Oh, it’s only been since before World War II that the Dallas Morning News recommended a Democrat for president, but this fine Wednesday morning that is exactly what happened, in spite of the paper’s obvious Republican leanings. Yes, that’s 75 years. It’s been 75 years since they recommended a Democrat for president.
The Dallas Morning News announced this morning that there is only one serious candidate and because of that, they recommend Hillary Clinton for president.
Sure in 1964 they stayed neutral in the Republican Barry Goldwater v Democratic President Lyndon Johnson battle. But they did not recommend Johnson.
Showing just how difficult this decision was for them, they list off policies that they disagree with, “The party’s over-reliance on government and regulation to remedy the country’s ills is at odds with our belief in private-sector ingenuity and innovation. Our values are more about individual liberty, free markets and a strong national defense.”
The paper cited that even though they’ve been critical of Clinton in the past, the former Secretary of State has “experience in actual governance, a record of service and a willingness to delve into real policy.”
It is really no contest, they wrote. “Resume vs. resume, judgment vs. judgment, this election is no contest. It’s no accident that hundreds of Republican foreign policy hands back Clinton.”
The editorial board praised her work as a Senator, saying that she’s painted as nakedly partisan but that’s not the reality, “Though conservatives like to paint her as nakedly partisan, on Capitol Hill she gained respect from Republicans for working across the aisle: Two-thirds of her bills had GOP co-sponsors and included common ground with some of Congress’ most conservative lawmakers.”
They heaped praise on her work as SoS and wrote, “It’s no accident that hundreds of Republican foreign policy hands back Clinton. She also has the support of dozens of top advisers from previous Republican administrations…”
In these thoughts, the paper reflects the direction of the intellectual Republicans. Or rather, their current plight and resulting flight.
While acknowledging concerns with what they call her “bad judgment”, they also note that Clinton’s mistakes “pale in comparison to the litany of evils some opponents accuse her of. Treason? Murder? Her being cleared of crimes by investigation after investigation has no effect on these political hyenas; they refuse to see anything but conspiracies and cover-ups.”
Some thoughtful Republicans aren’t buying the endless witch hunts and they don’t wish to follow the conspiracy-craven leader of their party into the ditch.
“We reject the politics of personal destruction. Clinton has made mistakes and displayed bad judgment, but her errors are plainly in a different universe than her opponent’s.”
They praised Clinton for doing the “hard work needed to prepare herself to lead our nation” — remember when hard work used to be a Republican value? That was a long time ago, if you have been paying attention (look at Republicans in Congress, as an example).
Sadly the Republican Party has abandoned its thinking members who stand by the values the party has long professed to represent. The Dallas Morning News’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton is a big deal – not just because it is in and of itself, but because of the reasons they gave.
As Republicans cling to the festering resentment politics of their Southern Strategy, they’ve slowly and surely narrowed their tent to the white nationalists, bigots, racists, and hate-mongering know-nothings.
The grown ups are leaving the GOP tent. The Republican party is doing to itself what the Democratic Party did to itself in the 60s. It’s a party no civilized, serious adult wants to be seen with.
Sarah has been credentialed to cover President Barack Obama, then VP Joe Biden, 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and exclusively interviewed Speaker Nancy Pelosi multiple times and exclusively covered her first home appearance after the first impeachment of then President Donald Trump.
Sarah is two-time Telly award winning video producer and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Connect with Sarah on Post, Mastodon @PoliticusSarah@Journa.Host, & Twitter.
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