Johnson publishing company endorses Obama

Jet, Nov 3, 2008

In an unprecedented move, Linda Johnson Rice, chairman and CEO of Johnson Publishing Company, has thrown the support of the historic publishing empire of JET magazine, EBONY magazine and ebonyjet.com behind Sen. Barack Obama's bid for the presidency.

"Obama's election, I believe, is crucial if we are to move this country forward and regain America's worldwide respect," said Rice in the November issue of EBONY magazine. "The moment is now."

Rice stressed the importance of supporting Obama, not just because he is Black, but also because he is the best hope for America's future. "If you are concerned about the restoration of the American Dream, you need to vote for Barack Obama," she added.

Other magazines and newspapers have recently supported Obama's candidacy, including Black Enterprise, Vibe, Rolling Stone, Esquire and more than several dozen newspapers.

The JET and EBONY endorsement is the first time the largest and oldest Black-owned publisher in the world, founded in 1942 by the late John H. Johnson, has formally supported any candidate for president.

The full text of the endorsement can also be found online at www.ebonyjet.com.