SLTrib shanks Mitt Romney

Now there’s a fine howdy-do. The most powerful* paper in Utah gives our hometown hero Mitt Romney a bitch slap across the ol’ kisser.

Even though The Salt Lake Tribune endorsed Obama four years ago, it still surprised a lot of people—even inside the Democratic citadel of Salt Lake, that Utah’s Blue-Haired Lady passed over hometown hero Mitt Romney.

Especially when you consider Mitt saved the most glorious Olympics that The Trib shamelessly carried water for the decade leading up to 2002. (BTW, am I the only person sick to death of seeing those shabby, faded memorials to past Olympic glory all over town?)

But before anyone confuses The Trib  with Workers World, consider its other endorsements—including Tea Party suck up Jason Chaffetz and blowin’-in-the-far-right-wind Gary Herbert.

The Trib endorsement is simple when you think about it. Foundering newspapers are desperately cutting costs and staff. Contributing to employee healthcare, even The Trib‘s stripped-to-the-cartilage program, is a significant expense.

Despite Romney’s blather about Obama’s policies hurting small businesses, owners of businesses of all sizes realize that Obamacare can make the difference between their existence five years from now.

As well written as the endorsement was—The Trib has an excellent squad of editorial scribes—it, of course, means practically nothing. Trib political reporter Robert Gehrke beat me to it on Twitter:  @RobertGehrke: I think the @SLTrib endorsement is just what Barack Obama needs to push him over 27 percent in Utah.

*I can see an undecided Buckeye saying: “Martha! Did you see The Salt Lake Tribune, Siren of the Intermountain West, endorsed Obama? This is a game changer!“