The Post should also endorse Robin Ficker for County Executive. He has not accepted any contributions from developers and thus, unlike Leggett who has taken hundreds of thousands from developers both now and in the past, can be objective about development decisions. Also Robin has pledged to stick to the county property tax limit. A vote for Leggett is a vote to raise your own taxes. Leggett led ther fight for a 20% increase in the county income tax, called for a 50% increase in the gasoline tax, and recently sent out a county-wide mailing saying we should not adhere to the property tax limit. Robin favors extending Metro to Germantown, doubling spending on bikepaths, connecting the Silver Spring and Bethesda Metro stops within two years and building a new Potomac Bridge as well as Beltway drop-off lanes for the Forest Glen Metro. Leggett has proposed no transportation initiatives. Robin won the important decision against the office of County Attorney banning the rating of female job applicants based on looks. Leggett took over $l million of the taxpayers money to defend the sex harassment case against him at a time wshen the county was laying off all county workers for four days to save money.Leggett was also duped by Jack Abramoff to givfe Abramoff the $9 million, while Ficker is too smart to be chated by a crook. Also, Robin lives in the agricultural reserve and will protect it, while Leggett has taken $20,000 from the developers of Crown Farm who want to build mega-churches in the reserve. Finally, Robin is very energetic and in perfect health. Leggett is not.

The Post should also endorse Robin Ficker for County Executive. He has not accepted any contributions from developers and thus, unlike Leggett who has taken hundreds of thousands from developers both now and in the past, can be objective about development decisions. Also Robin has pledged to stick to the county property tax limit. A vote for Leggett is a vote to raise your own taxes. Leggett led ther fight for a 20% increase in the county income tax, called for a 50% increase in the gasoline tax, and recently sent out a county-wide mailing saying we should not adhere to the property tax limit. Robin favors extending Metro to Germantown, doubling spending on bikepaths, connecting the Silver Spring and Bethesda Metro stops within two years and building a new Potomac Bridge as well as Beltway drop-off lanes for the Forest Glen Metro. Leggett has proposed no transportation initiatives. Robin won the important decision against the office of County Attorney banning the rating of female job applicants based on looks. Leggett took over $l million of the taxpayers money to defend the sex harassment case against him at a time when the county was laying off all county workers for four days to save money.Leggett was also duped by Jack Abramoff to give Abramoff Belt Jr. High which cost taxpayers $9 million, while Ficker is too smart to be cheated by a crook. Also, Robin lives in the agricultural reserve and will protect it, while Leggett has taken $20,000 from the developers of Crown Farm who want to build mega-churches in the reserve. Finally, Robin is very energetic and in perfect health. Leggett is not.

Wow, Robin endorses himself...TWICE. But enough of that.

The Post endorsement was no surprise here. In recent year's the editorial staff has consistantly repudiated its heritage and bloviated positively about all things neo-con. They positively gushed over warrier Bush for the first three years.

Even when they criticise a GOPer, they always "balance" it with a criticism of a Dem. The years of "working the ref" have been very successful for the GOP.

Still, read the endorsement. It does a very good job of pointing out many of the things I think make Ehrlich a bad governor. His arrogance, childishness,an inability or unwillingness to actually build a consensus for anything.

The Post seems to think he'll grow into this, I don't see it. Their entire endorsement could be boiled down to ICC, flush tax, and the Post's new found fear of united government.

Luckily for all of us, the Post won't be the decider in this race.

To the Washington Post Editors--it is clear that your endorsement of Mr. Ehrlich for Maryland governor has less to do with his record, which you claim to be mediocre, than it has to do with your personal feelings against Mr. O'Malley and the City of Baltimore. The editors of the Washington Post should be ashamed. As a citizen of Maryland--and, more importantly, as a resident of Baltimore City--I can unequivocally claim that Baltimore has become a better city as a result of Mr. O'Malley's leadership. Are things perfect? No, of course not. But, I wonder whether an overwhelming majority of people--citizens of this city and even editors of prestigious newspapers--could have ever predicted the progress that the city has made in such a short time with Mr. O'Malley as mayor? I defy the editors to deny the citizens of this city and its leadership the credit we deserve. It is apparent that the editors have found a token Republican to support, and so you have cast your vote for Mr. Ehrlich, not because of his accomplishments, per se, but because of your personal attitudes and feelings against Mr. O'Malley and the citizens of Baltimore. It is with great regret, as a regular Washington Post reader, that I can no longer hold your paper, and especially your editorial staff, with such high esteem.

