Excerpts from recent newspaper endorsements of presidential candidates John McCain, a Republican, and Barack Obama, a Democrat.

The Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gazette, for Republican John McCain:

The United States and the world are on the brink of a major economic recession. Our nation also is troubled by unending war against terrorism, immigration laws in desperate need of reform and spiraling health care costs.

But at the top of this mountain of challenges is the economy — the engine that drives so much of our daily lives and determines so much of our future. At a time like this, we cannot succumb to panic. We must not throw wrenches in our path to economic recovery. And as the Great Depression taught us, the worst remedy for this country's problems would be higher taxes for individuals and businesses.

Comparing the two major presidential candidates, Sen. John McCain's approach is best aligned to spur economic recovery. This is the overriding reason The Gazette Editorial Board endorses the Republican Arizona senator over Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

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The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette endorsed Obama:

While mostly an enabler of the Bush world view, Mr. McCain has been a sometime maverick in the past. That happy warrior, however, was missing in this campaign. Laboring under the long shadow of the White House record, his campaign has gone further into the shadows, reduced to peddling fear and guilt by association. The ticket has not put country first, but lust for power.

The campaign of Barack Obama has been like day and night compared to this torrent of smears. Sen. Obama has counter-punched, but he has kept his dignity and focus. His eloquent grace and his commitment to speak directly to issues that matter to Americans — ending the war in Iraq, bringing tax relief to the middle class — have stamped him as presidential in both judgment and temperament.

His very presence on the campaign trail has refuted all the desperate slanders about him. He is what you thought he was: A decent, reasonable and intelligent American who is the only hope to bring real change.

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The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review endorsed McCain:

The only truly experienced leader in this race — the gentleman whose resume actually is worthy of the phrase — is John McCain, 72, war hero, former congressman and longtime U.S. senator of Arizona.

John McCain is fiercely independent. And he makes no apologies for the principles he holds dear, even if they be at odds with the traditional party base. But he has never wavered in his core belief of what Republicanism (with a capital "R") and republicanism (with a lowercase "r") are all about: Small government. Fiscal discipline. Low taxes. A strong defense. And a judiciary that does not legislate from the bench.

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The (Springfield, Ill.) State Journal-Register endorsed Obama:

We believe this country needs healing internally to end the class and cultural warfare that has reached levels today we never thought we'd see again after 9/11. The United States' current international image as the world's bully must be reformed if we hope to effect stability in regions that are now hotbeds of terrorism and nuclear adventurism. Economic recovery, as we see it, is dependent on those goals.

For those critical efforts, we believe Barack Obama is the best choice as our next president.

Throughout a grueling primary campaign that began here at the Old State Capitol, Obama went from extreme underdog to the confident, self-assured candidate of the Democratic Party. His poise on the campaign trail since then is no surprise to us. We saw it in person four years ago when he was a candidate for the U.S. Senate and, later, when he met with The State Journal-Register editorial board again after winning his Senate seat. Thoughtful, engaging and intellectually nimble, Obama exuded a sense of quiet self-confidence rare among politicians.

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The (Manchester) New Hampshire Union Leader endorsed McCain:

McCain has been tested as few men ever have, and he has never been found wanting. Barack Obama has no experience — none. He may be the most unprepared major-party candidate ever. His own vice presidential pick says our enemies will test him quickly and severely. There is no good reason to take that chance.

Those who believe Obama's claims that he will reduce 95 percent of Americans' taxes, while he pays for near-universal health care, subsidizes clean energy, expands our military commitment in Afghanistan, adds to mass transit and highway infrastructure, etc., etc., are living in a dream world.

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The Sheboygan (Wis.) Press endorsed Obama:

On the four most urgent issues facing this country — the economy, Iraq, health care, and energy — Obama's plans simply seem more beneficial to all concerned, namely, the American people.

Both Obama and McCain want to cut taxes. But more of Obama's cuts would go to the middle class and more of McCain's to the wealthy. Trickle-down economic growth doesn't work. It is time to move more of the tax burden onto the wealthiest Americans, those who can most afford to shoulder it.

—And it's time to regulate more of this economy. We need to prevent the greed that got us into this mess, from getting us into it again. McCain seems too reluctant to put in place more aggressive checks and balances.

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The Albuquerque (N.M.) Journal endorsed McCain:

We encourage those who are still uncommitted and those who vote on the basis of a candidate's qualifications instead of party label to give McCain's experience a closer look and to consider the consequences of concentrating too much political and economic power in the hands of one party.

A McCain veto in the White House would provide a check on Congress likely to take a leftward swing in this election. Where principles are on the line, McCain has a history of standing firm.

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The News-Times of Danbury (Conn.) endorsed Obama:

As America has learned throughout the campaign, the debates and the current economic crisis, Obama is calm, cool and steady, while McCain performs in an uneven and at times erratic way.

On the issues, it is clear from the campaign that an Obama presidency would bring about dramatic change from the past eight years — on foreign policy, on taxes, on health care, on education, on global warming.

Barack Obama is a man of intellectual vigor, grace and civility. He offers a message of hope and inspiration. He is a special candidate, and he will make an outstanding president.

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The Republican-American of Waterbury (Conn.) endorsed McCain:

For Republicans in general and conservatives in particular, Sen. John McCain is no prize. He's a centrist if not left-of-center candidate, not at all averse to big government.

He did not distinguish himself in supporting the recent financial-industry bailout and bears primary responsibility for arcane, incumbent-protecting campaign-finance regulations.

But he comes to the table with vast experience in government and as a military officer. His heroism during the Vietnam War cannot be denied.

And he was right where Sen. Obama was wrong in two turning points in recent history: He foresaw and tried to prevent the mortgage meltdown as long ago as 2004; and he was a strong advocate of the surge, which turned the tide in the Iraq war.

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The Arizona Daily Star of Tucson endorsed Obama:

The future requires new tools and new expertise. A premium must be placed on more than just love of country. We must re-embrace American ideals and lead the world on a stronger path to prosperity and peace. ... This moment in history requires courage to change. Our nation must find a way to restore the confidence that our government is of the people, by the people, for the people all of our people. We share Obama's vision of America. And we share his urgency.

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The Tulsa (Okla.) World endorsed McCain:

Obama — whether he admits it or not — was wrong in his opposition to the surge in Iraq. The surge has worked, and McCain has justifiably taken much of the credit for the strategy shift. ... McCain would end the war in a less chaotic fashion. ... McCain has spent decades studying the key flashpoints facing our nation. He has traveled to the hot sports. He has seen the behind-the-scenes discussions of where U.S. policy is coming from and where it's going. He is better prepared to guide the ship of state.

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The Janesville (Wis.) Gazette endorsed McCain:

McCain is not ideal. We're particularly concerned that he chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. He hoped Palin could energize his party's base and balance Obama's charisma. But she's not ready to lead this country should it come to that. ...

McCain favors keeping taxes low and cutting wasteful spending. He offers clear proposals to benefit middle-income families and small businesses. How can Obama keep promises to benefit the middle class while proposing more than $1 trillion in new spending?