New York Times 'enthusiastically' endorses Obama

Gutfeld: Paper blinded by lint in president's pocket

This is a rush transcript from "The Five," October 30, 2012. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

GREG GUTFELD, CO-HOST: In what's called the opposite of news, The New York Times enthusiastically endorsed President Obama. I know! It takes a lot to get that paper enthusiastic unless it's about biodegradable wind chimes and new book on feminist haikus or scandal that only involves Republicans.

And what an endorsement this is. Just remember, this is a paper through its ace reporter Walter Durante also enthusiastically endorsed Stalin. Now, I'm not comparing Obama to Stalin, just saying the timing has been wrong. I mean, The Times had been wrong when being right really mattered.

The Times has this silly gushing enthusiasm of 17-year-old too naive to know she's been seduced. When you read the piece, it's like you pried into your daughter's dreams journal, all that's missing is the rainbow glitter.

Given that other papers endorsing Obama did so reluctantly, it shows how far in the pocket The Times editorial board is. It must be hard to see clearly when you got Obama's lint in your eye.

Meanwhile, The Des Moines Register has endorsed Romney. The first time that lib paper has endorsed a Republican since before Columbus. And many other papers have flipped from O to R.

So, how to explain this? Well, let's turn to lefty Robert Reich who over the weekend tweeted this, "Not all Republicans are racist, homophobic, misogynistic, or xenophobic. Only 73 percent of them are."

The Des Moines Register actually runs Reich's column. So how does it feel to work for a racist, Rob?

KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE, CO-HOST: Oh my goodness.

GUTFELD: Apparently, that tweet has been removed.

ERIC BOLLING, CO-HOST: But it was his.

GUTFELD: It was his.

BOLLING: It wasn't Eva Longoria.

(CROSSTALK)

GUTFELD: Maybe Twitter was acting up again. I don't know.

DANA PERINO, CO-HOST: Anybody else having this problem? That's what she said.

GUTFELD: Yes, exactly.

Bob, a lot of papers have flipped to Romney. The Des Moines Register, a big deal?

BECKEL: Oh, it's a big deal. First of all, a lot have not. I mean, it's been six or seven and I think one or two flipped from Republican to Obama.

GUTFELD: The Billings Gazette.

BECKEL: Yes. But these are in states, and it used in three -- I mean, in Texas, these three papers are always going to go Republican, anyway. Tennessee, they're going to go Republican anyway.

But The Des Moines Register matters. And it matters because it's the biggest paper in the state. It has a lot of political influence. And if there's one paper that I would want to have of all the newspapers in the country, it would be that paper.

GUILFOYLE: Thank you very much for that very truthful and refreshing --

BOLLING: You say that, unless New York Times endorsed a Republican. You'd say, maybe we like to get that one.

BECKEL: I would much prefer to have the Des Moines Register than New York Times.

PERINO: Yes.

GUILFOYLE: He's right, in terms of political significance, right?

BECKEL: Yes. I mean, you tracked it on polls. I mean, it makes a difference in that state. It makes a difference of two to three points and that's why Romney's enthusiastic to look at Iowa, but he has to, because if you can't win Ohio -- you and I went through this last night at great length. But he still needs to win a number of states. Iowa is one of them. Colorado is another. And Wisconsin is another one.

So, Iowa becomes very important to him.

BOLLING: Well, that's -- can we talk a little Iowa? Would you mind?

PERINO: Ohio?

BOLLING: I mean, Ohio. Thank you, Dana.

PERINO: Yes.

BOLLING: Northern part of Ohio is very Democratic, very Obama. A lot of car companies. A lot of tire companies up there. The southern part being Republican. The middle, that's where you want to go, you want to go for that little piece of Ohio.

If Romney doesn't win Ohio, gets Iowa, Wisconsin becomes the in play state.

BECKEL: Well, Wisconsin, but you also need to win two other states that are in place, I'm giving him -- I'm giving him right now Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia, OK? I give him that.

PERINO: That's so generous.

BECKEL: Now --

BOLLING: Because he's leading?

BECKEL: Because he's leading and I think the way the numerics (ph) of the race are, they'll settle down for him.

GUILFOYLE: Do you think it's better than the margin of error?

BECKEL: Yes, I do, even though they tied in some of these places, I just think -- I get a sense that they're beginning to fall back.

But he still needs to win -- without Ohio -- he still needs to win at least three states that Obama won -- Iowa, Wisconsin, Colorado and --

BOLLING: That's it.

PERINO: Some of these places, you don't have papers anymore. Like in Colorado, The Rocky Mountain News has shuttered. And that used to be a paper that typically would endorse a Republican.

BECKEL: New Hampshire is the other one.

(CROSSTALK)

PERINO: -- the liberal.

So, in some places I don't know if papers matter much but Des Moines was big. I was shocked, and I admit it, I was wrong. I thought that the Register telegraphs that they were going to endorse Obama regardless.

GUILFOYLE: October surprise.

PERINO: Yes. But I was wrong.

BECKEL: Remember they got mad when they were told what to do, on what was off the record and what was on the record in the editorial.

GUILFOYLE: They're frustrated?

BECKEL: Yes, I think they were frustrated. But I also think, look, I mean, they're pretty straight -- they had strong arguments in the editorial board. A lot of people want to go for Obama but the majority went for --

GUILFOYLE: The significance he is making inroads in blue states with endorsements. I think that --

BECKEL: Romney can spend an awful lot of times in states he doesn't necessarily need to be. Minnesota is one of those places where he goes in and campaigns and for a media market to bleed in Ohio. But I can't believe they're going to campaign in a place like that.

Wisconsin, Eric is right. This is a tough state. Very tough state.

BOLLING: I think he's going to win Ohio.

BECKEL: If he wins Ohio, it's pretty much over. I think that's the key. It's been that way. We've been talking about this for six months.

GUTFELD: All right.

PERINO: Also, how is it news that New York Times endorsed Obama? I get it, I read it every Saturday and Sunday. I get at home and then I have to take a shower afterwards. They enthusiastically endorse him every day on every page.

GUILFOYLE: I give it to my dog Bella.

BOLLING: She endorses it?

GUTFELD: She leaves a lot on the paper.

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