Over the weekend the Des Moines Register endorsed Hillary Clinton and John McCain for president. After reading this New York Times article on the Register's editorial board, however, and getting more than my fill of Carolyn Washburn last week when she "moderated" the two final Iowa "debates," I'm not really sure why anyone would want the Register's endorsement.
If you read the endorsement of Clinton, you'll notice the editors argue that Sen. Clinton's "experience" trumps Sen. Obama's ability to inspire. This argument would make more sense if Clinton didn't have only four more years experience in the Senate than Obama. If "experience" is the criterion by which one supports a Democratic presidential candidate, then the Register should have endorsed either Joe Biden or Chris Dodd, or Bill Richardson, who actually is a proven two-term governor. You will further note that "experience" must not have counted for much four years ago when the Register endorsed ... John Edwards, who at that time had spent five years in the Senate and won only one statewide election. (Edwards went on to win two primaries in 2004, bringing his election-total to three.)
