Asbury Park Press Endorses Obama

by: Brian McGinnis

Sun Oct 19, 2008 at 09:02:23 AM EDT

Here's the heart of their argument:

Obama and McCain both have portrayed themselves as agents of change. Obama's claim rings true. McCain's does not. McCain has opposed President Bush and the Republican Party on some issues, including campaign finance reform, global warming and the detention of prisoners held without evidence as terrorists. But on the two most important policy matters, the handling of the economy and the war in Iraq, McCain's views are barely distinguishable from those of Bush.

We aren't entirely comfortable with either of the candidates' tax cut proposals. But Obama's plan, branded as class warfare by McCain, would essentially revert to the tax rates in effect during the Clinton administration. It is hardly radical.

Wow! One of the state's right-leaning editorial pages has strongly and unequivocally debunked the silly idea that giving a tax cut to 95% of Americans is somehow socialism.

They also were not very fond of the pick of Sarah Palin as McCain's VP, not one bit:

There are two other key considerations that make us tilt toward Obama.

First, should he die in office, the nation would be in the experienced hands of Joe Biden. If McCain, who is 72 and has a history of cancer, should die in the presidency, he would be succeeded by Sarah Palin, whose selection as the vice presidential candidate calls McCain's judgment into serious question. She is not qualified to lead a nation facing its toughest challenges in decades.

Second, dramatic change is needed. That can best be accomplished with a president and a Congress from the same political party. The partisan deadlocks that have prevented Washington from taking decisive action on health care, immigration reform and other issues can't be allowed to slow measures needed to put the nation back on course.

As an aside, I'll just note that both the APP and the Philadelphia Inquirer have slammed John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as VP, saying it raises serious questions about his judgment.

This endorsement for Barack Obama for President truly sounds the death knell for John McCain's chances to win New Jersey this November. The only question now is how much of an effect will Barack Obama's coattails have down the ticket in the Garden State.