After all the front-page fawning Palinism of the last few weeks, I would not have expected such a strongly-worded endorsement of Obama from the local paper.
Endorsement
Barack Obama for president
Change has become an overused buzzword this election, but change is what this country needs. Change from a misguided foreign policy that indefinitely leaves U.S. troops in Iraq more than five years after an invasion based on dubious evidence. Change from a hands-off approach to financial markets that have paralyzed the U.S. economy. Change from a fiscal policy that has ballooned the federal deficit and shortchanged domestic programs. Change from an administration veiled in secrecy with little regard for the Constitution and American principles. Barack Obama represents that change. ...And they have this to say about Governor Palin,
Sen. McCain, who has a long record of distinguished service to his country, has compromised his principles to get elected. His reckless choice of Sarah Palin, the folksy but untested and incurious governor of the country?s most government-dependent state, as his running mate is a prime example.Whoa! Obviously this is different department than the one that makes up the news pages! The BDN also decries the McCain campaign's "desperate attempts to paint Sen. Obama as a friend of terrorists." Good for them.
Overall, the endorsement is an excellent piece. But I would point out just how ridiculous it should look to state that "Sen. Obama will have a difficult time finding ways to pay for the needed, but expensive reforms he proposes for health care, education and the tax code" when it has not been difficult at all quickly for the government to find $30 to $700 billion chunks of resources to pay for the various bailouts and wars over the last seven months.
I suppose our troubles really are in their early stages. New leadership is a necessary, but not a sufficient, condition to address them. The Bangor Daily News makes this clear.
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