In 1996, the El Paso Times made the Columbia Journalism Review when then-Editor Don Flores overruled the decision of its editorial board and had the paper endorse Silvestre Reyes over Jose Luis Sanchez.

While the incident drew attention because of the board's apparent irrelevance (the board included community members), the Times traditionally had been the more conservative paper in El Paso when the city had two dailies. And under Flores the paper's editorials have been conservative, routinely endorsing Republican candidates -- particularly in state and national elections -- in a town that is in the area of 70-80 percent Democratic. So it probably shouldn't have been a surprise this weekend that the newspaper overwhelmingly endorsed Republican candidates, including U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, who as Texas Attorney General led the shut-down of Speaking Rock, and U.S. Sen. and presidential candidate John McCain.

It probably shouldn't have been a surprise, but it led to more than the usual grumbling. A large part of the response was due to the McCain endorsement, in which the paper's unsigned editorial, meant to represent the views of the newspaper as an institution, stated that Democratic nominee and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's ideas "reek of socialism" and "He (Obama) often sounds more like Venezuelan despot Hugo Chavez than a U.S. presidential candidate. What's down the road, nationalization of oil companies, health-care providers and more?"

The reaction among El Pasoans ranged from outraged, ecstatic and bemused. For some, the editorial simply signaled the latest in a generation-long decline in the quality of writing and thinking at the paper, which is dominant in El Paso and the region.

“I have read some strange things in the pages of the El Paso Times, but the most ridiculous has to be the comparison of Barak Obama to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. I have decided that I don’t need to subscribe to a newspaper that is so absurdly out of touch – and have cancelled my subscription. An endorsement of John McCain is bad enough, given his erratic approach to the issues of this campaign, but the Obama/Chavez comparison puts the writer of the McCain endorsement close to the lunatic fringe," said Joe Old, a former city editor at the El Paso Herald-Post and an instructor of journalism and English at El Paso Community College.

"The thing that kept coming to my mind, particularly with the 'reek of socialism' comment was the good old (bad) days when people engaged in red baiting and would blast someone for being a 'pinko' or a communist. It seems to me to be the same mentality as those who would style themselves proud members of the John Birch Society, proud and loud, when they should be hanging their heads in embarrassment," he said. "Such an endorsement is an embarrassment to the people of El Paso."

Even within the Times newsroom, the editorial drew a sharp response: Online Editor Jay Koester, wrote on his blog that while he had no problem with the paper endorsing McCain, "did the rest of the editorial have to be so wing-nut insane?"

On the other hand, there were those who wrote responses to the editorial in support, and David Karlsruher, who writes columns for NPT, made a similar statement in writing of his opposition to Obama.

"Obama's plan to increase taxes on income for the rich is only made sweeter by a plan to increase taxes on capital gains and dividends as well. He's declared all-out war on making money and our economy will suffer greatly for it," he wrote. "Do you know how to get rid of class envy? You make everybody the same class. … You get the butter, I'll get the knives – we'll start practicing carving statues of Stalin right after dinner."

The Times editorial board is made up of Editorial Page Editor Charlie Edgren, editorial writer Joe Muench, Times Human Resources Director Malena Field (an earlier version of this story incorrectly gave her last name as Fields) and Times Publisher Ray Stafford. Edgren would not answer questions about who wrote the piece, and whose views it reflected, saying that any comments on the editorials, the writing and the decision-making process had to come from Stafford. Stafford did not return telephone calls seeking comment.

Flores, known as editorially conservative, left the paper in August. He was replaced by new Editor Chris Lopez, who Monday said he had no role in the endorsements but will in the future. [Editor's note: Lopez's name was incorrectly given in an earlier version of this story, which was corrected at 2:10 p.m. Nov. 4, 2008.]

"I don’t have any thoughts at this point on this round (of endorsements)," he said. "I'm sure in the future I may."

Lopez was not specific about his role in editorials, although he said he would "participate in discussions."

"I certainly plan on getting to know the community and people throughout the region," he said. And while he said he would "weigh in" on editorials, "my primary responsibilities will be the journalism of El Paso … elevating the journalism that we do."

When asked specifically his response to the editorial comparing Obama to Chavez, Lopez said "you should visit with the editorial writers on that."

Although he deferred questions about the editorial and the process, Lopez said in the future, "through the course of the next months and years, people will get to know me. And my style will be very transparent about what we do and how we do it."

Lopez said that he would answer calls and emails from readers -- "you'll even see me on the message boards commenting and talking" -- and said he already started.

"I've had a few calls from readers expressing their own points of view about our endorsement of Sen. McCain and as I always do I will take the time to listen to them," he said. "I'm someone who will definitely be engaged. … Interacting and mixing it up ... that's part of the role of editors."

That certainly was a role relished by NPT writer David Crowder, who spent 28 years with the Times that included four years as editorial page editor, the last of which was under Flores, before he returned to reporting.

He said he remembers the community’s growing dismay when the Times began to turn to the right from the more moderate views of the former editor, Tom Fenton, when Flores began toning down the editorials in general and when, after Crowder bailed out, Flores eliminated the community representatives on the editorial board altogether.

“The cry was that the Times editorials should reflect the community,” Crowder said. “I rarely agreed with Flores' views on important matters or the editorials he ordered his editors to serve up, but I never agreed with the argument that editorials should reflect the community views. The Times is a private business, not an elected body, and there is no moral obligation to go along with the predominantly Democratic community.

“Now the other opinions on the editorial pages should offer balance, if for no other reason than to attract a diversity of readers and to keep them coming back. As for what to do about the hometown paper endorsing candidates that many in the community oppose, I think people should respond in letters to the editor and raise hell. And I think the Times has an obligation to publish those letters, along with a sampling of op-ed pieces.”