The Washington Post has chosen not to endorse a presidential candidate in this or any future election. This decision, announced Friday, comes shortly after the Los Angeles Times also opted not to endorse a presidential candidate.
The Post has endorsed every Democratic candidate for president over the last 40 years, except Michael Dukakis.
Critics argue that the decision to abstain from endorsing a candidate reflects billionaire owner Jeff Bezos’ desire to avoid diminishing Amazon’s influence on Capitol Hill if Donald Trump wins.
On political endorsement https://t.co/e5OTZhylIE
— Marty Baron (@PostBaron) October 25, 2024
This is cowardice, with democracy as its casualty. @realdonaldtrump will see this as an invitation to further intimidate owner @jeffbezos (and others). Disturbing spinelessness at an institution famed for courage.
CNN has more on the paper’s decision, breaking with decades of tradition:
“The Washington Post will not be making an endorsement of a presidential candidate in this election. Nor in any future presidential election,” Will Lewis said in a published statement. “We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates.”
The Post has endorsed a presidential candidate in every election since the 1980s. In his statement, Lewis referred to the Editorial Board’s past decisions to not endorse a candidate, noting that it is a right “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,” Lewis continued. “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.”
Ahead of the announcement, The Post’s editorial page editor, David Shipley, told staffers that Lewis would be publishing a public note with the decision.
“The news is significant—and I know there will be strong reactions across the department,” Shipley stated in a memo obtained by CNN.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos purchased The Washington Post for $250 million in 2013. Newspaper owners often oversee their publications’ political endorsements and approve editorials that reflect their views.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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