The Washington Post, which meanwhile adopted the slogan “Democracy dies in darkness”. Donald TrumpThe newspaper’s publisher and CEO, president of the newspaper, has chosen not to endorse a candidate for the 2024 presidential election William Lewis it announced on Friday in a message to readers.

Lewis, who joined in post wrote in January that the paper was “returning to our roots of not supporting presidential candidates,” pointing to editorials from 1960 and 1972 as examples in which the paper explained its reasons for not doing so. Lewis argued that the post “Had it just before” 1976 when the editors endorsed it Jimmy Carter for the president. The post has supported every cycle since then except 1988.

“We recognize that this will be interpreted in a variety of ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate, a condemnation of another, or an abdication of responsibility. “That is inevitable,” Lewis writes, adding: “We see “Not like that.”

Others clearly did. “This is cowardice, a moment of darkness that will allow democracy to fall victim” Marty Baron, The postthe former editor-in-chief said in a statement to Vanity Fair. “Donald Trump will celebrate this as an invitation to further intimidation The post‘s owner, Jeff Bezos (and other media owners). History will mark a disturbing chapter in the spinelessness of an institution known for its courage.”

Tommy Vietor, a former one Barack Obama employees and Pod Save America cohost, wrote on X that the post “Advocacy (Kamala) Harris would move exactly zero voters their way, but still lol at that cowardly shit from the crew that brought us ‘Democracy dies in darkness’.”

NBC’s Chuck Todd, While he admitted to being “agnostic to the impact of newspaper endorsements,” he wrote, “When rich people and publicly traded companies cower, it hurts us all.”

The postThe decision follows immediately Los Angeles Times The editorial board breaks with recent tradition of not supporting a 2024 presidential candidate, a controversial move by the billionaire owner. Patrick Soon Shiong. The Just‘ Editorial Editor, Mariel Garza, resigned in protest on Wednesday, along with two editorial board members, Robert Greene And Karin Klein, following Thursday.

While it’s debatable whether newspaper editorials – produced by the Opinion side of the operation – actually influence voters, especially since Americans’ views appear to be set less than two weeks before Election Day, two of the most prominent ones stand out Personalities of the country can see publications that have each been endorsed Hillary Clinton (2016) and Joe Biden (2020), suspending the 2024 race.

“These decisions are appalling, a dereliction of duty and a disturbing reflection of the priorities of two newspapers owned by billionaires.” Margaret Sullivan, a former one New York Times public editor and post Media columnist who currently writes a politics and media column for The Guardian USA, tell me.

Inside postNPR’s David Folkenflik reports, editor of the editorial page David Shipley announced the decision to employees in a “tense meeting” shortly before Lewis announced it publicly. While staff were reportedly surprised by the change, Shipley reportedly said that the decision “belongs to him” and that it was intended to keep the newspaper “independent” – language Lewis also used in his letter to readers has used.

Two post board members, Charles Lane And Stephen W. Stromberg had already been drafting a Harris endorsement before Friday’s announcement when the process stalled Columbia Journalism Review Editor-in-Chief Sewell Chan. He added that the decision approved by Shipley had “upset” employees.

Lewis’s term was marked by controversy post, One of the media reported disputes over his plans for the newspaper and his links to the British phone hacking scandal. Lewis previously worked for Rupert Murdoch‘s News Corp.