Two quick points about this week’s endorsements from the local paper.
First, why do local papers endorse for political office? Why should their opinion matter? And what exactly does it mean for a candidate to have a newspaper endorsement?
If a candidate is endorsed by a political party, most would understand that the candidate shares the views of that party. If a candidate is endorsed by a labor union it again is easy for voters to understand how that candidate feels about certain issues based on logical assumptions from the endorser. In either case voters have information about what the endorsement means and can use that information to decide whether to vote (or not) for that candidate.
I submit the same does not hold true for local newspaper endorsements. I submit that voters don’t really know what that endorsement means. I believe local newspaper endorsements are less valuable to voters than either political party endorsements or even union endorsements.
Second point–the Eden Prairie News is biased in favor of liberals. None of the three GOP members of the city council has ever received an endorsement from that paper–that’s 0-6 in my book. The highest vote getter ever for a council seat–no endorsement. The most votes ever for mayor–no endorsement. Either the voters are wrong, or the newspaper is. Which do you believe?
Our current state senator is running for his third term. He is one of the most intelligent and honorable public servants I’ve ever met. He’s never been endorsed by the News.
Sure, the News has endorsed candidates for House seat 42B. And these candidates have deserved to be endorsed–we’ve always had great people in that seat. But, it’s also true that 42B is one of, if not the, most Republican seats in the state. And, the DFL has had a hard time putting up decent candidates for what is really a hopeless cause. I’m convinced that if the DFL had better candidates for that seat that our local paper would endorse them, too.
I think that’s what I like least about newspaper endorsements–they pretend to be unbiased, but they’re really not. At least come out and say that you prefer liberal candidates. Then at least voters will know what to do with your endorsement.
First, why do local papers endorse for political office? Why should their opinion matter? And what exactly does it mean for a candidate to have a newspaper endorsement?
If a candidate is endorsed by a political party, most would understand that the candidate shares the views of that party. If a candidate is endorsed by a labor union it again is easy for voters to understand how that candidate feels about certain issues based on logical assumptions from the endorser. In either case voters have information about what the endorsement means and can use that information to decide whether to vote (or not) for that candidate.
I submit the same does not hold true for local newspaper endorsements. I submit that voters don’t really know what that endorsement means. I believe local newspaper endorsements are less valuable to voters than either political party endorsements or even union endorsements.
Second point–the Eden Prairie News is biased in favor of liberals. None of the three GOP members of the city council has ever received an endorsement from that paper–that’s 0-6 in my book. The highest vote getter ever for a council seat–no endorsement. The most votes ever for mayor–no endorsement. Either the voters are wrong, or the newspaper is. Which do you believe?
Our current state senator is running for his third term. He is one of the most intelligent and honorable public servants I’ve ever met. He’s never been endorsed by the News.
Sure, the News has endorsed candidates for House seat 42B. And these candidates have deserved to be endorsed–we’ve always had great people in that seat. But, it’s also true that 42B is one of, if not the, most Republican seats in the state. And, the DFL has had a hard time putting up decent candidates for what is really a hopeless cause. I’m convinced that if the DFL had better candidates for that seat that our local paper would endorse them, too.
I think that’s what I like least about newspaper endorsements–they pretend to be unbiased, but they’re really not. At least come out and say that you prefer liberal candidates. Then at least voters will know what to do with your endorsement.
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