Sunday October 22 2:08 PM ET
Gore, Bush Pick Up Major Newspaper Endorsements
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Presidential hopefuls Al Gore and George W. Bush received endorsements from several major U.S. newspapers on Sunday, with The Washington Post and San Francisco Chronicle backing the vice president and The Detroit News and Columbus Dispatch picking the Texas governor.
In endorsing Gore for president, the Post described the Democratic candidate as ``a man of good character'' who would bring sound judgement and the right priorities to the White House.
``By virtue of experience, capacity and positions on the issues, he is the better qualified candidate,'' the newspaper said in a lengthy editorial.
``In a dangerous world, as we have recently been reminded this is, Mr. Gore offers leadership without the need of on-the-job training,'' the Post added.
The San Francisco Chronicle, in an editorial on its Web site, echoed the same themes, saying Gore had ``seasoned judgement, leadership and familiarity with the world'' as well as ``on-the-job experience.''
The Columbus Dispatch and the Cleveland Plain Dealer in Ohio, and The Detroit News in Michigan -- newspapers in critically important electoral states -- endorsed Bush as the candidate best able to end the political bickering in Washington.
The Dispatch, in an editorial published on its Web site, said the Republican Texas governor was better equipped to ''smooth over the bitter partisanship and frequent gridlock that have characterized the eight years of the Clinton administration and stymied efforts to come to grips with looming fiscal crises in Social Security and Medicare.''
The Detroit News also said Bush was best for Michigan because of Gore's ``disdain for the internal combustion engine.'' It said his environmental policies could wipe out tens of thousands of jobs in a state heavily dependent upon the auto industry.
Bush also picked up endorsements from The Dallas Morning News, The Seattle Times and the Portland Oregonian.
Gore also received the endorsement of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
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