Tampa Tribune says Obama is "pushing America toward a European-style social democracy."
Despite the fact that newspapers around the country have endorsed Barack Obama for President at the rate of more than three to one, and despite the obvious signs that Obama is emerging as the people’s choice in the Tampa Bay area, The Tampa Tribune endorsed Senator John McCain Saturday. In an astonishing denial of the disasters of the past eight years, the paper gave as its primary reason the fact that McCain’s "changes build on what has worked in the past." The editorial noted "McCain brings a lifetime of useful experience, including his grueling captivity in Vietnam and long Senate service," as if the latter two could somehow be equated. They excused what they called his "uneven campaign" by saying he has had to face "an unfair share of blame for budget deficits, feeble economic growth, costly military interventions, uncontrolled immigration, emergency bailouts of misled corporations, and a diminished world opinion of America."
The bulk of the editorial focused not on the reason McCain was the right choice, but on why Obama was the wrong one. Most of the verbiage was used to point out how Obama’s plans would hurt the country, warning that the "seductive promises of a master orator...[were] pushing America toward a European-style social democracy." In assessing McCain’s suitability for the highest office in the land, the Tribune curiously made no mention at all of something most other editorial boards have seen as a key factor in their selections - McCain’s choice of running mate.
The editors did give Obama a bit of credit, saying he "gets a lot of things right," and characterizing him as "studiously unflappable," and "the most inspirational campaigner in memory." But, they were pessimistic about Obama’s ability to make good on his promises, saying his message of hope was like a rainbow, "appealing but just out of reach."
It was also obvious from their word choices that the Tribune’s endorsement of McCain was not a easy accord. Hinting broadly that their decision wasn’t unanimous, the Tribune admitted, "The McCain-Obama race is a choice that divides families, friendships and even editorial boards." Their underwhelming enthusiasm for in their pick was evident in their statement, "McCain's call to freedom and responsibility is less exciting, but you know it works." I’d bet money that someone deleted the words ‘at least" from that last phrase before it went to press.