Jeff Bezos stops ‘The Washington Post’ from asking for votes for Kamala Harris. usa elections

The editorial was already ready. opinion section of Washington Post He had planned to ask Kamala Harris to vote against Donald Trump in the presidential election to be held on November 5. However, the newspaper’s owner, billionaire Jeff Bezos, the second richest man in the world, has decided that the newspaper should stop explicitly supporting any alternative, as it has done for half a century. . The newspaper’s managers present it as a return to its roots. Its former director, Martin Baron, doesn’t see it that way: “This is cowardice, the victim of which is democracy. Donald Trump will see this as an invitation to further intimidate his boss Jeff Bezos (and others). Disturbing cowardice in an institution known for its bravery,” he wrote. decision, which follows a similar decision adopted by the owner Los Angeles Times, This has created uneasiness in the editorial office.

The publishing company’s CEO William Lewis explained the decision in an article published on Medium. “Washington Post Will not support any presidential candidate in these elections. Nor in any future presidential election. We return to our roots of not supporting presidential candidates,” his column begins.

Lewis cites articles in which the editorial board stated in 1960 that the newspaper’s tradition was not to endorse any candidate, a tradition that was exceptionally broken in 1952, when the newspaper asked for votes for Dwight Eisenhower. However, in 1976, he began a new tradition of speaking out in favor of Jimmy Carter on that occasion. Since then, the newspaper has endorsed one candidate or another in every presidential election, but Lewis believes not getting involved was the right decision.

“We recognize that this will be interpreted in different ways, as tacit support for one candidate, or as condemnation of another, or as a denial of responsibility. it is inevitable. We don’t see it that way. We see it as consistent with those values Post We have always stood for what we expect of a leader: character and courage in the service of American morality, reverence for the rule of law, and respect for human freedom in all its aspects. Lewis argues, “We also see it as a statement of support for our readers’ ability to make the most important of American decisions: who to vote for as the next president.”

“Our work Washington Post The newsroom aims to provide unbiased news to all Americans and thought-provoking insights from our opinion team that help our readers form their own opinions. Above all, as a newspaper in the capital of the most important country in the world, our job is to be independent,” concluded the CEO, whose appointment has been accompanied by controversy.

Lewis, a veteran of London’s conservative newspapers, attempted to appoint Robert Wynett, the paper’s deputy editor, as the paper’s editor. The Daily Telegraph, The medium in which both agreed. However, an investigation of their own Washington Post His exploits cause the signature to be derailed.

In addition to Lewis’s opinion column, the newspaper itself has published information about his decision. In it he cites anonymous sources assuring that the people in charge of the editorial page had already written a draft in support of Harris, but that it had not yet been published. It also said that the decision to stop publishing endorsements for presidential candidates was made by its owner Post, According to the information, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

internal resentment

According to that source, the decision has angered many members of the newspaper’s opinion section, which works independently of the news editorial team. Nine columnists of the newspaper have jointly signed a very critical opinion article: “The decision of Washington Post Not lending your support to a presidential campaign is a terrible mistake. It represents an abandonment of the fundamental editorial values ​​of the newspaper we love, and for which we have worked for a total of 228 years. This is a moment for the institution to articulate its commitment to democratic values, the rule of law and international alliances, and the threat that Donald Trump poses to them – the exact point the Post made when supporting Trump’s opponents in 2016 and 2020. Make. There is no contradiction in the important role of Post As an independent newspaper and its practice of giving its political support, as a matter of guidance to readers and as a statement of fundamental beliefs. This has never been more true than in the current campaign. An independent newspaper may one day stop supporting presidential elections. But this is not the time for a candidate to defend positions that directly threaten freedom of the press and the values ​​of the Constitution,” he writes.

Unrest has also spread among the news editorial staff. The Newspaper Association has published a strong statement expressing its deep concern in this regard. “The role of an editorial board is exactly that: to share opinions on news that impacts our society and culture, and to support candidates in guiding readers. The message from our CEO, Will Lewis—not from the editorial board—leads us to believe that management has interfered with the work of our editorial board members. According to our own reporters and guild members, the endorsement for Harris had already been drafted, and the decision not to publish it was made by its owner. Post, Jeff Bezos. We’re already seeing cancellations from once-loyal readers. He says, “This decision undermines the work of our members at a time when we should be building the trust of our readers, not losing it.”

“Display of Cowardice”

“There is no other way to look at this than as a shocking display of cowardice and dereliction of public duty,” he wrote. Guardian For her part, Margaret Sullivan, a media columnist Post and reader advocate the new York Times. “This may all sound like non-partisan neutrality, or that may be the intention, but it is far from that. First of all, it is a shameful slap in the face to the editorial staffs of both newspapers, who have done vital work exposing Trump’s threats for many years,” he argues. “It is also a strong statement of priority. The newspaper’s leaders have made it clear that they either love Trump (who, after all, is a boon with vast personal wealth) or they don’t want to risk the former president’s wrath and retribution if he wins. If the latter has been a factor, it is based on a short-sighted decision, as Trump has been a threat to suppress rights and will only grow emboldened in a second term,” he added.

This is the second major American newspaper to take a similar decision in a matter of days. Earlier this week, billionaire owner Patrick Soon-Shiong Los Angeles Times, Blocked his editorial board’s plan to solicit votes for Harris. This decision led to the resignation of the newspaper’s editorial manager and two other members of the editorial board.

“As the owner, I’m on the editorial board and I shared this idea with my editors that maybe this year we could dedicate a column, a page, two pages to all the pros and all the cons and let the readers Let’s decide,” Soon-Shiong announced in an interview with Spectrum News on Thursday, reported by the Associated Press. The veteran said he fears supporting any candidate will contribute to the division of the country.