The New York Times endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton for the White House on Saturday, saying she was more qualified than Republican presidential rival Donald Trump to handle the challenges facing the United States.
The endorsement follows the decision made by three top conservative US dailies, including one which had traditionally backed Republicans for a century, to throw their support behind Clinton.
NY Times described Clinton as “one of the most tenacious politicians of her generation” and said she had displayed a command of policy and diplomatic nuance while building a reputation for grit and bipartisan cooperation.
“A lifetime’s commitment to solving problems in the real world qualifies Hillary Clinton for this job, and the country should put her to work,” the Times said of the former secretary of state and US senator from New York.
Clinton will face off against Trump on Monday night in the first of three presidential debates, with opinion polls showing her once sizable lead over the New York businessman narrowing amid continued public doubts about her trustworthiness.
The Times said Clinton’s mistakes had distorted perceptions of her character, but praised her work restoring US credibility in foreign affairs as secretary of state and on behalf of children, women and families throughout her career.
“Mrs. Clinton has shown herself to be a realist who believes America cannot simply withdraw behind oceans and walls, but must engage confidently in the world to protect its interests and be true to its values,” the newspaper said.
It said Clinton’s decision to use a private e-mail server for government work as secretary of state deserved the scrutiny it has received in the campaign, but considered alongside the real challenges facing the United States it “looks like a matter for the help desk.”

Cincinnati Enquirer, Dallas Morning News and Houston Chronicle
On Friday, the Cincinnati Enquirer, which is widely circulated in Cincinnati, Ohio, and northern Kentucky, broke a Century-old tradition of supporting Republican presidential nominees by throwing its support to Clinton.
In an editorial explaining its decision, the Enquirer said:
“Presidential elections should be about who’s the best candidate, not who’s the least flawed. Unfortunately, that’s not the case this year.
“Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, the most unpopular pair of presidential candidates in American history, both have troubled relationships with truth and transparency. Trump, despite all of his bluster about wanting to “make America great again,” has exploited and expanded our internal divisions. Clinton’s arrogance and unwillingness to admit wrongdoing have made her a divisive and distrusted figure as well.
“The Enquirer has supported Republicans for president for almost a century – a tradition this editorial board doesn’t take lightly. But this is not a traditional race, and these are not traditional times. Our country needs calm, thoughtful leadership to deal with the challenges we face at home and abroad. We need a leader who will bring out the best in all Americans, not the worst.
“That’s why there is only one choice when we elect a president in November: Hillary Clinton.”
Earlier, the Dallas Morning News said it has decided to make Clinton its first Democratic choice since before World War II.
In it’s editorial, the Dallas Morning News said, “We've been critical of Clinton's handling of certain issues in the past. But unlike Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton has experience in actual governance, a record of service and a willingness to delve into real policy.
There is only one serious candidate on the presidential ballot in November. We recommend Hillary Clinton.”
The Houston Chronicle, in endorsing Clinton, wrote in its headline: “These are unsettling times that require a steady hand: That's not Donald Trump.”
“Any one of Trump's less-than-sterling qualities -— his erratic temperament, his dodgy business practices, his racism, his Putin-like strongman inclinations and faux-populist demagoguery, his contempt for the rule of law, his ignorance — is enough to be disqualifying. His convention-speech comment, ‘I alone can fix it,’ should make every American shudder. He is, we believe, a danger to the Republic,” the editorial went on.

Source: Arab News