Wait a minute. If the Post endorses a Republican for governor in Maryland, and a Republican for Anne Arundel County executive, and a Republican for Howard County executive, and Tom Davis (R-VA), what will the right-wingers who post here have to complain about? Where's your liberal bias, Post editorial writers? Where is it? These guys are going to need something to foam at the mouth about.

Wow. I almost fell out of my chair when I heard this on the radio this morning. Yes, folks, they're talking about it on the radio too.

It's no secret that Ehrlich has done a fine job and deserves FOUR MORE YEARS.

Great job in pointing out that O'Malley has no idea of how pay for any of his proposed initiatives.

Ah, we should be surprised that the Post has become a shrill GOP outlet? I'm not in the least surprised; daily I read the smarmy insinuations and talking-point repetition from Ignatious, Broder, Kurtz and the rest of the 500 Enablers with their unapologetic back-pedalling for their Iraq cheerleading, the attempted excommunication of Froomkin for daring to do his job as a journalist, and their hollow and empty mumbling that somone, but not them, should be engaged in oversight. So why would I be surprised that the Post would endorse a Republican-the POST IS REPUBLICAN!

I trust that the person who canceled his Post subscription will now immeadiately order a new one and perhaps rethink his assertiong that the Post is an organ of the Democratic Party. That said, its endorsement is wrong headed (not for the first time--see support for invasion of Iraq). One wonders if M. Hiatt lives in MD.

I live in Balitmore. I am honestly afraid of what will happen in my state if O'Malley is elected governor. The murders are going up, and everyone there knows it. The police are cooking the books and everyone knows it. Ask anyone from Baltimore if crime is going down, they will tell you Hell No, or laugh at you. House prices went up in Baltimore, and people moved there, because crime had run the prices down so low that it was a good deal to move to Baltimore and commute to DC. It had nothing to do with O'Malley. The man can't hire a police commissioner, no wonder crime keeps going up. I hope Ehrlich is reelected and that the Dems come up with a better alternative (Ike Leggett?) in four years.

Fred Hiatt lives in Fantasyland.

Even a stopped clock is correct twice a day. This is one of those times for the Post.

You have to know Matthew Mosk is ticked off right about now.

Bobby's record is mediocre, as the editorial admits. He didn't get slots approved during his first Assembly sessions, so he pouted. His "surplus" is an accounting fiction, much of it coming from positions that are still on the books but not filled. That way, the allocations for the positions still show up in the budget, but since nobody is getting paid for filling them, it looks like a surplus.
I'm in higher education in Maryland and can attest that he hurt higher education. Tuition increases were terrible, and colleges struggled to cover shortfalls. Much needed buildings got set aside for "later."
This endorsement merely proves that the Post editorial page people, like people everywhere, make mistakes.

Holy Hannah! Is this for real? The Post endorses Ehrlich! There is a God and He is good.

The Post: wrong on Iraq, wrong on Bush, wrong on Ehrlich.

Waaaaaa...waaaaaaa....waaaaa...Bunch of crybabies....I will now have to reconsider my opinion of the venerable Post since its editorial board has made my day by endorsing the once and future Governor Ehrlich! Okay, I'm done. Still ain't subscribing to the rag.

I also work in higher education and we have continued to build and grow in the last four years. One of the most significant signs of growth has been the salaries of administrators and faculty, of which I am a recipient. We've had no cuts in services, in fact if one checks the budget it will be clear that there were funding increases for black colleges and universities and millions in toward new facilities. And, for the record, tuition rates are set by the university regents, who are unwilling to tackle the waste in the system.

