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The duty to endorse

An editorial  —  3/31/2008 8:00 am

It is difficult to imagine a more embarrassing position taken by a newspaper than the choice of the Wisconsin State Journal to sit out the state Supreme Court race.

The State Journal says it won't endorse a candidate in the hotly contested race between Justice Louis Butler and challenger Mike Gableman because it favors doing away with an elected court.

As when the State Journal crusaded for downsizing the Dane County Board, the proposal for so-called "merit selection" of judges is a scheme to take decisions away from citizens and put them in the hands of elite insiders. That approach is wrong.

What is surprising is that the State Journal's determination to diminish democracy would trump any sense of responsibility to do what all newspapers have traditionally encouraged voters to do at election time: review the candidates and make a choice.

The Capital Times is a progressive newspaper. When we endorse progressive candidates -- such as Justice Butler -- our choice reinforces their appeal to voters in a region that has a rich progressive tradition. Conversely, when we have backed conservative Republicans such as U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan and moderate Republicans such as former Rep. Scott Klug and former state Treasurer Jack Voight, our choice has upset some but caused others to take a second look.

Traditionally, the conservative State Journal has played a reverse role. When it has broken pattern to back more progressive candidates, that has caused conservative readers to look anew at a race.

This is why the State Journal's decision to pass on the current race is so unsettling.

There is no question that Mike Gableman, who has positioned himself as the conservative candidate, has run a despicable campaign. Gableman's race-baiting television commercials have been condemned by liberals and conservatives alike. Former Supreme Court Justice Janine Geske has objected to Gableman's campaign. Even conservative talk radio host Charlie Sykes has complained that the candidate is not being honest in his attacks on Butler.

This is a classic case where newspapers with a history of backing Republicans and conservatives should step in and say that a candidate of the right -- Gableman -- has crossed a line and cannot be supported.

Yet the State Journal hides behind the cloak of seeking to end Wisconsin's historic commitment to an elected judiciary -- rather than recognizing the need to reform a corrupt campaign finance system or enforce basic ethical standards -- and steps to the sidelines.

Even endorsing Gableman would be more honorable than refusing to endorse.

But there is no question that endorsing Justice Louis Butler and calling for needed reforms is the right response. We've done both because this newspaper takes elections, and the role of a free press in defending democracy, seriously.

The Capital Times endorses:

Supreme Court: Louis Butler

Constitutional Amendment: No

Verona Merger Referendums: No

Madison School Board: Marj Passman, Ed Hughes

Dane County Board:

1: Scott McDonell

4: Brett Hulsey

5: Wyndham Manning

6: John Hendrick

7: Matt Veldran

9: Dianne Hesselbein

11: Al Matano

12: Paul Rusk

14: Vic Bankston

15: Lisa Subeck

18: Dorothy Wheeler

26: Mark Opitz

28: Susan Beil

30: Patrick Downing

33: Nancy Hylbert

34: Patrick Miles

36: Richard Pertzborn

An editorial  —  3/31/2008 8:00 am