America’s self-describe (but in actuality far from it) paper of record has endorsed Obama today (Friday, October 24, 2006).

“Mr Obama has met challenge after challenge, growing as a leader and putting real flesh on his early promises of hope and change...
He has shown a cool head and sound judgment. We believe he has the will and the ability to forge the broad political consensus that is essential to finding solutions to this nation’s problems...”

The New York Times might think that its paper’s endorsement makes a difference, but it is unlike to sway one person into the Obama column. The NY Times is no longer the moderately center-left paper it used to be (it has not endorsed a Republican for president since the 1950’s and in 2006 the paper did not endorse one Republican at any level of office), it has entirely discredited itself by moving incredibly to the left.

Especially in this seasons election coverage, the paper would print one pro-Obama piece after another and then go out of its way to smear McCain. While ignoring Obama’s past suspect connections, the paper was quick to send a journalist (smear merchant would be a more appropriate term) to Alaska once Sarah Palin was announced as VP choice in order to dig up dirt on her.

The NY Times has run two front-pages articles critical of Cindy McCain, John McCain’s spouse. They even had a journalist study the Facebook page of the McCain’s fourteen-year old dirty in order to find anything damaging. The Times is beyond a disgrace. It would never, with justification, run a piece critical of Michelle Obama let alone two and on the front pages. This is why the Times no longer was credibility, it is now simply a paper for the liberal elite whom already agree with its leftist non-sense.

Further, its declining credibility has been paralleled with declining subscription and, of course, declining revenue. The Times recently recorded a 51.4% reduction in profits and the paper recorded operational losses, this despite its recent cost-cutting measures. The NY Times’ stock has been downgraded to “junk” by stock consultancy firm Moody’s and S&P has also downgraded the Times to its lowest investment grade.

It seems that deciding to become the PR machine for the Democratic paper and not a paper that as least attempts to be objective, the Times has been shunned by a growing number of Americans.

After Lehman Brothers, American could soon lose another icon.

(To read about other papers that have made presidential endorsements click here.)