Trump receives first major newspaper endorsement, thanks to Sheldon Adelson
The Las Vegas Review-Journal became the first major newspaper to endorse Donald Trump for president this election season, stating that, while the candidate has flaws, he'll bring needed disruption and change to Washington.
"Mr. Trump represents neither the danger his critics claim nor the magic elixir many of his supporters crave," the paper said in its endorsement. "But he promises to be a source of disruption and discomfort to the privileged, back-scratching political elites for whom the nation's strength and solvency have become subservient to power's pursuit and preservation."
Trump tweeted, " Thank you Las Vegas Review Journal" with a link to the editorial.
The paper was bought by Sheldon Adelson last year, a major Republican donor who is also another billionaire linked to casinos. It remained unclear who bought the newspaper at the time of the deal, but many speculated whoever it was - that person really wanted to own this newspaper.
Soon after, it was reported that Adelson bought the Review-Journal for a whopping $140 million.
"Suspicions about his motives for paying a lavish $140 million for the newspaper last month are based on his reputation in Las Vegas as a figure comfortable with using his money in support of his numerous business and political concerns," the New York Times reported in January.
The Review-Journal has a circulation of about 98,000 daily, 119,000 on Sundays and "remains a prime target for anyone seeking to influence voters in Nevada," the Post's media critic Paul Farhi wrote.
Adelson and his wife, well-known Republican donors, gave $5,400 to Ted Cruz in November and the same amount to Lindsey Graham in March, before the South Carolina senator dropped out.
Although smaller papers have endorsed Trump, several large conservative-leaning newspapers have broken ranks and endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in recent months.
The San Diego Union-Tribune broke a 148-year-long streak of endorsing Republicans for president on Sept. 30 and encouraged its readers to vote for Hillary Clinton.
The Arizona Republic (formerly, the Arizona Republican), tweeted out a photo of Clinton gazing into the distance while announcing its endorsement. It's the first time the Republic has endorsed a Democrat since 1890.
The Republic received death threats after its endorsement was announced, as The Post's Katie Mettler reported:
"Within hours of publication, on Sept. 27, the newspaper's Facebook link to the editorial was flooded with outraged comments, threats to cancel subscriptions and proclamations of perceived betrayal."
The Dallas Morning News, whose editorial board had picked a Republican each time since before World War II, said Trump "plays on fear - exploiting base instincts of xenophobia, racism and misogyny - to bring out the worst in all of us, rather than the best."
The Cincinnati Enquirer, which had endorsed Republicans for nearly a century, called Trump "a clear and present danger to our country. ... Our reservations about Clinton pale in comparison to our fears about Trump."
The endorsement could be too late for Trump, whose campaign has been reeling after several women accused the Republican candidate of inappropriate sexual advances. Earlier this month, the Post published a 2005 video in which Trump bragged that his celebrity gave him the ability to grab women "by the p---y. You can do anything."
A survey of key battleground states last week showed Clinton with a decisive lead.
According to the Post's Dan Balz and Scott Clement, Clinton is "leading in enough states to put her comfortably over the 270 majority needed to win the presidential election in November."