An Amazon billionaire owns an influential newspaper. The Washington PostShe said that she would not support Kamala Harris nor her Republican rival, Donald Trump, in the upcoming US presidential elections
In a statement issued Friday, the newspaper’s CEO, William Lewis, said this was a return “to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates.”
However, mail The editorial board endorsed the candidates for most of the past four decades—all Democrats—before deciding to remain on the sidelines in one of the most polarizing elections in U.S. history.
Newspaper editorials have little of the political weight that was once powerful. but mail — whose slogan is “Democracy Dies in Darkness” — is one of the traditional media outlets that retains influence among the Washington elite.
The Trump campaign quickly pounced, saying, “Harris is so bad… The Washington Post “I have decided not to endorse another presidential candidate again.”
The Washington Post SyndicateShe, who represents the newspaper’s unionized employees, said she was “deeply concerned.”
“We are already seeing cancellations from previously loyal readers,” a statement said.
American media reported that a senior… mail The figure, Editor-at-Large Robert Kagan, resigned in protest.
Billionaire owners
the Supports The decision follows a similar move by one of America’s remaining major newspapers, The Los Angeles Times.
Billionaire owner times The editorial board was prevented from issuing an endorsement of Harris, according to managing editor Mariel Garza, who resigned in response on Wednesday.
According to a report by L The Washington Post On his website, Bezos also intervened to prevent the board from publishing his op-ed in favor of Harris. But a source close to… Supports Leadership said Agence France-Presse That this is “inaccurate”.
In contrast, New York Times She endorsed Harris in September, calling her “the only patriotic choice for the presidency” and warning that it was “hard to imagine a more unworthy candidate to serve as President of the United States” than Trump.
On Friday, Harris also registered in support of Philadelphia Inquirerthe largest newspaper in the swing state of Pennsylvania, which declared that “voters face an easy but radical choice.”
The Republican got his own support Friday from New York Postthe Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloid, declared that “America is ready to welcome the hero today, Donald Trump, to reclaim the presidency.”
“Cheese”?
In a statement, The Washington Post Lewis wrote that the newspaper would not make presidential endorsements again.
“Our job is in The Washington Post “It is to provide all Americans with nonpartisan news through our newsroom and thought-provoking, reported opinions from our opinion team to help our readers make their own decisions.”
the mail It has been consistently endorsing Democratic candidates since the 1980s, always making it clear that the editorial board operates separately from the newsgathering process — as is customary at American news organizations.
the Supports Former executive editor Marty Barron criticized the paper’s “cowardice and its victim of democracy.”
Barron said Trump would see the decision “as an invitation to further intimidate” Bezos.