As someone who went to college in Baltimore I can say for certain that things have improved under O'Malley. Ehrlich has done alot of nothing really as governor. He is hostile towards improving public transportation in Montgomery County. Education is nothing to brag about. I have several friends who teach and have trailers instead of classrooms. Personally, I find Ehrlich to be extremely off-putting. In interviews and debates where he has to defend his record he has been outright hostile. I simply don't think he deserves to be re-elected as governor of MD.

I find it ironic that the Post endorsed Ehrlich, not so much on his accomplishments and gravitas, but because he is a Republican and the 'threat' of a one-party system in Maryland if O'Malley is elected. Well, that's a great justification for an endorsement.
What the Post neglects to tell it's readers is that the Flush Tax did not go to the intended recepient, the Bay Clean up fund, but went to install more sewers, etc so developers could build more houses. And the ICC, the majority of residents in Maryland don't want the ICC as it is currently concieved. It is raiding the future of our transportation dollars and is a gift to developers. Just the other day the Post had a story about the amount of money Ehrlich has recieved from the developer of Kontera (sp?) for pushing the ICC. And schools? Erhlich has refused to fully fund Thornton, leaving schools in the lurch. The MD teacher's pensions are the lowest in the nation.
And finally, the lack of compromise and hostility towards the legislature caused grid-lock in Annapolis. Maryland cannot afford 4 more years like the last 4 years.
It is time for someone in Annapolis who can work WITH the legislature and not pummel them.
Gatsby46

Post Endorsement = Kiss of Death.

Just ask Rushern Baker.

Hey, I'm no fan of Ehrlich and I pray that everyone votes for O'Malley, but I take the Post endorsement on its face. Its just not a sensible face.

The biggest reason they gave for endorsing Ehrlich is that the place didn't fall apart under his reign and they see one-party Republican rule in Washington and how badly that has gone and so they want divided government. I mean, these are positions to take, but not very sensible ones.

They cite some imaginary O'Malley bias towards Baltimore, like he's not still Mayor of that city, and their main argument is that O'Malley supposedly hasn't paid enough lip service to the sprawl advocates, as if that's the only position on the only issue people in the Washington suburbs care about. I drive through the neighborhoods where the ICC is going to be built and I see every house with an anti-ICC sign in their yard. I live in Prince George's County and I know there are far more important issues for my Governor to take a lead on.

But this is a tepid endorsement at best, truthfully it is as complimentary of O'Malley as it is of Ehrlich. Basically giving the nod to Ehrlich to keep divided government. Whoopie! If that is the best reason they can come up to vote for Ehrlich, then that tells me change is needed. Another year can not be squandered waiting for Ehrlich to grow into the Governor we needed 4 years ago.

So Post editorial staff, enjoy your moderate bonafides at your cocktail parties and journalists' self-congratulatory honorariums now, because you can say you endorsed a Republican. Clap, Clap, Clap!

I am just flabbergasted by some of the posters here. If the Post says something nice about a Dem, they are a tool of the liberal left. If they say soemthing nice about a Republican, they are a sellout to the right. Perhaps, just perhaps, they just call them like they see them and in this case, can, as an objective, neutral observer, say that Ehrlich has done a pretty decent job and deserves reelection. I would think if the wingers on both sides are saying you're wrong, you're probably in a good middle ground.

I will refuse to vote for any Republican for national office (sorry Mr. Steele), but Ehrlich has my vote for Govenor. I have listened to the guy, seen what he's had to fight with in Annapolis, and would like to see him have another term.

The Post's endorsement of Ehrlich today was pure garbage. The editorial page staff ought to be ashamed of themselves. These endorsements truly offer almost nothing of any substance to the discussion. The lingerie adds are more informative and enlightening than the drivel that the Post puts out in it's endorsements. The fact that Gov. Ehrlich wasted two years on his slots scam, and will likely revive it if he wins barely merits a footnote in your discussion of the endorsement, as part of some "learning curve" for Ehrlich!?!?! Give me a break. Is the Post going to endorse Peter Franchot for comptroller? Ehrlich and Franchot are virtually sworn personal enemies! Is the Post just trying to generate a food fight in Annapolis so that they have something amusing to report on? Please Grow Up!

