The Chicago Sun-Times on Friday endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton for president after its rival, the Chicago Tribune, endorsed Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson.
“Today, we endorse Hillary Clinton for president, and we endorse her early,” the newspaper’s editors said. “The best way to avert a train wreck is to wave a warning flag as soon as possible.
{mosads}“Hillary Clinton has the potential to be an excellent president,” they added. “She is eminently qualified by any measure — experience, knowledge, character or temperament.
“Donald Trump, on the other hand, has the makings of a miserable, even dangerous, president. In every way Clinton is strong, Trump is weak. In every way she has earned the job over a lifetime of public service, he has disqualified himself, serving nobody but himself.”
The Chicago Sun-Times criticized support for third-party presidential candidates, arguing it only benefits Trump.
“A vote for Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson, a man who could not even pass a basic world geography test, is not a principled protest gesture,” the editors said. “It is a retreat to the sidelines.
“So, too, would be a vote for Green candidate Jill Stein,” they added. “Neither can win.
“A vote for either of them would be a cop-out that cuts in Trump’s favor. Let’s not pretend there’s any false equivalency between Clinton and Trump.”
The Chicago Sun-Times said Clinton has flaws, including showing “poor judgment” by using a private email server secretary of State.
The publication said Clinton is a much better choice for the nation’s highest office than Trump, however.
“Clinton is an imperfect candidate, to be sure, but Trump is an order of magnitude worse. Clinton has campaigned to be president of all Americans, while Trump has exploited our divisions, playing on our fears and resentment.”
Clinton was born and raised in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs.
Illinois is a reliably Democratic state in presidential elections, and Clinton will be heavily favored to win the state’s electoral votes.
Several major newspapers have not backed Trump, the GOP’s presidential nominee, despite their history of support for Republicans.