'Reno Gazette-Journal' endorses Obama, Romney

— -- In a set of endorsements that will appear in Friday's newspaper, the Reno Gazette-Journal has chosen two candidates that have the vision and ability to be their party's nominees.

Here are the editorials.

Obama embodies party's vision

Nevada Democrats should caucus for Barack Obama, the freshman senator from Illinois, to represent them as the party's nominee to run for president of the United States.

He has the personal characteristics and political instincts expected of the person who leads this nation.

The Democratic front-runners make strong presidential candidates. New York Sen. Hillary Clinton has worked to be an excellent public servant and has aimed toward this end for the past 35 years; former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards' climb up the economic ladder has placed him in a position where he can understand and also aid the middle class.

Clinton, however, continues to struggle under the cloud of her husband, former President Bill Clinton. She is challenged to escape the perception that she represents the status quo and that the advisers, the bureaucracy and the baggage from the former president's administration would follow her into the White House — if she were to make it through the November election.

And, although well meaning and concerned about the welfare of the grass roots, Edwards does not seem to connect with the Democratic base, and he has not demonstrated the kind of bipartisanship that gets things done.

Obama embodies the political and ideological perspectives that the party projects.

He represents the platform of political unity and workable populist economics that he and party members believe will reinvigorate the economy and solve many of the other problems the nation is facing, such as questions regarding health care, immigration, war, energy independence, the tax structure and particularly the mortgage crisis. Fixing the housing market is critical to restoring our economic health.

One can fairly describe Obama's philosophical optimism and charismatic manner as too idealistic, even a tad dreamy. But he also demonstrates the courage to stand his ground where necessary, willing, for instance, to salute both President John Kennedy and President Ronald Reagan as agents of change in times when the country needed change.