Welp, the San Francisco Chronicle's Editorial Board has issued its endorsement in the Democratic primary, and its choice is a devout centrist from Minnesota.

Unlike the New York Times last month, which decided to do a dual endorsement of Senators Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, the Chronicle has simply decided to go with the less liberal of the two remaining female candidates, who had a surprisingly decent showing in New Hampshire.

"This nation desperately needs a change in course," the endorsement begins, making one think the paper might be leaning toward a more progressive candidate. But no. "The choice comes down to which candidate has the experience, the toughness, the sensibility to maintain the party’s base and appeal to independents and disenchanted-with-Trump Republicans in November," the Editorial Board writes. "[And] Amy Klobuchar is the one Democrat who checks all the essential boxes."

The board further explains that while Sanders may have a passionate following behind him on the left, "his unbending democratic-socialist agenda and strident tone is likely to all but lock in a polarized nation, leaving the November race a toss-up." And as for Warren, she "shows more potential than Sanders to pivot toward the center in a general election," the board says, "but the price tag of her ambitions (including Medicare for All and free college and forgiving of student debt) may be too much for voters too swallow."

So it's Klobuchar, huh. I guess that's a little better than Mayor London Breed's odd early endorsement of Michael Bloomberg — the NYT's podcast The Daily just explained that that was likely a political calculation on her part because of the money Bloomberg has given to various political candidates and ballot measures here over the past few years.

The Chronicle adds that Klobuchar "repeatedly has shown under fire in the debates and town halls that she is a listener with a wickedly quick sense of humor that can make her point effectively and with civility." And they believe that she "has the skills to unite the Democratic Party after this nomination fight."

In related news, the New York Times reports that the Russians are presently trying to help Bernie Sanders win primaries — this via a new intelligence report that was shown to his campaign. In a statement Friday, Sanders said, "Let’s be clear, the Russians want to undermine American democracy by dividing us up and, unlike the current president, I stand firmly against their efforts and any other foreign power that wants to interfere in our election."

Photo: Gage Skidmore