Gentle reader Is This Right poses a couple of interesting questions this morning in a lower article comments section. Both questions deserve main page treatment, we think, so we'll take them one by one:
Sunday and today's Standard Examiner editions both contained "our view" on the upcoming vote. Where the "paper" endorses one candidate over another.Regarding this first question, there was an excellent editorial on this very topic in the Salt Lake Tribune last week:
Isn't this ethically wrong? I don't think I've ever seen CNN endorse a Candidate. Isn't the media supposed to report the news and not try to influence their watcher/readers?
Why newspapers endorse political candidates
The Standard-Examiner also editorialized on the subject last year, with its announcement, prior to the 2007 municipal elections, that it was breaking a 35-year tradition, and adopting an ongoing policy of actively making candidate endorsements:
Recommendations are coming
Regarding the second question:
I also couldn't help but notice that both endorsements have been for the incumbent Republican in office.It's true that the Std-Ex's two most recent endorsements favored GOP candidates:
Dearden for Weber commission
Huntsman for Utah governor
Nevertheless, we must not forget Saturday's endorsement, in which the Std-Ex recommended Democratic Party Attorney General candidate Jean Welch Hill:
Welch Hill for attorney general
These issues were bound to come up during the 2008 general election season, and we thank gentle reader Is This Right for raising these important questions well in advance the November 4 polling.
And for the record, Weber County Forum strongly concurs with each of the above Std-Ex endorsements.
Reader comments are invited as always.
