Martin Baron: “A Trump presidency will endanger American democracy” | usa elections

There was a stir in the world of journalism in the United States this Friday when it became known that the Washington Post would not endorse a presidential candidate for the first time since the 1980s. Media support of a candidate, also known as endorsement In English, this is common in the United States. The decision not to publish it came as an editorial supporting Democrat Kamala Harris was prepared. It was the historic newspaper owner – and the world’s second richest man – Jeff Bezos who ceased publication with the argument that the newspaper would not endorse any candidate now or in the future. Since then, criticism of the decision has multiplied: in the editorial office and by leading luminaries such as Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who exposed the Watergate scandal, one of the great investigations in the history of journalism. One of the first to react harshly against Bezos’ decision was director Martin Baron (Tampa, Florida, 70 years old). Post First during the Trump administration and when Bezos took control of the newspaper.

At the time of speaking to EL PAÍS on Friday morning, the decision of Washington Post, But the retired baron had already announced this since leaving office in January 2021 Los Angeles Times Not endorsing any candidate in the face of the possibility of the former president returning to the White House after the November 5 election was a sign of journalistic weakness. Once the video call ends, he sends his opinion by email about the decision to the newspaper he directed.

Ask. what made you think so Washington Post Not going to support any candidate?

Answer. This is cowardice, a moment of darkness considering democracy a victim. Donald Trump will see this as an invitation to further intimidate his boss Jeff Bezos and other media owners. Disturbing cowardice in an institution known for its bravery.

Why. Eight years after Trump’s first victory and facing a potential new victory, do you think journalism in the United States is going through good or bad times?

R. There is evidence of weakness, fear in some sectors of the press, and others that indicate the media has done a good job: they have scrutinized Trump’s team, the way he intends to implement his proposals. There are very few voters who do not know the personality, character or plans of both the candidates. Everything has been explained. It’s surprising, because there are a lot of critics who say we haven’t done our job properly. However, what we do know is because it was published in two media in particular: Washington Post And the new York Times. His accomplishments should be recognized, despite the fact that there are many critics, primarily on the left, who will blame the traditional press if Trump wins.

The problem is that we can’t agree on how to determine the facts, because all the elements we use have been devalued: education, experience, knowledge and, above all, evidence. This is not only the problem of the press, but also the problem of the society. How will we progress as a society if we can’t agree on how to determine a fact? Only 8% of adults in the United States consider the new York Times As one of your main sources of information; 3% in case of Washington Post. Less than 10% of readers Times He is considered conservative. The truth is that Trump’s supporters are not getting their information from these media. They do it through Fox News, above all, and through the network, Truth Social or Twitter (currently X). The owner of Twitter (Elon Musk) is supporting Trump, giving him 45 million dollars per month and promoting his campaign every day and almost all day long. He represents the main distributor of fake news All over the world. He is always spreading baseless conspiracy theories.

Why. How do you think Elon Musk has influenced this campaign?

R. I think it has had a great impact, it has been effective for Trump. He has 200 million followers on Twitter, all users get access to his posts. There is no other human being who can convey his message to so many people. Not only has he had a major impact, but he will play a very important role in the Trump administration if elected.

Why. What differences do you see in the coverage of this election and the last election?

R. When Trump ran for president in 2015, he was a candidate unlike any we had seen before. We were not used to someone who criticized the press all the time, who threatened to charge his alleged political enemies and, above all, someone who lied all the time, deceiving the people. At that time we were hesitant in talking so openly, because we were not used to it. I think everything has changed, because it’s clear that Trump continues to lie, he knows he’s not telling the truth and he says certain things to score political points. Trump is trying to create an environment in which voters cannot distinguish between truth and lies, and will continue to try to undermine the credibility of the press if he returns to the White House.

Why. Then why didn’t the media know what to do?

R. This is a complex topic. Before Trump entered politics, the media’s approval rating had fallen. And it accelerated during his administration, largely because of his frequent criticism of the press. There are many people who think that he is their voice, that the elite have not done enough for them, that they have not paid attention to their problems, their expectations. They are worried about the high rate of inflation, which affects everyone, or about high fuel prices; There are also many people who think that the United States is spending too much money on the war in Ukraine. They feel that Trump understands their life better. And, like other countries, there has been a worrying decline in support for democracy in the United States. And yes, I think we have to self-criticize as well. We made the mistake of not understanding the political environment of the country well before Trump ran for the presidency. We did not understand the concerns of a large portion of the American people. We did not understand that they have so much resentment and complaint towards the traditional media. We don’t expect a candidate like Donald Trump. I think we have to think deeply about that failure. It is our responsibility to cover all people, understand their struggles. At the same time there is a lot of activism on the part of journalists in some corners of the traditional media, and it is important that we avoid disparaging people or being condescending towards them.

Why. In the face of increasingly negative coverage of Trump’s behavior, how do you think you can avoid striking a false balance with Harris and being unfairly negative about her?

R. Voters have the right to know the policies of both the candidates and their history. No candidate should run for president without waiting for analysis, scrutiny of his performance. All politicians must be held accountable. Sebastian Junger, journalist who wrote perfect storm He said that a true journalist should sacrifice his opinion for facts. No matter who the candidate is or what our political preferences are, we have a responsibility to find out the facts. We must maintain our independence and remain faithful to the core values ​​of our profession. We should not be allies of any party, but of truth and facts. And obviously we have a responsibility to put them in context. It is up to the people to decide about the future of the country. The press has no control over the future of the country. We have a responsibility to give the public the information they need and deserve to know. However, there is a big difference between the two candidates. There is a candidate who believes in the democratic system and the other who has drawn political lines of an autocratic nature; There is no doubt that he is a future autocratic ruler. He praises dictators of other countries like Orban, Erdogan, Putin.

Why. How close could the United States come to losing its democracy if Trump wins the presidency again?

R. This is a huge danger because we have to think about what Trump has already done. He instigated an unruly mob on January 6, 2021. They stormed the Capitol, a symbol of democracy in the United States, to overturn the election results. And what did Trump do? Nothing more than provoking his followers. A new president could endanger American democracy.

Why. How to bring back trust in journalism from leaders who do not want to know anything about facts?

R. This is a problem that is not going to be solved in the short term. We must cover all people honestly, fairly and independently. We should never have contempt or sympathy towards anyone. Irrespective of their political position. We need a policy of radical transparency in our work. That is to say, when we cite a judicial document, we should provide that document to the public so they can see that we are not taking it out of context. It’s the same with the origin of video, audio or data. We need to show readers that they have the right and opportunity to check out our work. We not only have to show, we also have to tell.