Near the end of the show he made an unexpected presidential endorsement.

He feels the presidential endorsement "is a litmus test of all the other positions we take.

Though it has made no presidential endorsement, its support for Mr. Bush is considered a given.

Nine days before Election Day, a number of newspapers announced presidential endorsements today on their editorial pages.

And in the months after the plebiscite, he gathered the pieces of the disparate coalition into his hands and won its presidential endorsement.

In those days under Clayton Horn, there was no editorial board meeting to decide a Presidential endorsement.

"I don't think that in modern times Presidential endorsements have made a lot of difference," Mr. Barber said.

After Ron Paul withdrew from the Republican campaign in June, he remained neutral about making a presidential endorsement.

Governor Rowland's Democratic predecessors have had spotty records with their Presidential endorsements.

As the Republican Mayor of a heavily Democratic city, he is likely to feel similar pressures in making a Presidential endorsement, political strategists said today.