Des Moines Register Endorses Romney

joko104 said:

So you are claiming Obama was just being an idiot talking to the editorial board, right?

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All campaigns talk to these boards. My claim is that they have probably determined that it has an effect on at least a certain segment of the population.

The Register is one of the few nationally still respected print media that isn't pointedly partisan one way or the other.

Iowa is what gave Obama the Democratic nomination and he spent weeks going door to door in 08. This had to sting.

Harshaw said:

Endorsements don't have any effect.

But it's a glimpse into the mood of Iowa, anyway.

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There was a time when newspaper endorsements actually meant something. I believe that ship has sailed. And yes that even includes left wing fish wraps as well.

OK, a couple of things about Iowa and the Register:

First, this is fly over country. Nothing but corn, pigs and flies as far as the eye can see. They are traditional value people who nonetheless do get a fair amount of government assistance from farm subsidies. I live in Georgia now but have spent a fair amount of time in Iowa and can relate to them. If that many major papers there are leaning Romney (considering last time around) that certainly means something. I also seem to remember the Mississippi jumping it's banks a couple of years ago and hearing very little about it on the MSM since they decided to handle it mostly themselves instead of sitting back waiting for federal assistance.

Been a while but I've done RAGBRAI (Register press Annual Great Ride Across Iowa) several times. It's a 500 mile 7 day bicycle ride across the state the last full week of July. What a great time. The locals are hospitable, offering us riders their yards to camp in, grills and pools to use and even opened their homes to us for showers and meals. Last time I rode there were 25,000 riders plus all the support teams and vehicles. It was huuuuge. It's like Sturgis without the engines. Think about this: At least a quarter of those riders were college aged girls dressed for a week in the hot sun and capable of riding 500 miles in a week. Ah, good times, good times...