An albatross with lipstick?

Newspaper endorsements can be helpful to voters when it comes to local races. A newspaper editorial board can sit down and interview the candidates and get a better insight into their policies and abilities than what might come across in the candidates' advertising. But at the risk of being labeled a heretic by my newspaper brethren, there are few things I find more useless than an endorsement in the presidential race. (The Observer-Reporter, by the way, endorsed Democratic Sen. Barack Obama on Sunday.) After two years of campaigning by Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain, and a never-ending stream of ads that are next to impossible to ignore, anyone who needs a newspaper to tell them which candidate to support should really just stay home on Election Day. That being said, there's one constant I've been seeing in newspaper endorsements picking Obama over McCain: It's McCain's running mate and her fitness for office. From the Kansas City Star: "Despite his age and previous health problems, McCain chose a vice presidential candidate who is so clearly unqualified for high office that the thought of her stepping into the presidency is frightening." From the Salt Lake (Utah) Tribune: "Out of nowhere, and without proper vetting, the impetuous McCain picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. She quickly proved grievously underequipped to step into the presidency should McCain, at 72 and with a history of health problems, die in office. More than any single factor, McCain's bad judgment in choosing the inarticulate, insular and ethically challenged Palin disqualifies him from the presidency." From the Philadelphia Inquirer: "More troubling was McCain's selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. This blatant overture to women voters and evangelical Christians who share her views on abortion backfired when Palin in interviews proved she is not prepared to be a heartbeat away from the presidency." You can make the argument that these are left-leaning newspapers that are looking for reasons to not endorse McCain, but their opinions are increasingly shared by voters. A late-September NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found that 49 percent of the respondents found Palin unqualified to be president, with 40 percent saying she is qualified. By early October, a Washington Post-ABC poll found 60 percent who believe Palin does not have enough experience to lead. Certainly, McCain has been hurt by the economic crisis. Imagine how much better he would look if his running mate were Mitt Romney, a person who also has the "values" that appeal to evangelical voters (though they might be a bit put off by his Mormon faith) and, more importantly, a strong business and economic background. But the questions about Palin's abilities are resonating with voters, including the independents and undecideds whom McCain needs to reach. If McCain wins the election next month, it's all water under the bridge. But if he loses, my guess is he'll always look back to his vice presidential choice as the decision that cost him the White House.