Conservative newspaper endorses a Democrat for president for the first time since 1936.

Oh dear, it's getting worse for McCain by the day. The San Joaquin Record has endorsed its first Democrat for President since 1936.

And they don't beat about the bush when giving their reasoning. They offer a clear choice between the two candidates. Obama:

Barack Obama is our choice for president of the United States.

He has demonstrated time and again he can think on his feet. More importantly, he has demonstrated he will think things through, seek advice and actually listen to it.

Obama is a gifted speaker. But in addition to his smarts and energy, possibly his greatest gift is his ability to inspire.

And McCain:

This must end, but John McCain can't do it. He can't inspire, nor can he really break from a past that is breaking this nation.

He tends to shoot from the hip and go on gut instinct. The nation cannot go through four more years of literally and figuratively shooting now and asking questions later.

But the fact is, we worry he won't have four years. If elected, at 72, he would be the oldest incoming president in U.S. history. He's in good health now, we're told, although he has withheld most of his medical records. That means Gov. Sarah Palin could very well become president.

And that brings us to McCain's most troubling trait: his judgment.

While praiseworthy for putting the first woman on a major-party presidential ticket since Geraldine Ferraro in 1984, his selection of Palin as a running mate was appalling. The first-term governor is clearly not experienced enough to serve as vice president or president if required.

Remember this is being said by a newspaper which has not endorsed a Democrat since 1936. And this comes one day after the McCain camp pulled everyone out of Michigan, and announced that they would no longer be spending any more advertising money in the state.

This was one of the seats which Kerry took narrowly at the last election and it was one of the places where McCain thought he could cut into Obama territory.

McCain looks like he's moving into defence mode. When papers as conservative as The San Joaquin Record endorse your rival, I suppose it's time to start circling the wagons.

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Tags: The San Joaquin Record, endorsement, Obama, McCain, US election 2008