The Washington Post has announced a major shift, stating it won’t back a presidential candidate in the upcoming election—something it hasn’t refrained from doing since 1988.
“The Washington Post will not be making any endorsement of a presidential candidate in this election. Nor in any future presidential election,” wrote publisher William Lewis in a Friday opinion piece. “We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates.
“We recognize that this will be read in a range of ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate, or as a condemnation of another, or as an abdication of responsibility,” he continued.
“That is inevitable. We don’t see it that way,” Lewis noted. “Our job at The Washington Post is to provide through the newsroom nonpartisan news for all Americans, and thought-provoking, reported views from our opinion team to help our readers make up their own minds.”
In contrast to the publisher’s Op-Ed, an article by two of the paper’s reporters shared that editorial staff had drafted an endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump.
“The decision not to publish was made by The Post’s owner — Amazon founder Jeff Bezos,” The Post reported, quoting insiders familiar with the decision.
This development follows closely on the heels of the Los Angeles Times’ editorial board chief resigning after the paper’s ownership halted an endorsement for Harris. Traditionally, the Times favored Democrats since 2008.
Multiple editors have exited the Times since Patrick Soon-Shiong, the billionaire in charge, put a stop to their endorsement plans.
Marty Baron, The Washington Post’s former executive editor, labeled the move as “cowardice with democracy as its casualty.”
“Disturbing spinelessness at an institution famed for courage,” Baron tweeted.
