Memphis Flyer Breaks Non Endorsement Tradition for Kerry

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.memphisflyer.com/content.asp?ID=3053&onthefly=1

Since its foundation in 1989, The Memphis Flyer has strictly adhered to a policy of not endorsing candidates for public office. Regular readers are aware of our unabashed support of progressive ideas and, by inference, the individuals who espouse them. But we have always felt we best serve the public interest by keeping an arm's-length distance from political candidates in the run-up to elections.

This year's extraordinary presidential campaign, however, requires our making an exception to our traditional non-endorsement policy. Four more years of George W. Bush is a potential disaster of such magnitude that we feel obliged to add our editorial voice to those of so many other newspapers around this country, and declare our support for John F. Kerry's candidacy for the presidency.

The reason is simple: President Bush's policies have failed this country on nearly every front, domestic and international. There is not room on this page to chronicle those failures in detail. Our relations with our allies are in shambles; our budgetary and trade deficits are out of control; corporate lobbies are setting environmental policy; our tax system is obscenely biased towards the rich; our civil liberties are at risk. The list goes on and on

And then there's the matter of our misnamed "war on terror." Bush supporters relentlessly cite their confidence in the president's handling of this issue. It's hard to imagine why. After failing to take action despite repeated warnings from our intelligence agencies of the impending al-Qaeda attack that became 9/11, the president's definitive response to that attack was to invade, under false pretences, a country that had no proven links with the "terrorists" and posed no real threat to our national security. President Bush attacked Iraq in defiance of world opinion, ignoring virtually all the lessons learned from the first Gulf War, a victory choreographed by his own father. And since foolishly declaring his "mission accomplished" in May 2003, Mr. Bush's continued display of incompetence in his conduct of that war would be unacceptable in a Memphis city councilman, let alone in a President of the United States.

[JohnnyCougar]

1. What's the circulation on this paper?

Anything big?

[RamboLiberal]

2. Newsweekly - 55,000 circulation

Circulation: 53,865 (as of December 2003)

Audited By: Verified Audit Circulation

Publication Day: Every Thursday

Market Served: Memphis Metropolitan Area

National Advertising: Alternative Weekly Network


http://www.memphisflyer.com

The Memphis Flyer was founded on February 16, 1989, by Contemporary Media, Inc., publisher of Memphis magazine. With more than 222,000 regular readers, the Memphis Flyer is an urban newsweekly with a blend of hard news and features, and columns devoted to politics, sports, art, theatre, film, etc. In addition, the Flyer provides Memphis' most comprehensive event listings, calendar, and entertainment reporting.

Over the past 15 years, the Flyer has become an important part of the Memphis community, with a reputation for breaking important stories and taking a fresh, sometimes irreverent look at the landscape of the city. In the past three years, the staff of the Flyer has earned more than 30 awards from the Society of Professional Journalists/Mid-South Chapter. The Flyer has also won the prestigious Green Eyeshade award for investigative reporting from the Atlanta Chapter of SPJ.

http://www.aan.org/gyrobase/Aan/viewCompany?oid=oid%3A46

[DemFromMem]

3. Woohoo! I love the Flyer

I read it every week and am glad they're joining the daily Commercial Appeal (which was one of the papers that switched from Bush in 2000).

[napi21]

4. Found this site that says 222,000 weekly readers.

http://www.aan.org/gyrobase/Aan/viewCompany?oid=oid%3A46

I don't really understand what the diff is between circulation and weekly readers, but that's what the article says.

[DemFromMem]

5. Memphis area Democrats - poll worker volunteers needed!

Just went to a meeting tonight to get training to work at the polls here in town to assure that ALL voters are permitted to exercise their right to vote. The turnout was good, but there are more than 200 precincts in the county and more folks are needed to ensure that there are no shenanigans (and you would be amazed at some of the stuff that was described that went on in 2000 - very scary). There will be another meeting Saturday morning to train workers. This is really important work and you will be doing your fellow citizens a great service by assisting at the polls. Republicans are expected to be at the polls trying to challenge as many people as possible - particularly in poor African American and Latino neighborhoods. Call the Kerry headquarters here in town to get information.

[bobbieinok]

6. someone at salon's tabletalk posted a horrific amt of info abt TN

and voter disenfranchisement 2000

the TN info never got much/any national coverage.....not surprising since there was little national coverage about disenfranchisement inf FL (except to deny that there was much, if any at all)

[Sara Beverley]

7. I would love to post a copy of this on a Republican message board.

Anyone have links to any?

[DeepModem Mom]

8. kick

[tomfodw]

9. Anyone know who they endorsed in 2000?

Cause Bush's first four years weren't anything to write home about, either, and it's not like we weren't warning the country he wasn't qualified.