That certainly was true in Iowa. The state's largest newspaper, The Des Moines Register, endorsed Clinton and Republican John McCain in advance of the Iowa caucuses. Neither won.

McCain and Clinton also have been endorsed by The Concord (N.H.) Monitor in advance of the New Hampshire primary. We'll know tonight how that pans out.

Endorsements aren't crystal ball predictions, mind you. They're thoughtful evaluations of candidates and issues, then taking an educated stand on an editorial board's preferences. Seemingly, endorsements are more effective in local races. When I lived in Colorado, the newspaper I wrote for produced a check list of its endorsements the Sunday before elections. I actually saw some voters carry it into voting booths with them.

Voters have the ultimate say so, though. They have to decide for themselves who would make the best president, legislator or school board member.

How do they decide when there are so many competing voices? I think it's a matter of relative merit. Chances are Toby Keith isn't a devoted student of politics. Ditto for Kanye West. (I pick on them because they're named in the Pew poll.)

But if a respected, longtime political columnist such as the Washington Post's David Broder makes an observation about the politics of the day, I'm more likely to pay attention to what he has to say because he knows this stuff inside and out. It's rich food for thought, which I'll mull in context with all those other voices when I go to cast my ballot.

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Marjorie Cortez, who is grateful our nation tolerates a multitude of voices, is a Deseret Morning News editorial writer. E-mail her at marjorie@desnews.com.