CHICAGO – In an unprecedented move, the Chicago Tribune editorial board rejected the two major party nominees and picked Libertarian Gary Johnson for their November 8th presidential choice.
The former governor, who in the past week asked a news commentator "What is Aleppo?" and couldn't come up with one past or present world leader that he admired, brought along his vice-presidential teammate Bill Weld when they visited personally with Chicago Tribune editorial board. The board has posted clips of the interview for public perusal.
Why didn't the newspaper endorse Donald Trump? Here's the gist of their disgust with the businessman:
The mystery and shame of Trump's rise — we have red, white and blue coffee mugs that are more genuinely Republican — is the party's inability or unwillingness to repulse his hostile takeover. We appreciate the disgust for failed career politicians that Trump's supporters invoke; many of those voters are doubly victimized — by economic forces beyond their control, and by the scorn of mocking elitists who look down their noses to see them. He has ridden to the White House gate on the backs of Americans who believe they've been robbed of opportunity and respect. But inaugurating a bombastic and self-aggrandizing President Donald Trump isn't the cure.
Then why not Hillary Clinton? After a couple of paragraphs why she is supremely qualified to lead the Free World, the Tribune points to her FBI investigation, lack of truth-telling and writes:
Time upon time, Clinton's behavior affirms the perception that she's a corner-cutter whose ambitions drive her decisions. One telling episode among the countless: Asked by a voter if she was for or against the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada, she replied, "If it's undecided when I become president, I will answer your question." As we've asked here before, will Hillary Clinton ever get over her consuming fear of straight talk?
But endorsing a third party sure-losing candidates that are garnering less than 10 percent of Illinois voters' interest? Here's the Tribune's rationale:
We reject the cliche that a citizen who chooses a principled third-party candidate is squandering his or her vote. Look at the number of fed-up Americans telling pollsters they clamor for alternatives to Trump and Clinton. What we're recommending will appeal less to people who think tactically than to conscientious Americans so infuriated that they want to send a message about the failings of the major parties and their candidates. Put short:
We offer this endorsement to encourage voters who want to feel comfortable with their choice. Who want to vote for someone they can admire.
So, there you are … the Tribune says vote for Johnson. A "principled choice." Really …
