‘Disturbing spinelessness’: Jeff Bezos personally kills Washington Post endorsement of Kamala, all hell breaks loose
For the first time in decades, the Washington Post will not be endorsing any presidential candidate this year, as owner Jeff Bezos personally killed the staff’s planned endorsement of Kamala Harris.
William Lewis, publisher and chief executive officer of the newspaper, said: “The Washington Post will not be making an endorsement of a presidential candidate in this election. Nor in any future presidential election. We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential 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. That is inevitable,” Lewis said.
“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.”
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Meanwhile, the news staff at the Post published an article Friday revealing editorial page staffers had actually drafted an endorsement of Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president over her Republican contender, 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.
An endorsement of Kamala Harris was drafted by Post staffers but had yet to be published, according to sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The decision not to publish was made by The Post’s owner, Jeff Bezos, according to the same sources. https://t.co/WC9fovTcvB
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 25, 2024
Marty Baron, former editor of the Washington Post, stated: “This is cowardice, with democracy as its casualty.”
″@realdonaldtrump will see this as an invitation to further intimidate owner @jeffbezos (and others),” Baron wrote. “Disturbing spinelessness at an institution famed for courage.”
On political endorsement https://t.co/e5OTZhylIE
This is cowardice, with democracy as its casualty. @realdonaldtrump will see this as an invitation to further intimidate owner @jeffbezos (and others). Disturbing spinelessness at an institution famed for courage.
— Marty Baron (@PostBaron) October 25, 2024
The decision not endorse a presidential candidate apparently prompted Robert Kagan, the editor at large of the Post to resign Friday.
Washington Post Editor at Large, Robert Kagan has resigned. The decision to not officially endorse a presidential candidate came from Jeff Bezos. pic.twitter.com/NThXSNt5F6
— Blue Georgia (@BlueATLGeorgia) October 25, 2024
The Washington Post Guild, the union representing the staff at the paper, said it was “deeply concerned that The Washington Post – an American news institution in the nation’s capital – would make a decision to no longer endorse presidential candidates, especially a mere 11 days ahead of an immensely consequential election.”
A statement from Post Guild leadership on the Washington Post’s decision to not endorse a presidential candidate pic.twitter.com/fYU7hkr79K
— Washington Post Guild (@PostGuild) October 25, 2024
“The message from our chief executive, Will Lewis – not from the Editorial Board itself – makes us concerned that management interfered with the work of our members in Editorial.”
“We are already seeing cancellations from once loyal readers,” the Guild said. “This decision undercuts the work of our members at a time when we should be building our readers’ trust, not losing it.”
In August, Trump told Fox Business that Bezos personally phoned him after the assassination attempt in July at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“He was very nice even though he owns The Washington Post,” Trump said of Bezos.
Bezos last posted on X on July 13, mere hours after the would-be assassin’s bullet struck Trump’s ear.
“Our former President showed tremendous grace and courage under literal fire tonight,” Bezos wrote at the time. “So thankful for his safety and so sad for the victims and their families.”
Our former President showed tremendous grace and courage under literal fire tonight. So thankful for his safety and so sad for the victims and their families.
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) July 14, 2024
U.S. Rep. Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., said of the Post’s decision not to endorse anyone in the 2024 race: “The first step towards fascism is when the free press cowers in fear.”
As WND reported earlier this week, the owner of the Los Angeles Times instructed the paper not to make a presidential endorsement for the first time in two decades, just weeks ahead of the 2024 election.
@latimes won’t endorse anyone for president,1st time in 20 years. LA Times is in Harris’s home state. Voters we talked to say how can you believe a candidate who has done nothing to fix America’s problems for 4 years is suddenly capable of fixing everything. #latimes pic.twitter.com/isbewPNHE9
— Elizabeth MacDonald (@LizMacDonaldFOX) October 22, 2024
This is why Jeff Bezos blocked the Washington Post from endorsing Kamala Harris. Apparently, greed is now the prime motivator for American oligarchs. pic.twitter.com/oEjUPJAapO
— Carlos Turnbull (@cturnbull1968) October 25, 2024
Hey, Washington Post, you want to know how “Democracy Dies in Darkness”? It’s when *you* refuse to endorse a candidate in the most important election of our lifetimes, because *you* are owned by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, who cares more about growing his billions than democracy. pic.twitter.com/tSuwOsGJTp
— LaurenBaratzLogsted (@LaurenBaratzL) October 25, 2024
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First time in 20 years! Major U.S. newspaper makes huge decision on presidential endorsement