Hailing Sen. Barack Obama’s “outside perspective,” the University of Pittsburgh’s student newspaper on Monday endorsed the Illinois Democrat for Tuesday’s Pennsylvania primary.
The Pitt News’ editorial board wrote Obama is an “exceptionally gifted politician and leader” and said he is the best candidate to “propel” the country “into a new political era.”
“Obama’s experiences in local politics have instilled in him a critical understanding of the American urban experience, a value we believe Clinton lacks,” the board wrote, noting that the endorsement should not be seen as a denunciation of Clinton’s leadership skills. “Americans from the left, right and center have been pleading for a change in Washington. And we believe Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., is the best Democratic candidate to answer our calls for change.”
According to UWIRE’s count, The Pitt News is the 46th paper to back Obama so far. Fifty-one boards have endorsed a Democratic candidate during the 2008 primary season. Clinton has garnered four endorsements.
Also Monday, The Daily Collegian at Penn State University cited Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., as having the best higher education platforms in their respective parties in an editorial.
The students stopped short of endorsing a candidate.
The Collegian editorial board noted that even though Clinton and Obama had “virtually the same platform,” voters should choose “substance over ones that are backed by soundbytes.”
“Clinton’s plan also isn’t afraid to address niche issues, including apprenticeships and workforce training, broadening the legislation’s effect beyond college-bound voters,” the Penn State board said. “Sen. Clinton’s plan looks promising — and so does its candor.”
The Daily Collegian also criticized McCain for leaving out higher education as an issue on his campaign Web site.
“McCain [is] currently holding little more than a blank sheet. But for what McCain lacks in specifics, he makes up in common sense — and that’s something higher education could use more of,” the board wrote.
In a CBS News / UWIRE poll released Friday, 10 percent of Pennsylvania college students said they think McCain cares “a lot” about students – a much lower result than Obama (48 percent) and Clinton (23 percent) received.
The editorials come days after The Daily Pennsylvanian endorsed Clinton for Tuesday’s primary — which will give the winner momentum in the last few contests before the parties choose presidential nominees.
The University of Pittsburgh enrolls more than 17,000 students, while 40,000 undergraduates hail from Penn State’s main campus.