Newspaper endorsements in the 2008 United States presidential election

During the 2008 United States presidential election, newspapers, magazines, and other publications made general election endorsements. As of November 4, 2008, Barack Obama had received more than twice as many publication endorsements as John McCain; in terms of circulation, the ratio was more than 3 to 1, according to the detailed tables below.

According to Editor & Publisher magazine, as of November 3, 2008, there were 273 newspapers endorsing Barack Obama compared to 172 for John McCain. By comparison, the magazine reported that before election day in 2004, John Kerry received 213 endorsements compared to 205 for George W. Bush.[1]

UWIRE, in its Presidential Scorecard, reported that Barack Obama led John McCain by 86 to 2 in college newspaper endorsements, as of November 4.[2]

The Association of Alternative Newsweeklies reported that Barack Obama led John McCain by 57 to 0 in endorsements among its 123 member newspapers as of October 31, 2008.[3]

Cumulative endorsements
As of 4 November 2008

Publications	Obama		McCain
	Publications	Circulation	Publications	Circulation
Daily newspapers[4]	296	30,580,459	180	11,917,481
Weekly newspapers	111	3,951,905	32	333,392
College newspapers	78	768,000	2	16,479
Magazines and other	10	5,226,633	1	178,780
Switched Parties from 2004	66		11
Total	495	40,526,997	215	12,446,132

John McCain

Barack Obama

Not endorsing

The following explicitly chose not to endorse any candidate.

• Abilene Reporter News (Texas, circulation 36,802[5]) discontinued endorsing presidential candidates as a matter of policy in 2004.
• Ann Arbor News [6] (Michigan, circulation 59,997[5]) endorsed George W. Bush in 2004.
• Ashland Daily Press [7] (Wisconsin, circulation 7,252[8]) does not endorse candidates as a matter of policy.
• Brownsville Herald [9] (Texas, circulation 15,517[5]).
• Carlisle Sentinel [10] (Pennsylvania, circulation 15,334[5]) endorsed George W. Bush in 2004.[11]
• Colorado Springs Gazette (Colorado, circulation 109,603[5]) did not endorse any candidate in 2004.[12]
• Deseret News (Salt Lake City) [13] (Utah, circulation 75,614[5]) does not endorse candidates as a matter of policy.
• East Tennessean (East Tenn. Univ.) [14] (Tennessee, circulation 6,000[15]).
• Everett Herald [16] (Washington, circulation 52,226[5]) endorsed John Kerry in 2004.[11]
• Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville) [17] (Florida, circulation 201,352[5]) endorsed George W. Bush in 2004.
• Flyer News (Univ. of Dayton) [18] (Ohio, circulation 5,000[19]).
• The News-Press (Fort Myers) [20] (Florida, circulation 84,022[5]).
• Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg) [21] (Virginia, circulation 50,480[5]) endorsed George W. Bush in 2004.[22]
• Fond du Lac Reporter [23] (Wisconsin, circulation 16,469[5]) did not endorse any candidate in 2004.[11]
• Harlingen Valley Morning Star [24] (Texas, circulation 20,403[5]).
• Honolulu Advertiser [25] (Hawaii, circulation 142,401[5]) endorsed John Kerry in 2004.[25]
• Houma Courier [26] (Louisiana, circulation 26,528[5])
• Huntsville Times [27] (Alabama, circulation 71,032[5]).
• Indianapolis Star[28] (Indiana, circulation 255,303[5]) endorsed George W. Bush in 2004.
• Kalamazoo Gazette [29] (Michigan, circulation 64,198) endorsed George W. Bush in 2004.[11]
• Lima News [30] (Ohio, circulation 39,450[5]).
• Loyola Phoenix (Loyola Univ.)[31] (Illinois).
• Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter [32] (Wisconsin, circulation 14,243[5]) endorsed George W. Bush in 2004.[11]
• Marietta Register [33] (Ohio, free weekly circulation 10,000[34]).
• Marysville Appeal-Democrat [35] (California, circulation 22,911[36]).
• Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania) [37] endorsed John Kerry in 2004.
• Mountain Home News (Boise)[38] (Idaho, weekly circulation 4,000[39]).
• The New Hampshire (Univ. of New Hampshire)[40] (New Hampshire, circulation 6,000).
• Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal (Tupelo) [41] (Mississippi, circulation 36,929[5]).
• Oshkosh Northwestern [42] (Wisconsin, circulation 19,506[5]) endorsed George W. Bush in 2004.[11]
• Port Huron Times Herald [43] (Michigan, circulation 32,766[5]) endorsed John Kerry in 2004.[11]
• Redding Record Searchlight[44] (California, circulation 35,004[5]).
• Roanoke Times [45] (Virginia, circulation 99,171[5]) endorsed John Kerry in 2004.[11]
• Rocky Mount Telegram [46] (North Carolina, circulation 15,880[5]).
• Rocky Mountain News (Denver)[47] (Colorado, circulation 490,043[5]) endorsed George W. Bush in 2004.
• Roseburg News-Review[48] (Oregon, circulation 19,290[5]) endorsed George W. Bush in 2004[11]
• St. Paul Pioneer Press [49] (Minnesota, circulation 191,591[5]) endorsed George W. Bush in 2004.
• Springfield News-Leader [12] (Missouri, circulation 54,307[5])
• Superior Daily Telegram [7] (Wisconsin, circulation 7,550[50]) endorsed George W. Bush in 2004.[11]
• Topeka Capital-Journal [51] (Kansas, circulation 53,180[5])
• Tucson Citizen [52] (Arizona, circulation 19,851[5]) did not endorse any candidate in 2004.[11]
• Victoria Advocate [53] (Texas, circulation 34,604[5])
• Virginian Pilot (Norfolk) [54] (Virginia, circulation 200,457[5]) endorsed John Kerry in 2004.[11]
• Waco Tribune-Herald [55] (Texas, circulation 42,914[5]) Endorsed John Kerry in 2004.[56]

