The Des Moines Register - Editorial Philosophy

Editorial Philosophy

In the three decades before the Cowles family acquired the Register in 1903, the Register was a "voice of pragmatic conservatism." However, Garner Cowles Sr., who served as a Republican in the Iowa General Assembly and was a delegate to the 1916 Republican National Convention, was an advocate of progressive Republicanism. The new owners presented a variety of viewpoints, including Darling cartoons that frequently made fun of progressive politicians.

During the Cowles' family's ownership, the Register's editorial page philosophy was generally more liberal in its outlook than editorial pages of other Iowa newspapers, but there were notable exceptions. Garner Cowles Sr. served in the administration of President Herbert Hoover. The publishers strongly supported Republican Wendell Willkie's 1940 presidential campaign against Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt. The newspaper also supported Republican Dwight Eisenhower's campaigns for the Republican nomination and general election in 1952, and again in 1956. Although the Register endorsed presidential candidates Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, Hubert Humphrey in 1968, and Jimmy Carter in 1976, it endorsed Richard Nixon in 1960 and 1972.

The paper was a severe critic of George W. Bush's warrantless wiretapping strategy, claiming that in doing so, "President Bush has declared war on the American people."

In December 2007, two weeks before the 2008 Iowa caucuses, the Register endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton (in the Democratic caucuses) and John McCain (in the Republican caucuses). In October 2008, the Register endorsed Barack Obama for president in the general election.

In 2011, 24 days before the 2012 Iowa caucuses, the newspaper endorsed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the 2012 Republican Iowa Caucuses. The Register endorsed Mitt Romney over Barack Obama 10 days before the general election on October 27, 2012. The Register favored a Republican for the first time since Richard Nixon in 1972.