As the nation counted down this fall to a bitterly polarized election, the editorial board of The Los Angeles Times drew up a detailed outline for an endorsement that seemed obvious for an institution that had leaned liberal for generations: Vice President Kamala Harris should be the next president of the United States. A California native and resident of Los Angeles, Harris was not only a unifying and inspiring generational figure, in the board members’ view, but also an important bulwark between Donald Trump and democratic institutions.