Portland paper backs Obama, McCain

AUGUSTA – Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain won endorsements of their presidential candidacies Sunday from the Maine Sunday Telegram.

The Portland-based newspaper, a part of the Blethen Maine Newspapers group, said in an editorial that “the possibilities of an Obama presidency, not the list of his accomplishments, is what makes him the most exciting figure on the Democratic scene.”

The Telegram added: “His abilities to compromise, inspire and speak to a broad spectrum of the electorate earns him our endorsement for the Democratic nomination in 2008.”

On the Republican side, the newspaper declared its support for McCain by saying that “while we don’t always agree with him, we admire his character.”

Of McCain, the newspaper said “hard experience has shown that regardless of the political winds, his course will be clear.”

Voting for presidential nominees in Maine, which is a caucus state, is still weeks away.

State Republican caucuses will be held Feb. 1-2. Democrats gather on Feb. 10, five days after Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses are held in nearly two dozen states.

As the Telegram expressed its views Sunday, White House hopefuls swarmed over neighboring New Hampshire, where the nation’s first primary will be held Tuesday.

Last Thursday in the first showdown of the national race, Obama won the Democratic caucuses in Iowa and Huckabee bested Romney for first place in Republican activist voting.