Here is a sampling of some of our favorite letters to the Des Moines Register after the editorial board inexplicably endorsed Mitt. For many, the loss is not simply that they don’t agree; it’s about the last dying breath of the paper they knew and loved. click here to read them all
For forty-five years I was a loyal reader of the Des Moines Register. Earlier this spring I was forced to cancel my subscription due to the horrendous delivery service in western Iowa. Until today, I continued to buy the Sunday Register. However, now that your editorial staff has endorsed Mitt Romney, that too will have to change. I can only say two things—1) I was heartened by Rekha Basu’s column supporting President Obama, and 2) I was glad to see that my favorite writer, Richard Doak, a man of wisdom and repute, was not part of your unbelievable vetting process. You seem certain that Romney will not “adopt the reactionary agenda of the most extreme elements of the Republican Party.” Good luck with that. I see a man who will say anything to secure the party nomination, say the total opposite to sway the undecided voters, and will do everything in his power to please the money people behind him who are buying this election. Shame on the Des Moines Register. You can now change your motto to “The Newspaper Iowa Can’t Depend On.”
– Jean Conover, Mapleton
I should have seen it coming. You printed all those Obama-bashing Ramirez cartoons. You threw Leonard Boswell under the bus. You haven’t replaced Donald Kaul with anyone to balance John Carlson’s rightwing blather. You ran full-page ads from AP Superpac and Billy Graham, and a 12-page Romney glossy flyer in today’s paper. Rekha Basu is the only progressive voice left in your once-magnificent but now dwindling daily. Romney, with his shifting convictions and outright lies, has spent six years and tens of millions of his own money buying the election, promising little more than a repeat of the Bush years, and the Register has bought into it. I can only hope you’re wrong again.
– Harold A. Swihart, Des Moines
I woke up this morning and got my Register off the front porch. I got to the Opinion section and thought I had gotten the wrong paper. I thought it must be the April Fool’s edition of the Daily Iowan student newspaper. But it was not, much to my dismay. Adults who should know better were responsible for this endorsement.
“Mitt Romney Offers a Fresh Economic Vision”? No way.
– James Conzemius, Iowa City
With full page ads from American Principles Superpac lining the Register’s pockets with megacash time and time again, it is no wonder that Ms. Hollingsworth, Publisher, and editorial crew have endorsed Willard Romney. The lies and money from this PAC are more than persuasive, distort truths, and muddle clear vision. Oh well, the last time the Register endorsed a Republican (Nixon), he had to resign as President in disgrace as a criminal. Can we now forgive the editors and publisher for lack of vision clouded by megabucks? and continue
– Jim Johnson, Saint Charles
Who on the Register actually wrote the editorial endorsing Mitt Romney and his Etch-a-Sketch? Was it Daddy Warbucks or Mr. Magoo?
– Tom Emmerson, Ames
The Salt Lake City Tribune endorses Obama, because it knows who Romney is; the Register endorses Romney, because it doesn’t know who he is.
– James Sutton, Des Moines
Shame! You have thrown in with the anti-science flat earthers: Anti stem cell, anti choice, anti climate change, anti evolution.
A bunch of complete freaking dolts. The horror.
– Jim Leonard, Iowa City
ROMNEY?? YOU’VE NOW LOST ALL CREDIBILITY IN THE EYES OF THE WORLD!!!
– Dr Robert Coates, Mason City
You seem to give your endorsement to Romney because of his record as the Gov. of MA. Surely you’ve read that after his term, MA had fallen to 47th place in job creation, that he had given tax breaks to the wealthiest, increased college costs, and lost manufacturing jobs at twice the national average. You also seem to not find a problem with him reversing his positions throughout the campaign to the point of not knowing WHAT he stands for, nor has he explained how he intends to magically make all his promises happen. I’m shocked by the argument you make to the point of thinking that I can no longer trust your information about state news and opinions. Please cancel my/our subscription to the Des Moines Register.
– Slonneger, Mary/Ken, Iowa City
I’m not surprised with the Des Moines Register endorsement of Romney & Latham. The Register endorsed Hoover against FDR in 1932,also Nixon against JFK in 1960.
– John Navin, West Des Moines
Good job endorsing a man who’s entire professional career consists of outsourcing American jobs to china! Are you aware of what he did with A.C. Delco? First pirating the company that was not intended to be sold to him then closing twenty four plants in the U.S. and shipping the jobs to china! He made fifteen million dollars on this deal on the backs of U.S. tax payers and put the money in a well known tax shelter in the jersey islands off the coast of France! Is this your definition of a quote “refreshing economic policy for America”?! Great insight register! I and all of my family members are ending our subscriptions to your gossip rag forthwith! A failure on the part or this establishment! Goodbye to your credibility as a unbiased news organization!
– David Youngberg, Oskaloosa
Premonition turned into sad reality
I had a sinking suspicion that The Des Moines Register would endorse Mitt Romney when I saw the pictures you choose to print in the front page leading up to this STRANGE decision. If Mitt Romney is to be our best chance to reach across the aisle why did he choose Paul Ryan as a running mate? (I am an independent by the way.) Mitt Romney knows how to make lots of money for himself through a private equity firm while lots of little guys loose their jobs – how does this translate to an ability to help the middle class make money? When Mitt Romney scoffs at the notion of global warming I get REALLY scared. Barack Obama has the backs of the middle class and he has done his best to promote renewable energy – he is the man for a lasting future.
– Lisa Bean, Waukee
Blog For Iowa 
Interesting read – I think the effect of Superstorm Sandy and Obama’s ‘Presidential’ fortitude over the past few days will do him more good than any campaign event. Romney remains as incoherent and irrelevant on yet another issue, as usual. Check my thoughts: http://goo.gl/FNOyM
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The Register has been FOOLED! Their hopes of a moderate Mitt stepping into the White House is based in absolute misinformation. Do they not know that his time as Governor was the only time he was putting on a complete act? The Mitt before and after IS the Mitt that will always ‘animate’ those radical nuts. He is a radical nut too!
“Romney had to tack to the right during the primary season. Since then, he has recalibrated his campaign to focus on his concern for the middle class, and that is believable if the real Mitt Romney is the one on display as governor of Massachusetts who passed a health care reform plan that became the model for the one passed by Congress.
Romney should not squander an opportunity to build consensus in Washington by wasting time on issues that animate many in his party. We cannot rewind the clock on progress for minorities, women, gays and lesbians. We must make it easier for immigrants to come here to live and work legally and stop making criminals of those who are living here lawfully, paying taxes and raising families. The federal government must continue to insist on clean air and water and encourage clean and renewable energy.”
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Reaching across the aisle is exactly what we see now with the President and Gov. Christie: It is government as our forefathers intended government to work. For the people and not concerned about who is a Democrat or who is a Republican. The Register will pay a heavy price for their completely partisan miscalculation. I am not a Democrat, but I am also not asleep, this President will be elected, even without my vote…read the tea leaves.
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