New York Times endorses Clinton and Kasich

The New York Times has endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican John Kasich in their bids to become their respective parties' presidential candidates.

In an editorial, the newspaper described Clinton as “one of the most broadly and deeply qualified candidates in modern history” and said that Kasich – an outsider in the Republican race – is the GOP’s “only plausible choice”.

The paper’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton from comes as no surprise, given that the NYT had backed the former secretary of state in her failed bid for the presidency against Barack Obama in 2008.

The Times cited Clinton’s positions on firearms, economics, gender equality and foreign policy as presenting “a vision of America that is radically different from the one that leading Republican candidates offer”.

It adds that her “lifelong” fight for women’s rights boosts her credibility in pledging to support the working class.

While the NYT had praise for Clinton's main rival, Bernie Sanders, it warned that Vermont’s junior senator "does not have the breadth of experience or policy ideas that Mrs Clinton offers".

“His boldest proposals — to break up the banks and to start all over on health care reform with a Medicare-for-all system — have earned him support among alienated middle-class voters and young people,” the paper wrote. “But his plans for achieving them aren’t realistic, while Mrs. Clinton has very good, and achievable, proposals in both areas.”

The New York Times gave a damning verdict on the two Republican frontrunners – Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.

It said that Trump “has neither experience in nor interest in learning about national security, defence or global trade” and that he “invents his positions as he goes alone”.

As for Cruz, it warned that the junior senator from Texas “will say anything to win, and that the greater worry is that he’d follow words with action”.

Instead, the NYT backed Ohio Governor John Kasich as "the only plausible choice for Republicans tired of the extremism and inexperience on display in this race".

Kasich –an outsider in the race- tweeted that he was “proud” to have gained the NYT’s support.