The head of the Washington Post has responded to claims that it was Jeff Bezos who crushed the paper’s endorsement of Kamala Harris.
On Friday, the outlet, owned by the billionaire founder of Amazon, announced that it will not support any of the presidential candidates.
An endorsement of Harris had been drafted and Bezos was reviewing it, according to the newspaper’s page editor, David Shipley, but it was increased just 11 days before the election.
At least one editor has resigned, according to cnnwhich also reports that thousands of readers have canceled their subscriptions.
However, editor Will Lewis rejected claims that Bezos was involved in the endorsement decision.
Washington Post editor Will Lewis rejected claims that Bezos was involved in the endorsement decision.
“Reporting about the role of the Washington Post owner and the decision not to publish the presidential endorsement has been inaccurate,” Lewis said.
‘It was not submitted, it did not read and it did not give an opinion on any draft. As an editor, I don’t believe in presidential endorsement.
“We are an independent newspaper and we must support our readers’ ability to make their own decisions.”
He added that the measure is not “a tacit endorsement of one candidate or a condemnation of another.”
The announcement marks the first time in 36 years that the left-wing newspaper has decided not to make a presidential endorsement, and the timing of the decision has raised eyebrows.
“To declare a moment of high principle, just 11 days before the election, is very suspicious, you can’t believe this is a matter of principle at this time,” said former Post editor Marty Baron.
He noted that Donald Trump has “continually” threatened Bezos and anyone he considers a political enemy.
“If your philosophy is that readers can make their own decisions about the big issues they face in this democracy, then don’t publish editorials,” Baron said.
The page’s editor had reportedly told colleagues that the newspaper’s owner, Jeff Bezos, was reviewing Harris’ endorsement before it was announced there would be no endorsement for either candidate.
The newspaper’s page editor, David Shipley, had already approved Harris’ endorsement.
“But the fact is that they decided not to publish an editorial in this case just 11 days before the election.”
Bezos, for his part, has remained silent about the controversy,
A group of 17 Post columnists issued a statement shortly after the announcement calling the move “a terrible mistake.”
However, many staff members said they support the idea of neutrality, but also questioned the timing of the decision.
Veteran columnist Robert Kagan announced his resignation Friday and warned of a chilling impact on the media if Trump wins.
“This is obviously an effort by Jeff Bezos to curry favor with Donald Trump in anticipation of his possible victory,” Kagan said.
“That’s how it’s going to happen, especially when the media is owned by corporate titans who have a lot to lose if Trump is mad at them.”
Trump met with Bezos-owned space exploration company Blue Origin just hours after the Post announced his decision.
Columnist Robert Kagan, a conservative Trump critic, resigned from his editorial board position after the decision became known.
The company has a $3.4 billion contract with the federal government to build lunar shuttles.
The Post’s decision comes just days after the Los Angeles Times announced that it would also not endorse anyone in November’s presidential election.
The Post began endorsing presidential candidates in 1976 after the Watergate scandal broke and publicly endorsed Democrat Jimmy Carter, “for reasons understandable at the time,” the paper said.
However, he refused to make an endorsement in 1988 between George HW Bush and Michael Dukakis.
All of his endorsements since Carter have been Democrats.
In his op-ed, CEO Lewis added: In his op-ed, CEO Lewis said: ‘We recognize that this will be read in a variety of ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate or as a condemnation of another. or as an abdication of responsibility.
‘We don’t see it that way. We consider him consistent with the values that the Post has always defended and what we expect from a leader: character and courage in the service of the American ethic, reverence for the rule of law, and respect for human freedom in all its aspects. ‘
The Washington Post has announced that it will not endorse any presidential candidate, sparking fury among its liberal readers who have vowed to cancel their subscriptions to the newspaper.
Democrats such as Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders have also expressed outrage over the Post’s decision.
“This is what oligarchy is all about,” Sanders said on X.
‘Jeff Bezos, the second richest person in the world and owner of the Washington Post, rescinds his editorial board and refuses to endorse Kamala. Clearly, he’s afraid of antagonizing Trump and losing Amazon’s federal contracts. Pathetic.’