The Billings Gazette is the largest circulation paper in Montana. Located in in the south central part of Eastern Montana, it is a regional hub for transportation, agribusiness and energy extraction and processing. You could call it the state capitol of West Dakota, the much redder half of Montana.
This is the home area for our lone Representative, Denny Rehberg, R-Lapdog.
The political calculus for Montana generally goes like this. If a Republican wants to win a state-wide office, they better take Billings/Yellowstone County. If a Democrat wants to win a state-wide office, they better take Missoula/Missoula County.
This endorsement may actually influence some Montana voters, we'll see.
You can read the entire editorial here.
McCain is in trouble in the opening.
A year ago, few people would have predicted that Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama would be their parties' nominees for president. A few months ago, when their party selections were assured, there was reason to hope that the general election campaign would be conducted on a higher level of debate than has marked recent presidential contests. So it has been a disappointment that much of McCain's campaign has focused on smearing Obama.
Don't you hate it when someone says to you, "I'm very disappointed in you, John."?
And then they smack you upside the head, to boot:
As troubling as Sarah Palin's lack of knowledge on national and foreign issues is her role in making the campaign rhetoric uglier and more divisive. The Palin pick was a mistake.
But, for me, the LOL moment of this endorsement is when they take the words of GWB,
At this extremely challenging time, America needs a uniter, not a divider.
the man McCain is furiously distancing himself from and they jam it in his ear and twist.
They close with this:
Obama is that leader. As Gen. Colin Powell said last week, Obama is the president America needs now "because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities. ... He has both style and substance."
Leftinthewest talks about the latest poll showing a 4 point lead for Obama, but I take that poll with a strong dose of salt. Were it to come true, I would be quite happy.