According to Editor & Publisher:
Barack Obama picked up at least 15 newspaper endorsements this weekend, including six in swing states Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina and Missouri. John McCain, as far as we know, gained none.
15 Newspapers Endorse Obama on Sunday
The endorsements after the jump.
Asheville Citizen-Times (North Carolina)
The nominees - Democratic Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois and Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona - offer voters very different approaches to leadership and to solving the problems that face the country.
Those who know him say Obama is a disciplined, deliberative person who has a distaste for theatrics and who remains unruffled under pressure.
By contrast, McCain’s temper is well documented, as is his propensity to alienate even fellow Republicans by his aggressive and sometimes profane style of confrontation during disagreements.
Nation clearly needs change; Obama is better-suited
The Blade in Toledo (Ohio)
To be sure, the path to recovery won't be easy for the next president. There are ominous signs that the economy will continue to falter before confidence can be restored in the financial system. The leadership required to contain and reorder the economic mess created by eight years of heedless deregulation will have to be both inspired and inspiring.
We believe the person best equipped by temperament and intellect to firmly grasp the reins of government and guide it safely forward in these uncertain times is Barack Obama.
Forward with Obama
Fresno Bee (California)
The past eight years have seen the Bush administration lurching from one crisis to another, almost always with John McCain's support. Are we better off? The answer is an indisputable "no." It is time for new energies and new visions.
Barack Obama is thoughtful and reflective, notwithstanding the fiery passion he can bring to a set-piece speech. Those are qualities we very much need after eight years of the catastrophically impulsive "Decider."
John McCain has served his country with extraordinary courage and dedication. But he is, in many ways, a figure out of the past, the Cold Warrior out of time and out of touch. The world has turned since McCain began his long service, and he hasn't kept pace. It is time for change, and Barack Obama is the candidate better suited to guide the United States into this troubled new century.
Obama for president
Democrat offers best vision for these troubled times.
Contra Costa Times (California)
In the end, our choice is more a vote for Obama than opposition to John McCain. For there is no denying that the Arizona senator is a true national hero — a man who has devoted his military and political life to his country, who has not shied from challenging special interests nor failed to reach across the party divide. We congratulate McCain for winning his party's nomination.
But we are disappointed by the campaign he has run. He has distorted his opponent's record.
Falsely accusing Obama of supporting sex education for kindergartners was a particularly low blow. And his vice presidential selection falls short. Sarah Palin might be a fine governor of a small state, but she has demonstrated that she is not ready to be a heartbeat away from the presidency.
We applaud McCain for wanting to break his party's gender barrier. But there were more qualified Republican women from whom to choose.
Finally, we do not endorse Obama today because he is black. But we cannot ignore the historical significance of electing the nation's first African-American leader.
Times recommends voters select Barack Obama
Dayton Daily News (Ohio)
The nation's moment of choice arrives even as some sort of new era has arrived in the realm of the economy. The problems the nation is obsessed with at this moment are not problems that John McCain has any particular experience with. Neither does Barack Obama.
But in a time of change, Sen. Obama is the more promising leader. With his agile mind, often pitch-perfect judgment and preternatural calm and self-confidence, he seems built for the job of sorting through this thing, if anybody can.
The nation faces a choice that looks more and more like a choice between the future and the past. It has never been one to shrink from the future.
2 good men; Obama right leader for today
The Herald of Monterrey (California)
Obama clearly understands that he would be president of the whole nation while McCain seems to see himself only as the president of places like Main Street, Wasilla.
Too much has already been said and written about Sarah Palin, but the poll results already suggest that McCain's choice of a running mate was one of the great blunders of modern political history. No matter your leanings, ask yourself this simple question. How many people do you know who are more qualified? Probably quite a few.
So what of Obama?
