayed away, observing or promoting the boycott of the city: Bill Cosby, comic Whoopi Goldberg, jazz musician Wynton Marsalis and most recently, singer Wyclef Jean.

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2002/05/05/loc_clinton_offers_to.html

[dawn53]

Here's my take on the issue.

The Tampa Tribune used to be conservative. In recent months they have drifted left...not sure why, maybe a change in editorial policy.

Anyway, many people, myself included, subscribed to the Tribune because the St. Pete Times was too liberal.

When the Trib starting waxing liberal, I canceled my subscription.

If they come out against Bush, they will lose lots of subscribers.

So they've taken the cowards way out and feigned a non-partisan approach, not recommending Kerry or Bush.

It's purely to avoid cancellations but still pass off their liberal bias.

We'll see if the readers are fooled by their chicanery.

[bwteim]

FWIW, do you see who's eyes are looking where in this picture?

[Tamzee]

but I can easily see how someone could be dissuaded from voting at all

Pardon me if I'm suspicious of a brand new member of Free Republic trying to persuade people not to vote.

[bwteim]

who's whose,

when will we get a grammar checker...............

[NATIVEDAUGHTER]

Bush is NOT a conservative...They would do well to endorse Peroutka...this insane two-party dictatorship we have in America needs to be broken...

[onyx]

Peroutka's candidacy is NOT significant.

[nj26]

The Tampa Tribune and the Winston-Salem Journal are owned by the same company, Media General. They also own the Richmond Times Dispatch, which endorsed Bush today. So go figure.


Posted by bwteim:

Here is another uncommitted bunch.

Winston-Salem Journal
"So we offer no endorsement. We urge our readers to weigh what they know and what they believe is important, and vote for the candidate who they believe can best lead the United States in these perilous times."

[bwteim]

Thanks for the info. Then the Tampa Trib reason must be the lady Klintoon is ogling above.

[Petronski]

LOL The managing editor of whatever has some nice bou-bies.