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Endorsed by the New York Times in bid to oust Rep. Charlie Rangel. (Johnson's FaceBook page)

One more note about the New York Times endorsements made today.

Their endorsementof Joyce Johnson in the race to oust Rep. Charlie Rangel was, to me, a bit surprising, considering her penchant for avoiding pesky things like policy details. She told me in an interview she didn't want to have "an intellectual debate on anything," and in a recent debate refrained from taking a position on the latest maneuvers in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, saying she'll wait until she hears from military officials once in office.

The Times disqualifies Adam Clayton Powell IV based on his legislative record in Albany, which they say lacks anything mentionable.

Labor activist Jonathan Tasini, is dismissed as "a perennial liberal candidate," speaking a good deal more to his electability than his policy positions. Former congressional aide-turned community banker Vince Morgan is acknowledged as a candidate by the paper, but is left alone at that. He has had decent fund-raising and a respectably-run campaign so far. He's also positioning himself as something of an extension of Rangel's tenure, rather than a departure from it.

So, it's hard to imagine the paper putting their support behind someone who is, even tangentially, related to the incumbent whose ousting they've helped make possible.

Hence, Johnson.