I was surprised at the Post's endorsement of Erlich, but in this political climate it is nice to be surprised sometimes. I dislike Erlich because of his arrogance and slimy ways, but I'm willing to take the Post at face value on everything else. Also, anyone right-wing radio likes I tend to not like.

Futures in the hairspray market just rose this morning.

I'll have to dust off my black tie outfit for the upcoming re-innaugural dinner.

No, seriously. You're kidding, right? Rational people who think Ehrlich makes a better governor than O'Malley? Sorry. Not believing it. This smacks more of the Post's jihad against anything that says "Baltimore" on it.

I notice that the Post endorsement didn't say anything about Bobby Haircut's systematic purge of anyone in state government not deemed sufficiently obsequious to the GOP. Ehrlich is a partisan hack, and Maryland deserves better.

To all you liberal extremists trolling this board: Ha!

I love the stolen lines from other blogs, "Working the refs" for example; hey news flash, Alterman got booted from MSNBC for a reason, he was spewing trash.

And for those with the haircut/hairspray jokes, I'm sure Fisher would be proud.

Does nobody remember what a disaster Glendenning/Townsend left the state in when Ehrlich got here? Budget was in bigtime trouble, ICC was dead....just read the endorsement, actually. Note that the desire for 2party gov was only a small piece, just the last paragraph.

And all you hyperlefties, don't start telling us the Post is right wing now. They've never endorsed Bush (or Steele for that matter, who's far less conservative). And their editorial board positions are practically drawn from the Democratic party planks - pro choice, rabid gun control (rabid meaning that they would ban all handguns, which is clearly a 2nd amendment violation), pro unions, pro trial lawyers (against tort reform), pro embryonic stem cells, more taxes and more spending, etc.... about the only conservative position they take is for school choice.

So it appears that the Post's primary concern about electing O'Malley is that . . . he's a Democrat, and the editorial board doesn't like one-party systems. Wow.

I'm no fan of O'Malley -- his continued refusal to support same-sex marriage, while pretending to support gay rights, puts him to the right of any candidate I could heartily support. But endorsing Ehrlich because the fact that O'Malley is a Democrat is "worrisome"? Sheesh.

Putting the endorsement itself aside, why's it not surprising that the righties on this blog are now so quick to defend the Post when up until this morning, each of them called it part of the liberal media?

It's also interesting to note that the spread in this race is great enough that this endorsement will be meaningless, as there's little to no chance Ehrlich can make up the difference in the next 10 days.

The Post Editorial page also actively endorsed and supported the War in Iraq. The Post has a Managing Editor in Bob Woodward who until his most recent book served as Chief Cheerleader for the Bush Administration's debacles in Iraq. The paper has been disappointing its long time readers and has not been so great since the untimely passing of Katherine Graham and her disappoininting son Don's inheritance of the paper. Reading the endorsement, it does seem they are being more spiteful of O'Malley than enamored of Ehrlich. What's the story there? Is the Post jeolous of the Baltimore Sun and its access to O'Malley? Anybody know?

Someone please post the number and email address of the Baltimore Sun's subscription department. I'm feeling the need to read a paper that more clearly represents the views and stories of the State.

Erlich will be gone. Good riddance!

My first & last post - I just read these comments and it seems like only 2 or 3 were from somoneone other than a partisan hack, probably a campaign staffer. Ehrlich has 55% approval rating in Maryland for a reason. Saying he is terrible just isn't close to true. It seems that both sides have their partisans and campaign staffers posting here, and all of you are busy reading each other's postings. This is clearly no place for someone who wants reality or substance. Last time I try to read these blog comments.

Hey Patrick.

Can you list the names of 3 people in the O'Malley administration who are Republicans? Just 3. There are 6 Democrats in Ehrlich's cabinet - the leadership of his entire Government not to mention staff and other state directors, etc....

Who is really the partisan hack here?

