Why is Rolling Stone going against its self-instilled grain by endorsing a candidate before the primaries have completely wrapped up? Well if you read the editorial, you would've already understood: "Undoing the damage of the disastrous Bush years will take a leader who can unite a deeply divided nation, and politicians with gifts like Obama’s are so rare that it’s imperative for each of us to do our part."

But anyhow, here's Rolling Stone executive editor Eric Bates explaining the decision on MSNBC today, where anchor Alex Witt will not let him forget that ROLLING STONE RUNS THE YOUTH VOTE OMG SRSLY$@#!

STONES, ROLLING After losing Rolling Stone executive editor Joe Levy to old foe Kent Brownridge and Alpha Media, Jann Wenner ups Eric Bates and Jason Fine to executive editor slots. [WWD]