Alexandra Steigrad writes for the New York Post about a major legacy media outlet’s decision not to endorse a presidential candidate.
Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos reportedly put the kibosh on the paper endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming election — leading to one editorial board member to quit and backlash from its left-leaning staff.
The Beltway broadsheet said Friday that it will not endorse either candidate, breaking 36 years of tradition, following a “tense” newsroom, according to NPR.
The newspaper then published an article written by two reporters saying that editorial page staffers had drafted an endorsement for the Democratic nominee 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, citing two sources briefed on the events.
Publisher Will Lewis, who was hired by Bezos in January, explained the decision in an online note to readers.
“The Washington Post will not be making an endorsement of a presidential candidate in this election. Nor in any future presidential election,” he wrote. “We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates.”
Lewis’s note went on to say: “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.”
The decision led editorial board member Robert Kagan, a frequent critic of Trump, to resign, according to NPR.
Bezos, the second-richest person in the world with a net worth valued by Bloomberg Billionaires index at $209 billion as of Friday, was a frequent target of Trump during his first term in office — mainly due to the Washington Post’s coverage of his administration.
Some WaPo insiders have speculated that Bezos does not want to alienate Trump as he gains momentum to recapture the White House.