New Hampshire Union Leader (Manchester, NH)

Sunday, November 27, 2011

An Editorial: For President, Newt Gingrich

This newspaper endorses Newt Gingrich in the New Hampshire Presidential Primary.

America is at a crucial crossroads. It is not going to be enough to merely replace Barack Obama next year. We are in critical need of the innovative, forward-looking strategy and positive leadership that Gingrich has shown he is capable of providing.

He did so with the Contract with America. He did it in bringing in the first Republican House in 40 years and by forging balanced budgets and even a surplus despite the political challenge of dealing with a Democratic President. A lot of candidates say they're going to improve Washington. Newt Gingrich has actually done that, and in this race he offers the best shot of doing it again.

We sympathize with the many people we have heard from, both here and across the country, who remain unsure of their choice this close to the primary. It is understandable. Our nation is in peril, yet much of the attention has been focused on fluff, silliness and each candidate's minor miscues.

Truth be known, many in the liberal media are belittling the Republican candidates because they don't want any of them to be taken as a serious challenger to their man, Obama.

Readers of the Union Leader and Sunday News know that we don't back candidates based on popularity polls or big-shot backers. We look for conservatives of courage and conviction who are independent-minded, grounded in their core beliefs about this nation and its people, and best equipped for the job.

We don't have to agree with them on every issue. We would rather back someone with whom we may sometimes disagree than one who tells us what he thinks we want to hear.

Newt Gingrich is by no means the perfect candidate. But Republican primary voters too often make the mistake of preferring an unattainable ideal to the best candidate who is actually running. In this incredibly important election, that candidate is Newt Gingrich. He has the experience, the leadership qualities and the vision to lead this country in these trying times. He is worthy of your support on January 10.

Copyright © 2011 The New Hampshire Union Leader.  Reprinted by permission of Joe McQuaid, Dec. 5, 2011 email.

NOTES:
This endorsement drew a lot of notice.  It appears to be the first by a newspaper or magazine of this primary cycle.  The paper is the biggest in the state, and is known for running more than just a single endorsement editorial; it reinforces its endorsement of a candidate with additional editorials leading up to the primary.  Union Leader publisher Joe McQuaid made the decision and wrote the editorial.  McQuaid, political reporter John DiStaso (Gary Rayno sitting in on Nov. 21 when DiStaso was on vacation) and editorial writer Drew Cline met with many of the major candidates in advance of the paper making its endorsement.  C-SPAN televised four of the hour-plus interviews: former Gov. Mitt Romney (Oct. 3), Gov. Rick Perry (Oct. 28), former Sen. Rick Santorum (Nov. 8), former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Nov. 21).  Herman Cain was scheduled for Nov. 17 but did not show up; he did follow through and visited the paper on Dec. 1.  Also interviewed were former Gov. Jon Huntsman, former Gov. Gary Johnson, Rep. Ron Paul, former Gov. Buddy Roemer and Fred Karger.