See also

• Newspaper endorsements in the United States presidential primaries

References

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2. "Presidential Endorsement Scorecard for Student Newspapers | UWIRE". Uwire.com. Archived from the original on October 30, 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
3. "Alt-Weeklies Resoundingly Say: Vote Obama | Association of Alternative Newsweeklies". Aan.org. Archived from the original on 2012-07-16. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
4. "FRIDAY Final (?) Tally Of Newspaper Endorsements - Obama In Landslide, at 287-159". Editorandpublisher.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
5. "ACCESS ABC: eCirc for Newspapers". Abcas3.accessabc.com. Archived from the original on 2004-02-16. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
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7. "News From 91.3 KUWS". Businessnorth.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
8. "Echo Media - Ashland Daily Press". Echo-media.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
9. "Viewpoints: It's your call: We do not endorse candidates but encourage informed votes | candidate, government, candidates : Brownsville Herald". Brownsvilleherald.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
10. "The Sentinel Online : Archives : Opinion : Editorial : Leaving the choices up to you". Cumberlink.com. October 26, 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
11. "National Endorsements-Newspapers and Magazines". Gwu.edu. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
12. "Editor & Publisher - Newspaper Industry Information - News Media Analysis - Newspaper Business News". Editorandpublisher.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
13. Deseret News editorial (Nov 2, 2008). "Deseret News | Our Election Day recommendations". Deseretnews.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
14. "We are not endorsing - ViewPoint". Media.www.easttennessean.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-10. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
15. http://www.etsu.edu/IEP/06FB/06i1.pdf
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17. The Times-Union (Last modified 21 October 2008 - 3:51 pm Originally created 101908). "Jacksonville.com". Jacksonville.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09. Check date values in: |date= (help)
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19. Flyer News
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31. "No Endorsement Needed - Discourse". Media.www.loyolaphoenix.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
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34. "About The Marietta Register". Archived from the original on 2008-09-21. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
35. Appeal-Democrat. "Editorials: Our View: Election Day: It's your call | free, philosophy, endorse : Appeal-Democrat". Appeal-democrat.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
36. "Echo Media - Marysville Appeal-Democrat". Echo-media.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
37. "A more focused approach to election editorials". Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. October 23, 2008. Archived from the original on November 1, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
38. Mountain Home News
39. "Echo Media - Mountain Home News". Echo-media.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
40. "Why we didn't endorse - Commentary". Media.www.tnhonline.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
41. A good choice
42. "Stew Rieckman: Editorial board stands by decision not to endorse a presidential candidate | thenorthwestern.com | Oshkosh Northwestern". Thenorthwestern.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
43. "The decision is yours: Obama | thetimesherald.com | The Times Herald". Thetimesherald.com. Archived from the original on 2013-02-05. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
44. Record-Searchlight "We'll sit out the Presidential vote"
45. Dan Radmacher. "Conversation can't happen without you - Roanoke.com". Roanoke.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
46. "Make it count - Opinion |". Rockymounttelegram.com. 2008-10-27. Archived from the original on October 31, 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
47. John Temple, Rocky Mountain News (Contact) (Published October 18, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.). "TEMPLE: Input, not endorsements : Columns & Blogs : The Rocky Mountain News". Rockymountainnews.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09. Check date values in: |date= (help)
48. "Editorial: News-Review endorsements | The News-Review - NRtoday.com". Nrtoday.com. November 2, 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
49. http://www.twincities.com/opinion/ci_10754152?nclick_check=1
50. "Echo Media - Superior Daily Telegram". Echo-media.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
51. The Capital-Journal Editorial Board (Published Thursday, October 30, 2008). "CJOnline / The Topeka Capital-Journal - New voters: We all win". Cjonline.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09. Check date values in: |date= (help)
52. "Kimble: Why we don't endorse candidates for president | OUR OPINION". Tucsoncitizen.com. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
53. Cobler, Chris (October 28, 2008). "Have you missed our election endorsements?". Your Advocate: an editor's blog. Victoria Advocate. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
54. "Best choices for Tuesday | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com". Hamptonroads.com. November 3, 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
55. "Vote and Believe"
56. George Washington University archive of endorsements