Anchorage, Fort Worth papers back Obama

Jesus said that a prophet is never welcome in his -- or her -- hometown (or for that matter, territory). So it should come as no surprise that the largest newspaper in Alaska, the Anchorage Daily News, has endorsed Barack Obama. While they concede Sarah Palin is an extremely gifted woman and more than capable of running the democratic version of Saudi Arabia, she is nowhere near able to handle the current financial crisis, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and global warming. Not yet, anyway.

Also making a surprise endorsement today -- the Fort Worth Star-Telegram joins a growing chorus of conservative papers that have gone from red to blue -- and backed Obama. They also have some choice words for Palin too. The FWST also notes that between advance polls and postal ballots, the turnout in Tarrant County (which includes FW) is already 14.5%; if those trends are true statewide there will be a record turnout in Texas. Maybe, just maybe, Obama can pull off an upset win in this state or make it uncomfortably close for McCain. That would really change the political map and drive the "pundits" crazy!

Regardless of what happens next Tuesday, the fact we have people from two American exclaves (Alaska and Hawai'i) running top of ticket shows the maturity of the last two states over 49 years of statehood. On the other hand, even the ethically challenged Ted Stevens would have been a better choice to join McCain -- indictment notwithstanding -- than Palin. That's saying something. Surely there are more experienced women and more thoughtfully sober women in Alaska than Palin also -- women inherently more vettable.

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