We wish he had more executive experience. But watching him closely over this long campaign has shown us that the senator from Illinois has a remarkable capacity to learn quickly and deeply, to analyze old ideas and incorporate new ones. He has impressed us with his intellect, his grasp of history, his humanity, his choice of advisers, his ability to make key decisions and, last but not least, his patience.
Can he single-handedly unify the nation? Of course not. We are too big, too complicated, too diverse for that. But Obama clearly sees the value in seeking consensus while his opponent seems to value no opinions other than his own.
While McCain and Palin symbolize the nation's quick-draw, cowboy spirit, Obama reflects the kind of calm deliberation that we need and expect in the political leader of the free world. McCain the fighter pilot, the craps-shooting "maverick," embodies America's past. Obama is much better prepared to lead the America of the present and the future.
Editorial: Obama has potential to be a great president
Lehigh Valley Express-Times (Pennsylvania)
Barack Obama is The Express-Times' choice for president, based on his approach to the economy and the Iraq war, his calm, reasoned approach to governing, his ability to inspire people, and the conduct of his campaign. John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin for a running mate and the campaign's obsessive mud-slinging are embarrassing and ultimately, disqualifying.
Keep an eye on our Elections & Politics page for more candidate endorsements and campaign news. Also, use our interactive Voter Guide to find out where local and state candidates stand on the issues that matter most to you.
OPINION: For president -- Barack Obama
Muskegon Chronicle (Michigan)
We recognize and honor Republican opponent John McCain's courageous service to our country in the military and in the U.S. Senate, but we believe Obama has more potential than McCain to be the great president these times call for.
Over the months of this grueling campaign, Obama has demonstrated the leadership, compassion, intelligence and courage America expects from its leaders. His life story is as inspiring as it is historic and ground-breaking.
Barack Obama will protect our country and its Constitution, which have suffered at the hands of the current administration, and he has chosen an excellent running mate in Delaware's veteran U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, who is ready to step in to serve if need be in the tradition of Harry Truman and Gerald R. Ford.
Obama and Biden have both exhibited coolness, competence and confidence at every turn, reassuring the citizens of our great country that the promised change to come will be for the better. Their measured answers and well-thought-out responses to the difficult issues confronting the United States strike us as conveying the right tone and proper course for the four years ahead.
National crisis cries out for best to lead -- Obama
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania)
It is about the strengths of Barack Obama, whose rise to prominence is not a fluke or national infatuation but the consequence of his remarkable skills -- a keen intellect, noble intentions and the wit and grace to express them in ways that have inspired millions across the country. He has a rare gift exactly suited to the fearful times -- he knows the language of reassurance and hope.
If his were just empty words, this would be just another cheap political gift. But what he says is carefully considered. In the debates and on the hustings, Mr. Obama has been the voice of moderation, combining common sense and compassion on issue after issue. When the subject turns to foreign policy, supposedly Mr. McCain's strong suit, Mr. Obama gives no indication that he will have to learn on the job.
That the argument about issues has been essentially won by Sen. Obama is plain from the scurrilous attacks now being launched against his character -- increasingly by Ms. Palin -- alleging guilt by association, unpatriotic behavior and worse.
This closing blizzard of slime is another attempt to spread the wizard's curtain further: Don't look at how the economy has impoverished you while a Republican has been in the White House, look at Mr. Obama's passing acquaintance with an old radical who did bad deeds almost 40 years ago, because that is more important.
Yes, they apparently do think the American people are that stupid.
It's Obama: We need a president who will break with the past
Springfield News-Sun (Ohio)
Obama is running against Vietnam War hero John McCain who, despite his honorable qualities, simply cannot absolve himself from the mistakes of this Republican era.
Nor can his judgment be trusted. He helped deregulate Wall Street and still seems surprised that greed trumped good intentions.
Moreover, his pick of Sarah Palin doesn't back up his catchphrase of "country first." She was a political choice and is in no way ready to lead the country if the 72-year-old McCain become incapacitated, a one-in-seven likelihood over two presidential terms according to actuarial tables.
