In its founding statement, The Atlantic stated that it would be “the organ of no party or clique,” and it has primarily stuck to its word. Since its founding, The Atlantic has only endorsed three Presidential candidates: Abraham Lincoln, Lyndon B. Johnson and now Hillary Clinton. When you consider that slavery ended under Lincoln’s presidency, and that Johnson ran in the midst of the Civil Rights movement, this endorsement seems to feel like a pretty big deal.
The Atlantic‘s editorial board stated that while Hillary Clinton’s qualifications are impressive, they’re mainly concerned about Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump. According to The Atlantic, Trump is the “most ostentatiously unqualified major-party candidate in the 227-year history of the American presidency.”
The Atlantic makes our third presidential endorsement. Read it here: https://t.co/9ZcbSAmD0j pic.twitter.com/lcG6u02Kgv
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) October 5, 2016
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“Clinton has more than earned, through her service to the country as first lady, as a senator from New York, and as secretary of state, the right to be taken seriously as a White House contender. She has flaws—some legitimately troubling, some exaggerated by her opponents—but she is among the most prepared candidates ever to seek the presidency. We are confident that she understands the role of the United States in the world; we have no doubt that she will apply herself assiduously to the problems confronting this country; and she has demonstrated an aptitude for analysis and hard work,” The Atlantic wrote.
The Atlantic stated that Trump has no record of public service and is not qualified to be President. In addition, it claimed that Trump is “appallingly sexist,” erratic and xenophobic.
“Our endorsement of Clinton, and rejection of Trump, is not a blanket dismissal of the many Trump supporters who are motivated by legitimate anxieties about their future and their place in the American economy. But Trump has seized on these anxieties and inflamed and racialized them, without proposing realistic policies to address them,” The Atlantic wrote.
The editorial board ended their endorsement with a bang, saying that Trump is unfit for office and that the American people should “act in defense of American democracy and elect his opponent.”