Wow, someone actually arguing that the Post is a Republican-slanted publication. That's a first. Hey, so was Howell 'Flood the zone' Raines at the NYT, right? And the Nation, they're a little more middle-of-the-road. And Mother Jones tilts conservative now and again...

Please, be realistic. Most big-city papers tilt liberal because good stories tend to follow a David-vs-Goliath, with the 'David' character some victimized person (maybe minority) and the Goliath some evil corporation, probably a Republican backer. It's OK, that's free speech, but please, be honest with yourself at least, and don't embarrass yourself even more than you have.

Please go back and re-read the endorsement, since many obviously skimmed through it before their coffee this morning. Yes, 1-party rule was a factor, but just one factor. Ehrlich did a lot to make Maryland a better place, and save them from the disaster of Glendenning/Townsend. And as the last anonymous poster said, at least he's tried to work with Democrats, while Busch and others seem ready to cut Bobby off at his knees.

This isn't surprising since the post has been skewing rightward for many years. From its obsequiousness towards all things bush/neocon to its fawning attitude towards any and all republicans, the post has become a wingnut's paradise. Rightwingers posting here (and in general) keep up the fiction that the post and the rest of the media have a liberal bias because that helps them to drive their toadies even further to the right. It has worked very well so far, so one understands why they continue with the pretense. But many others are not fooled, as the post's circulation figures will attest.

The post's rightward bias is why no one in my family will ever subscribe to this rag again. If Hiatt and Downie want to know why the post's subscription base continues to shrink, along with its profits, they should look no further than their editorial policies. They are driving people away steadily and the decline is only going to accelerate.

Xeno, I can only conclude that you are insane. Sure, maybe they've gone from Pravda to just middle-left, but come on, to say that they're conservative is so over the top it's scary.

BTW, they endorsed NJ's same sex marriage efforts this morning. Chalk up another conservative position, eh?

Give me a break. You whackjobs need to stick with Kos, HuffPo, and other self-deluded gangs.

Making advances environmentally? I think not! Since when is selling off thousands of acres (albeit some are wetlands)for next to nothing environmentally sound? We barely have any woods/trees left in this state. We don't need any more condos, metro trains, cars, etc. etc. creating more environmentally choking substances. Enuf!

Ehrlich is anti-environment, anti-public transit, anti-city (clearly, look at the way he talks about Baltimore) and hasn't done anything about health insurance or funding education (and has cut funding to universities). O'Malley has my vote.

I applaud the Washington Post for being able to resist the liberal propoganda its constituents continually throw at them, and choosing the right candidate in Robert Ehrlich. The post truly understands the apathy and blindness that has consumed the Democratic party of Maryland, and understands the value of two-party government.
Anybody who tries to argue against Ehrlich doing an incredible job fixing transpotation is a moron. He has made strong strides to reduce environmental pollution, cut back on his earlier tuition increases, and managed a smart and efficient budget.
Again, thank you Washington Post for transcending party lines in picking who's best for our state.

Status Quo is right for Maryland
Today, we are fortunate to have a bright governor who manages to keep Annapolis in check. In addition, we have a bright mayor who does a decent job at managing our toughest and largest city.
What would be the consequences of the Mayor becoming our Governor? (1) We would loose a talented statesman who has devoted his whole professional career to helping Maryland. (2) We would loose a bright, much needed leader and manager of Baltimore City and (3) The President of the City Council would become the Mayor. Unfortunately, this caring and hardworking President may not be the right leader and manager for Baltimore City. The city may take a turn for the worse for the next two years, and thus, bring down the current stability of our prosperous state.
Maintaining bright leadership and management for both our state and largest city is more important than political and philosophical beliefs at this time.

I don't know what part of Baltimore the above Baltimoreans live in, but in my part of the city, all of the positive developments that I see have been brought about by private individuals and businesses investing in the city. (I live in the lower end of Federal Hill.) This investment owes as much to previous mayors' programs (Schaefer, Schmoke) as it does to O'Malley, whose heavy-handed-slash-hands-off administrative techniques and dubious statistical methods are a detour from the problems of the city, not a solution for them.

