I’m curious about something. Does it really matter these days what a newspaper editorial page says about a political contest?

Endorsements for president are coming out now. One of them has surprised me. It comes from the Salt Lake Tribune, in the heart of Mormonland, aka Utah. The Tribune endorsed President Obama over Mitt Romney, the man who saved the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and a lifelong member of the Mormon Church. The Tribune’s reason? There have been too many Romneys, owing to the remarkable change of heart he’s had on some key issues. My bet is that the Deseret News, Salt Lake’s other paper – the one owned by the church – will back Romney.

Take a look at the Tribune’s editorial here. Be advised: It’s a long one.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion/55019844-82/endorsement-romney-obama-president.html.csp

The Dallas Morning News the other day endorsed Romney for president. The News’ rationale is simple: Obama’s had his chance and he hasn’t done the job of turning the economy around.

I toiled on editorial pages exclusively for nearly three decades. I long ago lost count of the number of editorial endorsements I’ve written. But of late I’ve wondered about whether they matter.

Newspaper editors say they don’t intend to get people to vote the way they recommend. I’ve said it, too. But I’ve been thinking about that. If so, then why even bother? If it doesn’t matter what newspaper editorial boards say about political races, then why waste the space and expend the effort it takes to tell people what you think?

In this age of instant info and opinion – and age of cable news channels’ mixing of news and opinion and, indeed, presenting opinion as news while hoping no one can tell the difference – newspaper endorsements have become something of a relic.

I’m going to ask for some feedback on that one. I’d be quite interested in learning what others think of endorsements and whether anyone’s opinion on a political race ever has been swayed by what they’ve read on a newspaper editorial page.

An answer to that final question – about being swayed – will require a huge dose of honesty. Any takers?