‘Don't vote for Trump,' says USA Today in first presidential endorsement in its history

USA Today broke its 34-year tradition of not endorsing in a presidential race, publishing a scathing argument against voting for Donald Trump.

The editorial board unanimously found Trump “unfit for the presidency” and the editorial, published Thursday, goes on to list the reasons why, among them: his “erratic” behavior and his “checkered” business past.

The anti-Trump sentiment does not translate into an enthusiastic Hillary Clinton endorsement. The piece notes that although some editorial board members admire her record, others have “serious reservations about Clinton's sense of entitlement, her lack of candor and her extreme carelessness in handling classified information.”

The editorial urges readers to follow their convictions, whether that means voting for Clinton, a third-party candidate, a write-in or by focusing on down-ticket races.

The piece ends on an unequivocal note.

“Whatever you do, however, resist the siren song of a dangerous demagogue. By all means vote, just not for Donald Trump.”

Also on Thursday night, USA Today published an op-ed by Trump's vice presidential pick, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who praises his running mate as leading a movement similar to the one catalyzed by Ronald Reagan.

The newspaper also published a companion piece to its editorial, explaining its reason for breaking precedent and weighing in on the presidential race this year.