Baghdad, Ohio (11/2/04 minus 5)

If bad news in Iraq spells bad news for Bush, then Wednesday wasn’t a very good day. Looking at the crucial battleground of Ohio, here is a sample of the state’s larger newspapers, along with the type and number of war-related articles on the front page.

As a footnote, the Washington Post reports Kerry leading in newspaper endorsements, 142 to 123 (with 36 papers bailing on Bush after having supported him over Gore).

Interestingly, the article mentions three of the papers above. One, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, decided not to make an endorsement after having backed Bush in 2000. Two others, the Cincinnati and Columbus papers, give Bush the nod.

But my question is, what does it say about your chances when the two largest Ohio papers that endorsed you show up with three negative Iraq stories each on the front page just five days before the election?

(images:newseum.org)