The Economist Endorses Obama

This magazine, which for a long time seemed to be leaning more and more toward a Bush-ite neo-conservatism and which has always been a free-trading, libertarian magazine, endorsed a liberal Democrat for President. Bizarre, huh? Their disillusion with the current regime, and McCain's perverse embrace of its policies, as well as Obama's calm, brilliant campaign and apparently willingness to do whatever works regardless of ideological source, seem to have won them over.

But as has been pointed out elsewhere, The Economist for many years has always supported the candidate for the non-incumbent party. So Clinton in '92, Dole (!) in '96, Bush in 2000, Kerry in '04, and now Obama in '08. It seems like The Economist has perpetual buyer's remorse, and is never really satisfied with the President, whoever he may be. So they love Obama now, but if he wins, I suspect they'll have many problems with him in the months and years to come. As they have always done.