The boss of the Washington Post has hit back at claims that it was Jeff Bezos who thwarted the paper’s support for Kamala Harris.
On Friday, the company, owned by the billionaire Amazon founder, announced it will not endorse either presidential candidate.
A Harris endorsement had been drafted and reviewed by Bezos, according to the paper’s page editor David Shipley, but it was enriched just 11 days before the election.
According to the newspaper, at least one editor has resigned CNNwhich also reports that thousands of readers have canceled their subscriptions.
However, publisher Will Lewis rejected the claim that Bezos was involved in the endorsement decision.
Will Lewis, the publisher of the Washington Post, rejected claims that Bezos was involved in the endorsement decision
“The reporting on the role of the owner of The Washington Post and the decision not to publish a presidential endorsement is inaccurate,” Lewis said.
‘He was not directed, did not read or gave an opinion on any concept. As a publisher, I don’t believe in presidential endorsements.
‘We are an independent newspaper and must support our readers’ ability to form their own opinions.’
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 against a presidential endorsement, and the timing of the decision has raised eyebrows.
“To announce a moment of high principle just 11 days before the election, that’s highly suspect and it’s just beyond belief that this was a matter of principle at this point,” said former Post editor Marty Baron.
He noted that Donald Trump has “constantly” threatened Bezos and anyone he considers a political enemy.
“If their philosophy is that readers can make up their own minds about the big issues they face in this democracy, then don’t write editorials,” Baron said.
The page editor reportedly told colleagues that a Harris endorsement was being reviewed by Jeff Bezos, the newspaper’s owner, before announcing there would be no endorsement for either candidate.
The paper’s page editor, David Shipley, had already approved an endorsement of Harris
“But the fact is that it was only eleven days before the election that they decided not to run an editorial in this one case.”
Bezos, for his part, remains silent on the controversy,
A group of seventeen Post columnists released a statement shortly after the announcement calling the measure “a terrible mistake.”
However, many staffers said they support the idea of neutrality but also questioned the timing of the decision.
Veteran columnist Robert Kagan announced his resignation on Friday and warned of a chilling impact on the media if Trump wins.
“This is clearly an attempt by Jeff Bezos to curry favor with Donald Trump in anticipation of his possible victory,” Kagan said.
“This is how it will happen, especially when the media is owned by big corporations who have a lot to lose if Trump is angry with them.”
Trump met with Bezos-owned space company Blue Origin just hours after the Post announced its decision.
Columnist Robert Kagan, a conservative Trump critic, resigned from his position on the editorial board 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 it would also not endorse anyone for November’s presidential election.
The Post began supporting presidential candidates in 1976 after breaking the Watergate scandal and publicly supporting Democrat Jimmy Carter — “for reasons that were understandable at the time,” the paper said.
However, it declined to approve an endorsement between George HW Bush and Michael Dukakis in 1988.
All her 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 candidate. or as an abdication of responsibility.
‘We don’t see it that way. We see it as consistent with the values that The Post has always stood for and that we hope for in a leader: character and courage in the service of American ethics, reverence for the rule of law and respect for human freedom in all its aspects . ‘
The Washington Post has announced it will not endorse a presidential candidate, sparking anger among liberal readers who are vowing to cancel their subscriptions to the paper.
Democrats such as Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders have also expressed outrage over the Post’s decision.
“This is what oligarchy is about,” Sanders said in X.
“Jeff Bezos, the second richest person in the world and the owner of the Washington Post, is ignoring his editorial board and refusing to endorse Kamala. It’s clear he’s afraid of antagonizing Trump and losing Amazon’s federal contracts. Miserable.’