Romney now has editorial opinion (from the Boston Globe and Herald to the Union Leader) clearly arrayed against him and is fighting back, contending the Concord Monitor is just a liberal rag out to get him. McCain folks are happy to point out that Romney did seek their endorsement and more conservative papers have also come out in favor of their man McCain but the “anybody but” editorial stung hard.

While I’m sure every candidate would like to be endorsed by everyone, everywhere, Romney doesn’t have to “contend” the Concord Monitor is a “liberal rag.” Well, actually, it’s not a rag. It’s one of the best papers in the state for local features and they were kind enough to print many pieces I wrote while at the Associated Press that I didn’t believe would get picked up anywhere. Many great and kind reporters work there. Still, the editorial page is frequently so over the top you’d think it was a parody of Daily Kos postings. No Republican partisan or true blue Granite State conservative would ever go to the Monitor for voting advice, never mind take the paper’s word over David Keane’s or National Review‘s or all the many other endorsements he’s racked up from, you know, people and publications who actually share their general philosophy.

Indeed, I doubt very seriously that if you read a week’s worth of Concord Monitors you would still be of the opinion that this editorial “stung hard.” If anything, I would presume it made a few New Hampshire Republicans supporting other candidates wonder what it is about Romney that the state’s liberal stalwarts are so afraid of. Union Leader for McCain hurt Romney. The Concord Monitor only helped, would be my guess.