The Chicago Sun-Times editorial page is going to return to it’s liberal roots, as if it ever really left them. New editorial page editor Cheryl Reed opined in yesterday’s paper that by returning to the paper’s liberal roots it will actually be moving forward. The ironic part is that it is hard to return to something they never left. Tom Roeser offers another, similar perspective on his blog. Eloquently stated as always.

The publication has devoted nearly wall to wall coverage of Barack Obama’s campaign, assigning a full time columnist to him (see post below) while the Washington Political Editor Lynn Sweet openly fawns after him; to the extent she wrote that she wanted to follow him into the locker room after working out. They have endorsed nearly every liberal and/or Democratic candidate in the general election for years and now expect us to believe they were playing conservative by having Steve Huntley as the editorial page Editor? They have columnists such as Andrew Greeley, Ralph Martire (who has never seen a tax increase he wouldn’t advocate for), Jesse Jackson, Mary Mitchell, Neil Steinberg and others. Even the supposed political editor Carol Marin has a such a severe leftward tilt that it crosses your eyes to read her column. In balance they offer Robert Novak, a couple of times a week with Betsy Hart and the excellent Mark Steyn on Sundays. I do not complain about their politics, the editorial position of the paper is their prerogative and one I welcome so I can read both the logical positions and illogical rantings of the other side, but to characterize a further leftward tilt as a return to liberalism is somewhat of a stretch and most definitely a deception. You cannot return home when you never moved out of your room.

If you’ve been an avid reader of these pages, then you’ll know you’re reading history in the making. We are returning to our liberal, working-class roots, a position that pits us squarely opposite the Chicago Tribune — that Republican, George Bush-touting paper over on moneyed Michigan Avenue. We’re rethinking our stance on several issues, including the most pressing issue facing Americans today: Bush’s war in Iraq.

I guess that would indicate the paper is moving into the moon-battery laden editorial positions of the Daily Kos, Move-On.org and the Huffington Post. The above quote is a distinct volley in class warfare as advocated by the aforementioned blogs and organizations. The Chicago Tribune has hardly been conservative in its news content in recent years, offer Obama nearly as much coverage as the Times, often presenting liberal slanted news content. Even the editorial page, while more conservative than the Sun-Times, is hardly hard right; only appearing so when contrasted to the extreme left of the Chicago paper with the lesser circulation.

The middle class is not exactly liberal as many of the positions of the left are elitist in nature. The left lost any real connection with the middle-class , common man years ago. The middle class is hard working and in many ways socially conservative. This does not however, make them Republican by any means. They believe in fiscal restraint, personal responsibility and the rule of law. Many believe in a strong national security. Liberals blame the US for being attacked. None of these can be construed as liberal positions by any means. Mike Royko was an advocate for the middle class and socially liberal in many ways, sadly the paper can claim no such great voice any more. The new voice of the middle class is owned by John Kass over at the hated Tribune. Socially conservative with an eye for justice and a compassion for his fellow man. Like Royko he often portrays his views with a clever wit and sarcasm. Make no mistakes, he is not the new Mike Royko whom nobody can or will replace. Kass is his own voice, with different politics. He offers the same passion and advocacy for the common man, and writes it a distinct manner. He is a great writer like Royko but stands separate in style, as a city we are blessed to have had them both, may Kass continue for many years.

For The Sun-Times to return to their “middle class-roots” would be to abandon the hard left editorial positions and advocacy for victimhood, instead championing the stamina of the American working class, their perseverance against all odds and the triumph of the human spirit; all planks in the foundation that makes America great. Perhaps they could argue for less government and a move away from the nanny state that interferes with the common man, even as they are taxed to fund its continuance. Instead we can expect even more over-the-top elitism and a blind eye towards the common man they claim to champion. A sad state of affairs for a once great paper.