The recession sees the major dailies’ editorialists cutting back on costly opinions — by either picking favorites without naming the issues they like them for, as both the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Star Tribune did in the U.S. Senate race, or beating a wholesale retreat from making a pick at all, as the St. Paul Pioneer Press did in the presidential contest.

The right-wing slide of the dailies’ editorial pages drew wide notice — and the Strib’s pick of Republican Sen. Norm Coleman is a milestone in that descent — but the two Twin Cities rags’ simultaneous tilt away from judging candidates on issues is just as remarkable.

In its 2002 endorsement of Sen. Paul Wellstone’s stand-in, former Vice President Walter Mondale, over Coleman and Dean Barkley, the Strib editorial board wrote:

The agenda promoted by President Bush and largely embraced by candidate Coleman looks like this: shortchanging children and skimping on the elderly; committing the nation to endless consumption of fossil fuels; favoring corporate America over working America; bullying U.S. allies and neglecting U.S. neighbors; and mortgaging the federal budget so that Congress can keep a tax cut tilted heavily toward the rich. That’s not much of a future — yet it could become reality if just one Senate seat shifts from Democratic to Republican hands.

This year, the Strib editorial board wants to see Coleman stay in the Senate, but it’s silent on the particulars of what he ought to do there.

The leadership qualities that he has developed ought to matter more in this year’s election than at other times, when issues might count for more. The world is changing rapidly. Today’s issues may not be tomorrow’s.

The Pioneer Press wouldn’t go there, either, in its endorsement of Coleman over the weekend. Issues, smissues:

We do not agree with either party’s approach to every issue. We know there are those who will vote based purely on those issues or on party allegiance. You don’t need our help to do that. We try to get away from the scorecard and look at the candidates in full. On that basis, we see Coleman as a gifted politician who could help forge a new national consensus without abandoning his conservative principles.

But in its 2002 endorsement of Coleman, the PiPress didn’t have a problem naming issues:

We also have reservations about Mondale’s abiding faith in big government … an enthusiasm for high taxes and command-and-control economic policies that we cannot fully share. A particular worry grows from the need for Washington to find the political courage to modernize America’s great entitlement programs for the elderly — Social Security and Medicare. … In summary, we believe Coleman’s basic priorities are sound — containing federal spending and taxes, strengthening defense, and facing the challenge of restructuring entititlement programs while adding prudent, affordable prescription drug coverage within Medicare.

The PiPress that year mustered the guts to opine in the midst of the pre-election tumult following Sen. Paul Wellstone’s death; but this time around, taking a side in a presidential contest two years in the making proved too much. So the Strib’s Obama-Coleman picks on Sunday stand out not only for their ticket-splitting but for finding their way to print at all.

Here are some other Minnesota newspapers’ endorsements in federal races, with excerpts to show that most managed to cite issues to back up their picks:

Minnesota Daily for Dean Barkley, Independence Party U.S. Senate candidate:

The Barkley campaign strives to be “issues-based” and runs only positive ads. Among other principled ascetics vowed by Barkley is a refusal to pander. He countered Franken’s $5,000 college student tax credit proposal with discipline: “I’m not going to … promise tax credits and new programs because we’re basically $11 trillion in debt.”

St. Cloud Times for Barkley:

… [H]is stands on many issues, while far from shocking, invoke a sense of realism and moderation missing from the Coleman and Franken campaigns. For example, he supports capping federal spending the next four years to put America on track toward reducing the federal debt.

Marshall Independent for Coleman:

Coleman knows this region of the state, and he’s well-schooled and accessible on issues particular to our area such as the Minnesota Highway 23 corridor. We haven’t always agreed with Coleman’s stances or his votes in the past and it’s likely we won’t in the future, but he’s shown himself to be knowledgeable on energy, transportation and other important rural issues.

Rochester Post-Bulletin for Coleman:

We applaud his opposition to drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, and we admire the fact that he’s played a key role in creating a new national energy policy.

Mesabi Daily News for Coleman:

Coleman has been a champion of mining initiatives, including his wholehearted support of non-ferrous ventures of PolyMet near Hoyt Lakes and Franconia Minerals on Birch Lake near Babbitt.

The American Jewish World (newspaper of the state’s Jewish community) for Franken:

Franken has proposed a number of initiatives to aid our rural economy, expand educational opportunities and access to health care, and develop sustainable alternative energy options to grow jobs and redress the outflow of dollars to foreign oil producers. If the federal government can come up with $700 billion for Wall Street bankers (the New York Times reported the cost of the bailout at $2.25 trillion), surely we can prioritize money for a bailout of our cities and crumbling infrastructure.

St. Cloud Times for Elwyn Tinklenberg, DFL candidate for U.S. House:

He is an ardent supporter of improving transportation options, … backs reforming No Child Left Behind and … advocates for a responsible withdrawal of U.S forces from Iraq and an increased U.S. presence in Afghanistan. … Incumbent Rep. Michele Bachmann has simply made too many serious errors in judgment to deserve a second term.

Rochester Post-Bulletin for Tim Walz, DFL -1st District:

The Post-Bulletin endorses Tim Walz for a second term in the First District, because after less than 22 months in office, we’re impressed by his level of involvement in significant, meaningful legislation. His fingerprints are all over the new Farm Bill, and he was the driving force behind an increase in the mileage reimbursement rate for veterans who must travel to receive medical care. He’s also been a staunch advocate for wind energy and other renewable fuels that already are bringing jobs to the First District.

Star Tribune for Walz and U.S. Rep. John Kline, R – 2nd District:

Democratic incumbent Tim Walz has earned a return trip to the U.S. House after an energetic first term focused on high-profile issues in his southern Minnesota district — agriculture, veterans’ affairs and renewable energy. … Kline has stressed the role of diplomacy and the power of economic sanctions.

And as posted here last week, the Eden Prairie News and Coon Rapids Herald for Erik Paulsen (R) and Ashwin Madia (DFL) in the U.S. House, respectively.