Presidential endorsements from swing state newspapers
COLORADO
The Denver Post: “
As President Obama campaigns for re-election, it would be a stretch to say we are bullish on the entirety of his first term. There have been notable accomplishments: rescuing the nation's auto industry, passing comprehensive health care reform and delivering justice to Osama bin Laden. But those accomplishments are juxtaposed against a sluggish economy and less impressive performances in tackling the federal debt and deficits, reducing unemployment and bolstering the housing market. ... But Obama's record of accomplishment under trying circumstances and his blueprint for a second term make him the best pick.” The (Colorado Springs) Gazette:
“Many Americans vote based on how policies affect them personally. ‘Am I better off than I was four years ago?’ For the middle class, the answer is a resounding ‘no.’ Under Obama, deficit spending has soared as Americans have seen their incomes suffer. About 50% of middle-class adults have fallen backward in income. ... Obama’s vision won’t work. (Mitt) Romney’s will.”
OHIO
The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer:
“We recommend Obama's re-election. He has led the nation back from the brink of depression. Ohio in particular has benefited from his bold decision to revive the domestic auto industry. Because of his determination to fulfill a decades-old dream of Democrats, 30 million more Americans will soon have health insurance. His Race to the Top initiative seeded many of the education reforms embodied in Cleveland's Transformation Plan. He ended the war in Iraq.”
The Columbus Dispatch: “Obama has failed. That is why Romney is the preferred choice for president. Romney’s adult life has been spent turning around troubled private and public institutions. These turnarounds include scores of companies acquired and restructured by Bain Capital. ... Not all were successes, but that is because to a significant degree, many of the companies Bain took on were high-risk.”
FLORIDA
Orlando Sentinel: “(
The) economy is still sputtering nearly four years after Obama took office, the federal government is more than $5 trillion deeper in debt. ... We have little confidence that Obama would be more successful managing the economy and the budget in the next four years. For that reason, though we endorsed him in 2008, we are recommending Romney. … Romney is not our ideal candidate for president. We've been turned off by his appeals to social conservatives and immigration extremists. ... But the core of Romney's campaign platform, his five-point plan, at least shows he understands that reviving the economy and repairing the government's balance sheet are imperative.”
Tampa Bay Times: “
Four years ago, Obama offered an inspiring message of hope and change to an uneasy nation bogged down in two wars and facing economic collapse. The rosy idealism quickly gave way to the harsh realities of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. The recovery has proved more difficult than anyone imagined. But conditions would be far worse without the president's steady leadership. This is not the time to reverse course and return to the failed policies of the past. Without hesitation, the Tampa Bay Times recommends Obama for re-election.”