Washington Post refuses to give presidential endorsement

The Washington Post editorial page will not issue a presidential endorsement for the first time in decades and will decline to endorse any candidate in the future. controversial Publisher and CEO William Lewis announced this on Friday.

In a note to readers, Lewis said the newspaper would return to its roots by declining to issue an endorsement for either former president. Donald Trump or vice president Kamala Harris.

“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. That is inevitable. We don’t see it that way’ Lewis wrote.

He continued: “Our job at The Washington Post is to provide unbiased news for all Americans through the editorial staff, and thought-provoking, reported views from our opinion team to help our readers make up their minds.”

Staff members were informed of the decision during a ‘tense’ morning meeting. according to NPRwhich noted that the response was “uniformly negative.”

Former Washington Post editor-in-chief Marty Baron, now retired, criticized the decision on social media.

‘This is cowardice, with democracy as the victim’ Baron wrote. “@RealDonaldTrump will see this as an invitation to further intimidate owner @JeffBezos (and others). Disturbing spinelessness at an institution famous for its courage.”

Billionaire Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos bought The Washington Post in 2013. Amazon has contracts with the government worth billions.

In his note to readers, Lewis cited how The Washington Post did not offer presidential endorsements for much of the 20th century, but consistently picked it up again with Bill Clinton’s 1992 endorsement.

Earlier this week, a decision by the Los Angeles Times to refuse to endorse Trump or Harris led to the resignation of editorial editor Mariel Garza.

Lewis was criticized earlier this year for his links to shady British tabloid reporting practices. After recruiting former Daily Telegraph editor Robert Winnett to oversee the Washington Post’s news operations, Winnett was allegedly involved in an attempted deception to obtain the unpublished memoirs of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Winnett later resigned.

Also, Lewis’s reorganization of the Post’s newsroom led to the dismissal from Editor-in-Chief Sally Buzbee this summer.

Although Lewis’s own job appeared to be in jeopardy due to the wave of instability at one of the country’s largest newspapers, he has retained his position so far.