Earlier this week, as Madeline covered, The Los Angeles Times refused to make an endorsement this year for president, dealing a serious blow to Vice President Kamala Harris, especially considering the paper is located in her home state. The Washington Post announced on Friday that the outlet will also decline to make an endorsement, for the first time in decades. The last time they didn't make such an endorsement was in 1988. In fact, they'll be sitting out from making any endorsements in presidential races going forward.
William Lewis, the publisher and CEO of the outlet, made the announcement on Friday via a note from the publisher, "On political endorsement."
"The Washington Post will not be making an endorsement of a presidential candidate in this election. Nor in any future presidential election. We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates," he wrote, also citing the editorial board's message from 1960. That message also referenced a tradition of not endorsing candidates.
As Lewis also wrote:
That was strong reasoning, but in 1976 for understandable reasons at the time, we changed this long-standing policy and endorsed Jimmy Carter as president. But we had it right before that, and this is what we are going back to.
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. That is inevitable. We don’t see it that way. We see it as consistent with the values The Post has always stood for and what we hope for in a leader: character and courage in service to the American ethic, veneration for the rule of law, and respect for human freedom in all its aspects. We also see it as a statement in support of our readers’ ability to make up their own minds on this, the most consequential of American decisions — whom to vote for as the next president.
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.
Most of all, our job as the newspaper of the capital city of the most important country in the world is to be independent.
And that is what we are and will be.
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It's especially telling that Lewis concludes in part by striving "to be independent," even stressing "[m]ost of all" that that's their job.
The outrage was vocal and swift, with NPR's David Folenflik highlighting as much with a thread over X. NPR had reported that The Washington Post would not be making an endorsement shortly before Lewis released his explanation.
This information according to a person with direct knowledge.
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) October 25, 2024
It is not clear whether Post owner Jeff Bezos or Publisher/CEO Will Lewis made the call
Shipley said the paper wanted to give readers an "independent" space in which to decide or whom to vote on their own /MORE
I'm told by person with direct knowledge that Shipley implies that Bezos ordered the decision and Lewis carried it out.
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) October 25, 2024
Lewis is to publish an explanation to readers shortly, I'm told. (So far the WaPo has not answered my requests for comment.) MORE
Former WaPost Executive Editor Marty Baron, formerly the executive editor of The Washington Post, seems to be hit the hardest. Other current staffers of the outlet are outraged as well.
Marty Baron, con't:
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) October 25, 2024
"Donald Trump will celebrate this as an invitation to further intimidate The Post’s owner, Jeff Bezos (and other media owners). History will mark a disturbing chapter of spinelessness at an institution famed for courage."
My story: https://t.co/UaaNGfrLa7
In his memoir, "Collision of Power," Marty Baron wrote that then publisher Fred Ryan did not want to make an endorsement in the 2016 Clinton v Trump race.
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) October 25, 2024
Editorial page editor Fred Hiatt considered resigning.
Bezos's reply at the time: "Why wouldn't we make an endorsement?"
This according to three people with direct knowledge of events.
— David Folkenflik (@davidfolkenflik) October 25, 2024
There's been more freakout over X as well, with many referring to the outlet's motto of "Democracy dies in darkness" and blaming owner Jeff Bezos.
I am LOVING this meltdown for them. pic.twitter.com/IzFsr0Ze2B
— Bad Hombre (@joma_gc) October 25, 2024
So what are they going to do about it? The whole Post editorial department should walk out. https://t.co/4iW2u4b8N1
— Susan Rice (@AmbassadorRice) October 25, 2024
Such a reaction is not only predictable from Democratic allies in the mainstream media, but also telling. Lewis' entire point is about looking to make his outlet more "independent," something others just aren't ready to get on board with.
Meanwhile, The New York Post announced on Thursday night that they were endorsing former and potentially future President Donald Trump. The Houston Chronicle and The Philadelphia Inquirer also endorsed Harris, with the former's endorsement coming just as Harris is set to curiously campaign there alongside Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, as she continues to focus on obsessing over abortion.
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