Endorsementmania

Kerry is wiping the floor with Bush. If only it will translate to real votes...

LINK TO EDITOR AND PUBLISHER - Kerry gained the editorial backing of at least 22 papers, with Bush winning the support of just five, giving Kerry the lead by 37-18 in E&P's exclusive tally. He has many more large papers on his side, maintaining his "circulation edge" at about 4-1: approximately 8 million to 2 million (we will post a complete tally later today).

Among his new supporters were three papers that had backed Bush in 2000: the Bradenton Herald in Florida, the Daily Camera in Boulder, Colorado and the Daily-Herald in Arlington Heights, Ill.

However, Bush did pick up the endorsement of the Chicago Tribune and The Dallas Morning News in his home state.

Among the papers endorsing Kerry today were newspapers in key swing states: The Miami Herald, St. Petersburg Times, Palm Beach Post, Daytona Beach News Journal and Bradenton Herald in Florida; the Minneapolis Star-Tribune in Minnesota; the Daily Camera in Colorado, and the Dayton Daily News and Akron Beacon-Journal in Ohio.

He also got the nod from major papers in states already friendly to him: The New York Times, The Boston Globe, San Jose Mercury-News, San Francisco Chronicle, Sacramento Bee and Modesto Bee.

Other papers backing him were the Kansas City Star, the Roanoke (Va.) Times, the Grand Fords (ND) Herald, Charlotte Observer, and the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader. Clearly, many papers in the Knight Ridder and McClatchy chains have rallied to his side.