'USA Today's' first endorsement in history is for anyone but Donald Trump

UPDATE Oct. 5 1:35 PM PT: - The Atlantic has backed Hillary Clinton against Trump. It's just the third time in the magazine's history. The copy below reflects this development.

Believe it or not, there are now just 40 days until the election, and with time pressing on newspapers have begun nailing their colors to the mast. And most of those masts seem to be on Hillary's boat, even if it means breaking from a long tradition.

The Cincinnati Enquirer made its first Democratic endorsement in 100 years for Clinton Friday. The Arizona Republic, which has never gone for a Democrat since it began in 1890, voiced its support for Clinton on Tuesday.

The Dallas Morning News also recommended Clinton -- its first Democrat in 20 elections --earlier this month, and The Houston Chronicle, which often favors Republicans, put its weight behind her in July.

Now USA Today's editorial board has decided to take sides in the presidential race for the first time ever. It's candidate of choice: not Trump.

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The board usually expresses opinions about issues and lets readers decide which choice is best for them, the editorial published Thursday says.

However: "This year, the choice isn’t between two capable major party nominees who happen to have significant ideological differences. This year, one of the candidates — Republican nominee Donald Trump — is, by unanimous consensus of the Editorial Board, unfit for the presidency."

"From the day he declared his candidacy 15 months ago through this week’s first presidential debate, Trump has demonstrated repeatedly that he lacks the temperament, knowledge, steadiness and honesty that America needs from its presidents."

Shortly after making the announcement, USA Today tweeted an opinion piece from Trump's running mate Mike Pence that insists Trump is "ready to lead."

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USA Today's move makes over 80 papers for Clinton, compared to a handful for Trump, according to one journalist.

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In October, The Atlantic also threw its weight behind Clinton. It was only the third time it endorsed a candidate in 159 years. Lincoln and Lyndon B. Johnson were their favored candidate, in 1860 and 1964 respectively.

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"Trump is not a man of ideas. He is a demagogue, a xenophobe, a sexist, a know-nothing, and a liar. He is spectacularly unfit for office, and voters—the statesmen and thinkers of the ballot box—should act in defense of American democracy and elect his opponent," the magazine says.

However, the efficacy of an editorial endorsement is hard to quantify. As NPR points out, recent studies suggest that almost 70 percent of voters don't think a newspaper's view impacts their choice. When they break from tradition, however, they can have more of an impact.

In other news, this is how The New Yorker will look next week.

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Seems like Trump's relationship with the media isn't getting any rosier.