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From Fox News: William Lewis, publisher and CEO of The Washington Post, on Friday announced that the “Democracy Dies in Darkness” paper would not be endorsing a presidential candidate in 2024, nor in any future presidential race.
“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,” Lewis wrote in a post on the paper’s website.
Lewis cited the paper’s editorial board saying back in 1960, “The Washington Post has not ‘endorsed’ either candidate in the presidential campaign. That is in our tradition and accords with our action in five of the last six elections.”
Acknowledging that the decision to not issue an endorsement would likely cause some outrage, Lewis wrote:
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.
A note from the publisher on political endorsement: https://t.co/2DtCFMteFz
— Washington Post Opinions (@PostOpinions) October 25, 2024
The Washington Post then announced in a separate report: [emphasis added]
An endorsement of Harris had been drafted by Post editorial page staffers but had yet to be published, according to two sources briefed on the sequence of events who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The decision to no longer publish presidential endorsements was made by The Post’s owner, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. “This was a Washington Post decision to not endorse, and I would refer you to the publisher’s statement in full,” said Chief Communications Officer Kathy Baird.
“Earlier this week, Patrick Soon-Shiong, the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times, blocked a planned endorsement of Harris, prompting the resignation of the newspaper’s editorials editor,” the report notes.
The Washington Post writer lamented the decision to not endorse Harris, and stated, “The decision has roiled many on the editorial staff, which operates independently from The Post’s news staff, a long-standing tradition of American journalism designed to separate opinion writing from day-to-day news coverage.”
An endorsement of Kamala Harris was drafted by Post staffers but had yet to be published, according to sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The decision not to publish was made by The Post’s owner, Jeff Bezos, according to the same sources. https://t.co/WC9fovTcvB
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 25, 2024
The decision to not endorse Kamala Harris has indeed sparked outrage from those on the left. They are in major meltdown mode, with many declaring they have cancelled their subscriptions.
The Washington Post editor-at-large Robert Kagan, a staunch Trump critic, has now resigned from the newspaper, in protest over the decision to not back Kamala Harris.
I have confirmed, Robert Kagan has resigned from the Post over this non endorsement.
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) October 25, 2024
Scoop: Washington Post editor at large Robert Kagan confirms to me that he resigned from the Post following today’s decision not to endorse in the presidential race. https://t.co/as86U0hYqh
— Max Tani (@maxwelltani) October 25, 2024
Washington Post Editor at Large, Robert Kagan has resigned. The decision to not officially endorse a presidential candidate came from Jeff Bezos. pic.twitter.com/NThXSNt5F6
— Blue Georgia (@BlueATLGeorgia) October 25, 2024
Democracy dies in The Washington Post
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) October 25, 2024
Nice try @JeffBezos
Trump will still deport Lauren and then put you in the camps with the rest of us
Coward.
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) October 25, 2024
“Democracy dies in darkness, but we won’t be endorsing either darkness or light.” Okay, then. I just canceled my subscription. I’m also insulted you think you can pass this off as returning to your roots. I hope your journalists find a real news source to work for.
— Aaron Segal 🇺🇸 (@TheAaronSegal) October 25, 2024
This is a historically cowardly decision that will stain every person associated with it. Disgusting and shameful.
— Robert Balkovich (@robertbalkovich) October 25, 2024
I’ve canceled my subscription due to your shameful, cowardly, and ill-timed cowing to political considerations. Democracy Dies In the Darkness – indeed 🫡 @JeffBezos @WashingtonPost pic.twitter.com/JOzMB5wsVA
— Murray Chapman (@murraychapman) October 25, 2024
A note from me to Will Lewis and Jeff Bezos.
I’ve been a subscriber since 2001 & cancelled my subscription. I won’t renew until Will Lewis has been fired. This is a man who has been implicated in all sorts of tawdry things prior to joining WaPo. Profiles in cowardice. Shameful. pic.twitter.com/WfSWQg0nvV
— JayKay (@jaypoltwit) October 25, 2024
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