Newspaper Endorsements of Candidates Need to End

It is a practice that has been done for years, but one that this writer thinks should cease. It is the practice of endorsing candidates in newspapers and on TV and Radio.

Every election, I find myself wondering if anyone is swayed by a newspaper endorsement to vote for a specific candidate. This year, the Quincy Herald Whig endorsed John Spring for another term as Mayor of Quincy over challenger Kyle Moore.  I'd like to know if anyone read the endorsement and after reading it decided to vote for Spring. That statement is not a commentary on which way I am going to vote.

In my opinion, the media needs to tell us where the candidates stand on the issues of the campaign and thats it.  They need to tell us both or all sides and then let us decide who we want to vote for. The newspaper, TV or Radio station has no business in "slanting" their opinions on the voters.

If they want to run a poll, that's one thing, but to endorse one candidate over another I find that to be a misuse of its position in the community. Bring it on my fellow media friends.  I would love to debate the issue with you. What do you think?