Barack Obama is nation's best hope
The Sacramento Bee (California)
These problems are daunting, but they are not insurmountable. To lead the way out of this mess, the next president must be capable of acting boldly and wisely, creatively and thoughtfully. Perhaps most important, he must be able to instill a unified sense of purpose in the nation's citizens.
Barack Obama is the candidate more likely to bring those qualities to the presidency.
While his career in public service has been relatively brief, he has shown a resolute sense of purpose. His campaign for the presidency has demonstrated his even temperament, his discipline and his ability to create coalitions. His life story is uniquely American and uniquely compelling.
He has shown that he is comfortable surrounding himself with people – notably his choice for vice president, Joe Biden – who can help compensate for his lack of broad experience. Most important, he has demonstrated an ability to inspire – an ability that will be essential as the next president works to restore confidence here and abroad.
Editorial: Obama: A vote for the nation's future
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri)
A presidency is defined less by what happens in the Oval Office than by what is done by the more than 3,000 men and women the president appoints to government office. Only 600 of them are subject to Senate approval. The rest serve at the pleasure of the president.
We have little doubt that Mr. Obama's appointees would bring a level of competence, compassion and intellectual achievement to the executive branch that hasn't been seen since the New Frontier. He has energized a new generation of Americans who would put the concept of service back in "public service."
Consider that while Mr. McCain selected as his running mate Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, a callow and shrill partisan, Mr. Obama selected Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware. Mr. Biden's 35-year Senate career has given him encyclopedic expertise on legislative and judicial issues, as well as foreign affairs.
The Post-Dispatch Endorses Barack Obama for President
The Sun of San Bernardino (California)
Obama has the ability to restore America's confidence and get people excited about working our way back to prosperity. He inspires the younger generation like no political figure since President John F. Kennedy.
Just as importantly, he has the smarts needed to run the country. It's crucial now to have a president who can take an informed and nuanced approach to the nation's and world's increasingly complex and interrelated problems.
Our nation needs Barack Obama
The Tennessean of Nashville (Tennessee)
It would be nice to say one of the two major candidates has a sure way to fix the nation's health-care problem. Each has outlined a plan — Obama on a theme that emphasizes more access to coverage and McCain on a dramatic twist geared to allow people to shop more among private plans — but neither seems to be a convincing solution by itself. The health-care issue must remain high on the next president's agenda.
In a historical context, support of Obama might be expected to focus on his race. He is the first African-American to head a major party ticket for the presidency, which should be a source of great pride for the candidate and the country. It must be noted here. But the times and the candidate do not signal such a narrow view, where race is the overwhelming story of Obama's candidacy. Throughout a lengthy, trying campaign, Obama has simply emerged as the right person at the right time to lead the nation when leadership is at a premium. The nation could ask for no more. Obama has the opportunity to lift the United States at a time when its burdens are heavy. His campaign has carried a theme of "Yes We Can," which is exactly the message the nation needs to hear most now.
'Tennessean' Endorsement: Obama the best candidate for president
The Wisconsin State Journal
Far more than his opponent, Obama represents a new direction. He has shown he can inspire and lead people to action. And his relatively short time in corrupt, self-absorbed, terribly-failed Washington, D.C., may actually be a key strength. Obama is not stuck in the status quo of the Capitol crowd or its long-failed Congress.
OUR ENDORSEMENT: Now is the time for Obama
I realize this isn't much of a diary as far as personal input goes ... but, I've written my fair share of those. I just thought this was fabulous news everybody would enjoy seeing, especially since Editor & Publisher couldn't identify any papers that endorsed John McCain. I will note that most of the endorsements faulted McCain for his poor judgment in selecting Palin as his running mate, as well as his erratic behavior.
All these endorsements do beg the question, do newspaper endorsements matter? According to another article at Editor & Publisher on October 3, they do: Do Newspaper Endorsements Matter? Here's One Vote for...Yes.