San Diego Paper Endorses Hillary–1st Democrat in 148 Years

The San Diego Union-Tribune endorsed a Democrat for the first time in its 148-year history on Friday, suggesting that “Hillary Clinton is the safest candidate for voters to choose in a complex world.”

The paper’s editorial board wrote, “This paper has not endorsed a Democrat for president in its 148-year history. But we endorse Clinton. She’s the safe choice for the U.S. and for the world, for Democrats and Republicans alike.”

The members of the editorial board also noted that they fully “understand the lack of enthusiasm for [Hillary Clinton’s] candidacy, the anger over her private email server, family foundation and income fromWall Street speeches, and the questions about how America fared in foreign affairs when she was secretary of state.” Yet they insisted that in spite of it all and Republican Donald “Trump’s insistence otherwise, she has the better temperament to be president — and the experience, background and relationships with world leaders that we need in a president.”

Trump’s strong personality, including lashing out at critics, and his statement that America is being “ripped off by every single country in the world” during last week’s first presidential debate, were criticized by the board.

The paper noted that the reality-show billionaire’s campaign is an entertaining and convincing “show,” for millions of “Americans upset with the status quo,” but if Trump is elected, he would be command the executive branch of a global superpower. Trump would govern with no coherent plan other besides “I alone can fix it,” the paper wrote.

The last presidential candidate the Union-Tribune endorsed was Republican Mitt Romney in his bid against President Barack Obama during the 2012 election. Citing Romney’s “Diplomacy. Collaboration. Patience,” the board used the adjectives “vengeful, dishonest and impulsive” to describe Trump, adding “This is why Hillary Clinton is the safest candidate for voters to choose in a complex world.” They also suggested “Trump could be our Chávez, our Kirchner. We cannot take that risk.”

 

Also this week, the Arizona Republic endorsed Clinton over Trump, marking the first time in the publication’s 126-year history that it supported a Democrat over a Republican. The paper suggested that Clinton’s flaws are minor when compared to Trump’s temperament, writing: “Clinton retains her composure under pressure. She’s tough. She doesn’t back down,” adding “Clinton has the temperament and experience to be president. Donald Trump does not.”

 

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