The Washington Post’s decision to forgo endorsing a presidential candidate, for only the second time since 1976, was made by its owner, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, according to the newspaper.
The paper’s decision was initially explained by William Lewis, the publisher and CEO, in an opinion article as a return to the paper’s “roots” of not endorsing candidates.
“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,” Lewis wrote on Oct. 25. “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,” he wrote.
However, two anonymous sources familiar with the events said an endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris was drafted by the editorial page staffers, but Bezos decided not to publish it.
Marty Baron, a former executive editor who ran The Post during Trump’s presidency, called the decision in a text message to The Post “cowardice” and “a moment of darkness that will leave democracy as a casualty,” likely alluding to the paper’s slogan “Democracy Dies in Darkness.”