Newspapers should not tell how their readers should vote. That’s their personal decision. So how come nearly half of U.S. newspapers endorse candidates for president in the November general election?

The role of journalists, Time magazine last week succinctly summed it up, is to inform readers “about the issues, not sway their votes.” Besides, nobody takes the endorsements seriously. The influential New York Times, for instance, endorsed Democratic candidate Al Gore for president in 2000, who lost to Gov. George W. Bush, in a close race decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. In the 2004 elections, The Times again endorsed Sen. John Kerry, who also lost to Bush.

The Times saved some face when its choice, Sen. Hillary Clinton, won in the Super Tuesday primary in New York. Clinton now trails Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination. If Obama becomes the official nominee, count on The Times to endorse him for president. Based on the batting average of The Times, will its endorsement of Obama be a kiss of death? Its endorsement, or lack of it, will not decide the outcome. The voters will prevail.

In the early days, during the 18th century and through the next one, newspapers customarily endorsed candidates because their owners belonged to political parties. Like today, some owners have businesses other than newspapers. In those days, there was hardly any distinction between news in the front pages and opinions in the editorial pages. They often mixed, depending on the wishes of the owners. Thanks to the Founding Fathers, they enshrined press freedom in the Constitution, putting it beyond the reach of capricious governments, and clothing it with the power to check the excesses of elected officials.

But for the press to be credible, it must be at all times impartial and, like Caesar’s wife, above reproach. This is not always possible. The press or media in general has not been without blemish as guardians of truth and rectitude. Newspapers, or their owners, have biases, which they articulate in editorial viewpoints and should be so clearly indicated. But to tailor the news to their personal opinions certainly denigrates the industry. For this reason, we had never endorsed any candidate in the past. We respect and expect our readers to make their own decisions after a thorough vetting of the candidates’ platforms.