The New York Times endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton and John McCain for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations on Thursday.

The endorsements came in two separate editorials that were posted on the paper's Web site Thursday night. The endorsements will appear in Friday's edition of the paper.

The paper praised both Barack Obama and Clinton, but it said Clinton has the experience to hit the ground running if she were elected president.

"Hearing her talk about the presidency, her policies and answers for America's big problems, we are hugely impressed by the depth of her knowledge, by the force of her intellect and by the breadth of, yes, her experience," the editorial said.

The editorial said both the idea of the first woman president and the idea of the first black president hold appeal, but that "'firstness' is not a reason to choose."

In regard to the other remaining Democratic candidate, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, the paper said he "has enlivened the race with his own brand of raw populism." However, the editorial also went on to say Edwards has "repudiated so many of his earlier positions, so many of his Senate votes, that we’re not sure where he stands."

Despite supporting Clinton, the editorial urged her to take the lead in changing the tone of the Democratic presidential campaign. The paper specifically noted comments made by her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

"It is not good for the country, the Democratic Party or for Mrs. Clinton, who is often tagged as divisive, in part because of bitter feeling about her husband’s administration and the so-called permanent campaign," the editorial said. "Indeed, Bill Clinton's overheated comments are feeding those resentments, and could do long-term damage to her candidacy if he continues this way."

McCain 'Easy Choice'

In endorsing McCain, the paper said it has strong disagreements with all of the Republicans running for president, including on Iraq, economic theories and what makes a good Supreme Court justice.

However, the editorial singled out McCain as an "easy choice."

"Senator John McCain of Arizona is the only Republican who promises to end the George Bush style of governing from and on behalf of a small, angry fringe," the editorial said. "With a record of working across the aisle to develop sound bipartisan legislation, he would offer a choice to a broader range of Americans than the rest of the Republican field."

The paper said it decided not to endorse former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, citing his "arrogance and bad judgment."

The editorial also took shots at former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

It criticized Romney's shifting on issues, saying he has moved constantly to the right since he was governor of Massachusetts, and took Huckabee to task as an "anti-immigrant absolutist" whose religious attacks on Romney disqualify him for the Oval Office.

Additional Resource:

• New York Times