I was shocked and amazed at the Post's endorsement of Ehrlich (a fine guy and a hothead, but I like that about him), and I hope people take to heart what this says about O'Malley -- don't listen to the sound bites and the rockstar persona -- go with what's working on the ground. Ehrlich has been a boon to Maryland, politically and governmentally.

If only Newsweek, rather than Time, had named O'Malley one of the best mayors in America. The Post will do anything to avoid agreeing with Time Magazine.

I called this one contrary to most. How could the Post endorse O'Malley? O'Malley is making tons of promises without any way to fund them. Ehrlich has delivered on his promises. He's won the support of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, Gazette, FOP, Chamber of Commerces, etc. Kudos to the Washington Post for going against the political tide on this one, despite often disagreeing with some reporters (im thinking MM), I actually expected this endorsement. Ehrlich has been a great steward of MD and will continue to be a great steward for the next 4 years.

In 2002 Ehrlich at this point in the race was leading KKT by 2 points. KKT got the endorsement of the Post and Sun. Guess what? She lost by four.

Fast forward, 2006 Ehrlich trails by 7.5 in most polls (realclearpolitics.com average), he gets Post endorsement. What does it translate to? Post endorsement is nice for scrapbook, but it doesn't vote in MD, doesn't put money in coffers, doesn't turn out poll workers, just ask KKT. Too little, too late, Democratic tide too strong this year, O'Malley by solid 7.

The best question is what has O'Malley done? Because, there is no answer. Baltimore is still full of problems, and the Mayor failed to deliver on his promises. Crime, schools, taxes, etc. It is all in shambles in Baltimore. While, the rest of Maryland under Ehrlich is best it has been in recent history and in fact a long time

Ehrlich tons of success
O'Malley nothing but failure
is what it comes down to

Your floating an uninformed bias. Baltimore is an urban area with systemic social problems that no Mayor can overcome completely, however the Mayor has revitalized this city.

The crime reduction is real, the only quibble is how much. This is why investment is up in the city, why the city's coffers have a surplus for 3 straight years. It has to do with confidence of investors. That helps working families bc construction jobs are created, service jobs are created, property taxes have been lowered.

As for shape of City, come see. Two blocks from innerharbor, new convention center hotel being built. 4 blocks, westside revitalization taking place, center piece the restored hippodrome. All the way out Edmonson, new market rate housing project on site of the Uplands to begin. Headed east from harbor, new homes north of little italy, condos starting at 500k, new restraunts, new shops. Heading to Fells point, crains, condos, revitalization all the way through Canton and north though Patterson park, which was cleaned and restored by Mayor. North into Druid hill park, Resovoir hill is selling homes over 200k, park has been cleaned up. Around Hopkins, Barnes and Noble, Safeway, beautiful new YMCA, shops and restraunts. Northeast Bmore, staying stable, property values jumping- restored Belvedere Market at the hub. Baltimore is in vastly improving shape, just come to the city and see the skyline, your rhetoric is ill informed, trite at best, deliberately misleading at worst. Your spewing of fear igonres the reality of an urban area making great progress, none of which the Guv claims credit or has participated in.

Infrastructure management, call 311 with a concern...it will be fixed or you will have a reference number and live person to press the issue with, can you do that at state level? No.

As for Guv, he has raised property taxes, road tax, car registration tax, flush tax, tuition increase of 40 percent and toll t
tax. 3 BILLION DOLLARS WORTH! What is worse, the Guv PROMISED not to raise taxes, lied and now has the gall to promise it again. Tax or fee=lie.

To the post editorial board:

You guys suck. I've picked out a place for you beside George W., right over in the Southeast Corner of Hell, just past the Paris Hilton Wing.

It's no wonder that O'Malley has focused on the struggling Baltimore City as opposed to the self-satisfied Washington DC suburbs. It is his job, after all. Also, At the risk of repeating others, Ehrlich's enviromental record should not be mentioned as a positive. He has accomplished nothing, and if reelected, will continue to do so.