Political endorsements are sure to make friends and enemies.
Whether they make a difference to voters is questionable, but candidates act like they do. For instance, mayoral candidate John Peyton mentioned the Times-Union’s editorial page endorsement of his candidacy in a recent debate.
So readers have been asking questions.
* One reader asked how the Times-Union could allow critical comments toward Peyton by columnists Ronald Littlepage and Tonyaa Weathersbee. Doesn’t there come a time when you go along with management’s decision? My comment: In the interest of fairness and balance, the personal views of the columnists provide readers another perspective. That diversity helps a newspaper’s credibility.
* Another reader said the newspaper’s endorsement of Peyton had strained her relationship with the paper. Why endorse candidates at all?
Editor & Publisher, the newspaper trade magazine, notes that more newspapers have stopped endorsing candidates over the last 50 years. The magazine commissioned a survey before the 2002 presidential election. A total of 193 newspaper editors and publishers were polled. About half of them said that readers perceive their newspapers are partisan if they endorse a candidate, though they don’t believe that actually is the case. About 75 percent of the newspapers surveyed made endorsements.
My comments: Editorial page endorsements may alienate some readers and create an impression of bias among some readers. The alternative, though, is worse. Readers would be guessing about which candidate the newspaper supports. A newspaper should take strong stands and not pull punches when it matters the most.
* A reader, with a Peyton sign in her front yard, objected to a slick Nat Glover campaign brochure she received at home. It included headlines and the opening paragraph of several Times-Union news stories. It seemed to be placing the newsroom in Glover’s camp. Does the newsroom approve of this? Doesn’t the newsroom seek to remain neutral?
Editor Patrick Yack commented: “We have a clear policy against our stories and photos being used in this manner. We routinely tell people our stories and pictures cannot be used to promote a product, company, service or politician.”
My comment: The news staff must zealously guard its independence and its credibility. News coverage should be as balanced as humanly possible.
Church endorsements
A reader asks: The Times-Union showed pastors supporting Glover in the mayoral race, even to the extent of suggesting buses to transport his supporters to the polls. “I was a volunteer for a non-profit organization and we had to be very careful not to advocate any person who was running for office. Can you please explain this?”
By 70 percent to 22 percent in a scientific survey, Americans of all faiths believe churches should not come out in favor of political candidates, reported the Pew Research Center.
The Internal Revenue Service seems clear on its Web site: “Depending upon the nature of its exemption, your tax-exempt organization may jeopardize its tax-exempt status if it engages in certain activities. For example, section 501(c)(3) charitable organizations may not intervene in political campaigns or substantial lobbying activities.”
However, it’s rare for a church to have its tax exempt status revoked for political endorsements, an IRS spokesman said. Pastors have some discretion. And there is substantial case law involved.
Readers interested in checking with the IRS on this issue may call IRS Customer Account Service at (877) 829-5500.
