CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - The newspaper in President Bush (news - web sites)'s adopted hometown of Crawford threw its support on Tuesday behind Bush's Democratic rival, Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites).
The weekly Lone Star Iconoclast criticized Bush's handling of the war in Iraq (news - web sites) and for turning budget surpluses into record deficits. The editorial also criticized Bush's proposals on Social Security (news - web sites) and Medicare.
"The publishers of The Iconoclast endorsed Bush four years ago, based on the things he promised, not on this smoke-screened agenda," the newspaper said in its editorial. "Today, we are endorsing his opponent, John Kerry."
It urged "Texans not to rate the candidate by his hometown or even his political party, but instead by where he intends to take the country."
Bush spends many of his weekends and holidays at his Crawford, Texas, ranch.
The Iconoclast's publisher and editor-in-chief, W. Leon Smith, said the newspaper is sent to Bush's ranch each week. "But I don't know if he reads it," Smith said.
The Kerry campaign welcomed the endorsement in an email to reporters.
