With an edited front-page AP report and an enthusiastic editorial, the Wheeling Intelligencer made it clear that Ohio Govenor John Kasich is their current favorite in the 2016 presidential election. Kasich officially announced for the presidency yesterday and today the Intellgencer began its campaign to get him elected.

If you read the Intelligencer version of the AP report of his announcement you missed half of the original article, however. The missing material includes the last one-fourth of the original which mentions the current Republican field and Kasich's immediate plans. Okay, the article follows journalism's inverted pyramid which means that the important points come first and less important details come last which makes it easy to cut if space constraints are an issue (which may be the case here). However, the Intelligencer also edits out material critical of Kasich before that point. (The bold print is what was edited out of the original.)

Kasich worked toward his goals with budget cutting, privatization of parts of Ohio's government and other, often business-style innovations. "We didn't really have to slash things," Kasich said of the budget squeeze. "We just had to use a 21st century formula."

Unions, which turned back an effort by Kasich and fellow Republicans to limit public workers' collective bargaining rights, say Kasich's successes have come at a cost to local governments and schools, and say new Ohio jobs lack the pay and benefits of the ones they replaced.

As a marching band kept up a spritely cadence before Kasich spoke, scores of demonstrators gathered across the street to protest his cuts to the budget and to school districts specifically, as well as his closing of centers for people with development disabilities.

"Unless you are part of the 1 percent, Kasich is not your friend," said Melissa Svigelj, 42, an educator from suburban Cleveland. "

Among his supporters, Margo Bishop, 77, of Gahanna, Ohio, said she values his candor: "I think he's speaking out, and even if I don't agree all the time, ... at least he's saying something."

Kasich embraces conservative ideals but bucks his party on occasion and disdains the Republican sport of bashing Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton. . .

And if there was any doubt of where the "newspaper" stands on Kasich, the lead editorial should settle it. I doubt that it will happen but if Kasich does become a serious candidate I think we can look forward to more Intelligencer editing along with similar editorials.