And the endorsements are in…

Nevada Appeal, Carson City, Nev.:

“(The) cause of fighting global terrorism was mislaid. At home,(President) Bush has consistently favored the rich and powerful …Finally, as Nevadans we find it impossible to endorse the presidentwho has decided Yucca Mountain is a scientifically sound repositoryfor the nation’s nuclear waste.”

The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento, Calif.:

“John Kerry offers an experienced, steady choice to lead thenation in a different direction. Voters have plenty of reasons todeny Bush a second term, but two stand out. Consider the twincenterpieces of the Bush presidency – the war in Iraq and taxcuts.”

The Jackson Sun, Jackson, Tenn.:

“Sen. John Kerry is the best choice for president in the Nov. 2election. He offers voters a more moderate approach on many issuesthan the Bush administration. That is something we believe thenation needs.”

The Duluth News Tribune, Duluth, Minn.:

“Sen. John Kerry is the best hope for regaining America’spromise, offering the country a fresh start internationally and areturn of the presidency to an office of stature and respect.”

The Hawk Eye, Burlington, Iowa:

“Today, the (budget) surpluses are gone, replaced by recorddeficits that our grandchildren will be paying off. The economicengine is on life support … The nation is in a seeming endlesswar in Iraq draining our financial resources and killing Americansoldiers at a pace the American people should find unacceptable.It’s time for change.”

The Daily Herald, Arlington Heights, Ill.:

“(President Bush) and his band of neoconservatives have notacted conservatively in any sense of the word. … (John) Kerry, weacknowledge, stands to the left of this newspaper on many issues…. Faced with two imperfect candidates, the Daily Herald endorsesJohn Kerry for president.”

The Kansas City Star, Kansas City, Mo.:

“John Kerry is not a perfect candidate with a flawless record.But he is a man of obvious intelligence, compassion, patriotism andcourage whose presidency would be guided by a clear understandingof what went wrong in the last four years and what needs to be donein the next four.”

St. Petersburg Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.:

“The best evidence of the poverty of the Bush administration’srecord is the Bush re-election team’s incessantly negative campaignagainst John Kerry. … The cynicism and illogic of those attacks -nobody can be a flip-flopper and a left-wing ideologue at the sametime – should be obvious.”

Bradenton Herald, Bradenton, Fla.:

“Kerry brings to the job of president more than 20 years ofSenate leadership, a personal knowledge of war and hope for a newapproach to end the Iraqi nightmare and address the nation’sdomestic problems.”

South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.:

“The Massachusetts senator possesses a prodigious intellectcapable of grasping the complexities of the serious issues facingthe nation and the world.”

The Daily Camera of Boulder, Colo., endorsed Kerry on Oct.17:

“Kerry and his running mate, Sen. John Edwards, would revivenational debate on issues too long neglected during the war onterrorism.”

The El Paso Times, El Paso, Texas:

“This nation is engaged in two wars. One is in Iraq, and itwould not be advisable to change command and policy in the middleof the fight. …. Then there’s the war on terror…the battleagainst terrorism is progressing both domestically andinternationally. That shouldn’t be interrupted.”

The San Antonio Express-News:

“The Bush administration is more likely to remain resolute onthe war in Iraq than would an administration headed by hisopponent, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts. The vision of a freedemocratic Iraq to counter Islamic extremism and dictatorships isworth that resolve.”

The Dallas Morning News:

“Four years ago, when the world was much simpler, George W. Bushsought the presidency claiming that he had ‘a charge to keep.’ …Mr. Bush has earned the right to hold firm to his charge foranother term.”

The San Diego Union-Tribune:

“John Kerry’s record of waffling on issues large and small doesnot instill confidence that he would provide the steady leadershipthat these uncertain times demand. With George Bush, however, therenever is any doubt about where he stands. That is why he meritsanother four years in the White House.”

The Las Cruces Sun-News, Las Cruces, N.M.:

“Kerry and his running mate, Sen. John Edwards, have said overand over that they have a plan for this and a plan for that. Whereare the plans? … (Bush) doesn’t flip-flop, and this is not thetime to jump ship.”

The News-Gazette, Champaign, Ill.:

“(President Bush) is, in our view, the man who better recognizesthe threat posed to the country and the world by internationalterrorism and the one more willing to do whatever it takes,regardless of world opinion, to neutralize or destroy whose whowould wage attacks on American soil.”

The Pantagraph, Bloomington, Ill.:

“The presidential election comes down to one thing: trust. …Frankly, both President Bush and his Democratic challenger, Sen.John Kerry, have given voters reason to doubt. But we would givethe edge to Bush.”

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas:

“Given the political leanings of the nation and Congress, itrequires a Republican president – it requires George W. Bush – tobe able to make, and sell, the difficult decisions that the nextfour years will bring.”

The Indianapolis Star:

“It is time for experience and resolve, which is why George Bushshould be re-elected for a second term. Without a re-electionfacing him, the president can move to do those things he said hewould do in his first presidential campaign.”

The Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press:

“We would hope and expect (President Bush) to shift more to thecenter, befitting the compassionate conservatism that again hasbecome a Bush mantra. But the overarching role of the president isthat of commander in chief. It is our belief that Mr. Bush wouldcontinue to effectively defend this country.”

The Repository, Canton, Ohio:

“Despite his mistakes, America knows who Bush is. He has led thecountry through immense troubles. Kerry, burdened by all the votesthat came in the U.S. Senate for 20 years, still leaves manyquestions about what kind of president he would be.”