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Columnists - Columnists: Mark Vasche

Sunday, Oct. 04, 2009

Vasché: 'The Bee recommends': How we determine endorsements

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Back in June, we issued a call for men and women of character, competence, commitment and courage to step forward and run for public office.

Many answered that call, and a month from now voters will select from among the candidates the people they want to represent them on dozens of councils, boards and commissions in Stanislaus County.

A week from today, we'll offer the first of our endorsements in some of the more prominent races on the Nov. 3 ballot.

We do that after having spent considerable time interviewing candidates, reviewing news articles, attending or viewing forums, doing additional research, and carefully discussing the pros and cons of the candidate or issue.

Out of that process come our endorsements on various races and ballot measures.

We know that these three words — "The Bee recommends ..." — will prompt a variety of reactions among our readers.

Some will see red and spit bullets. Others will smile and nod in agreement. And still others will read our views and then form their own opinions.

Several years ago, I used a question-and-answer format to explain why and how we endorse. As another election approaches, let me do so again:

Q: Why is The Bee telling me how to vote?

A: We're not — we're simply sharing our thoughts. How you decide to vote is — and should be — entirely up to you. Voters should strive to make informed, independent choices after carefully considering what they read, hear or observe from many sources — including The Bee and modbee.com. And that can include our endorsements, which are the paper's official, institutional opinion. Endorsing is a historic function of newspapers, including The Bee. Just as we comment on challenges and issues facing our region, so, too, we offer opinions on candidates and ballot measures.

Q: Who determines the endorsements?

A: The Bee's editorial board, which is made up of Eric Johnston, the publisher and president; myself, Mark Vasché, the editor and senior vice president; and Judy Sly, the editor of the Opinions pages. Also participating in many of our discussions are "visiting editors" from the community.

Q: How does the board arrive at its decisions?

A: As I mentioned above, we read articles, interview candidates, attend or view forums and do additional research. We then meet, discuss the pros and cons of candidates, and arrive at a decision, sometimes unanimously, sometimes by consensus. An editorial is drafted, discussed, refined and finalized.

Q: Do reporters have a say in endorsements?

A: No. The Bee's news and opinions are independent of one another by design. The paper's news coverage provides helpful background for editorial board discussions, but reporters have no say in endorsements. In most cases they don't know the paper's positions until they are published.

Q: Does party affiliation affect your choices?

A: There's a misconception that The Bee only endorses Democrats. That's simply not true. And, in the case of local races, most offices are nonpartisan, and thus, political affiliations aren't relevant anyway. Our goal is to identify and endorse the best-qualified candidates, and, for the record, we've backed conservatives and liberals alike for various city, county, school, state and national offices.

Q: Is it tough deciding whom to endorse?

A: Sometimes, especially in races with a number of highly qualified candidates, any one of whom would merit election. It also can be difficult in a race where the field of candidates is very weak — or worse. But while we may be tempted to pass, we remind ourselves that if voters are asked to make a choice, then so should we.

Q: Why does The Bee print its endorsements so early, since the election is still a month away?

A: More and more people are voting by mail — the ballots for the Nov. 3 election start going out this week. As a result, we've been forced to publish our endorsements earlier. That said, endorsing — and voting — so early has some risks, since much can happen between now and Election Day.

Q: Do you ever change your mind?

A: Yes. Sometimes we endorse someone we didn't back in an earlier election; sometimes we don't endorse someone we supported earlier. On rare occasions, someone we've endorsed resorts to dirty, dishonest tactics during the campaign. And finally, a "winner" we endorsed may turn out to be a dismal failure in office, or someone we didn't endorse gets elected and does a first-rate job.

Q: What can I do if I disagree with your endorsements?

A: You can call, write, e-mail or comment on modbee.com. But the most important thing you can do is carefully consider the issues and candidates and then vote for who you believe is the best, regardless of what we or anyone else may say.

Vasché, The Bee's editor and senior vice president, can be reached at mvasche@modbee.com or 578-2356.