South Florida Newspapers Announce Presidential Endorsements
MIAMI (CBS4) - South Florida's newspapers have picked sides in the race for the White House.
In Mitt Romney's corner-- the Sun Sentinel. The Miami Herald is backing Barack Obama.
"We really think that Obama is more in sync with the kinds of things that we'd like to see," Myriam Márquez said. Márquez is the Editorial Page Editor for The Miami Herald.
In the endorsement posted online Friday, the Herald Editorial Board wrote, "In the end, Mr. Obama's policies across the board - the environment, social policy, tax and immigration - offer a more generous vision for America."
The Sun Sentinel also endorsed a candidate Friday.
The newspaper is supporting Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney. The endorsement said Romney will get America working again.
The editorial published on Page 22A in Friday's edition of the Sun Sentinel said, "President Obama is a decent man who took office with the nation facing an economic precipice. But even he predicted he would be a one-term president if he failed to turn things around."
Both The Miami Herald and the Sun Sentinel endorsed Barack Obama in 2008.
But now, four years later, the Sentinel's Editorial Board said it has "little reason to believe he can turn things around."
While The Herald endorsed Romney in the primary election, its editorial board said he's gone from "Mr. Moderate" to "Mr. Severe Conservative."
"We are concerned with where Mr. Romney's going," Márquez said. "We're not sure who he is."
CBS 4 News reached out to the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board for comment, but no one was available Friday.
There are roughly twice as many registered Democrats as registered Republicans in Broward, yet the Fort Lauderdale-based Sun Sentinel, is endorsing the GOP candidate.
Some readers said it's a turn off.
"I would say it would definitely influence my decision in the future," Maurice Mendes said. Mendes told CBS 4's Lauren Pastrana he is voting for President Obama on November 6th. "Like now, I probably won't pick up the Sentinel. I'm a Miami Herald reader now."
Márquez said the opinions expressed in the editorial section of the paper are clearly marked as such and are separate from the news operation at The Miami Herald.
Some voters can make the distinction and said the endorsements won't affect what they read or how they vote.
"I'm sure I would read something and I would consider it," David Brubeck said. "I can't say that it would change my mind."
Both papers officially announced their endorsements Friday, but only the Sentinel's appeared in print. The Herald will publish its editorial in Sunday's edition of the paper.
