Even far left WAPO won't endorse Kamala Harris.
They know a loser when they see one.

"Washington Post' won't endorse in White House race for first time since
1980s"

<https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2024/10/25/washington-post-wont-endorse-in-white-house-race-for-first-time-since-1980s>

'Even though the presidential race between former President Donald Trump
and Vice President Kamala Harris is neck and neck, The Washington Post
has decided not to make a presidential endorsement for the first time in
36 years, the publisher and CEO announced Friday.

"We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential
candidates," Will Lewis wrote in an opinion piece published on the
paper's website. He referenced the paper's policy in the decades prior
to 1976, when, following the Watergate scandal that the Post broke, it
endorsed Democratic nominee Jimmy Carter. The last time the Post did not
endorse a presidential candidate in the general election was 1988,
according to a search of its archives.

Colleagues learned the news from the editorial page editor, David
Shipley, at a tense meeting shortly before Lewis' announcement. The
meeting was characterized by someone with direct knowledge of
discussions on condition of anonymity to speak about internal matters.

Shipley said that he told other editorial board leaders Thursday by
management that there would be no endorsement, though he has known for
weeks. He added that he "owns" this decision. The reason he cited was to
create "independent space" where the newspaper does not tell people for
whom to vote.

Colleagues were said to be "shocked" and uniformly negative. Post
corporate spokespeople have not responded to multiple messages left by
NPR on the subject.

Former Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron, who led the
newsroom to acclaim during Trump's presidency, denounced the decision
starkly.

"This is cowardice, a moment of darkness that will leave democracy as a
casualty," Baron said in a statement to NPR. "Donald Trump will
celebrate this as an invitation to further intimidate The Post’s owner,
Jeff Bezos (and other media owners). History will mark a disturbing
chapter of spinelessness at an institution famed for courage."

A similar decision by Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong led
this week to the resignations of the paper's editorials editor and two
editorial board members. Soon-Shiong said that he had asked the
editorial board to draft a "factual analysis" of Trump and Harris'
policies and plans. In her resignation letter, editorials editor Mariel
Garza said the decision made the paper look “craven and hypocritical,”
given its past reporting and editorials on Trump.

The Post's investigative team has routinely reported on wrongdoing and
allegations of illegality by former President Donald Trump, the
Republican presidential nominee, and his associates. The editorial
board, which is operated apart from the newsroom, has repeatedly
declared that Trump's actions in office and his rhetoric as a candidate
have rendered him unfit for office.

It has especially focused on what he did in January 2021 to encourage
his supporters to deny the formal certification of President Biden's
election.

The possibility that the Post might withhold an endorsement was first
reported by Oliver Darcy's newsletter Status. Even before Friday's
announcement, the potential lack of an editorial drew consternation from
journalists within the Post, who see it as a major American publication
that needs to weigh in on the most pressing issue of the day.

Post owner Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder and one of the world's richest
people, has major contracts before the federal government in his other
business operations, with billion-dollar implications affecting Amazon's
shipping business and cloud computing services as well as his Blue
Origin space company.

He brought in Lewis, who has significant conservative bonafides, as
publisher and CEO in January. Lewis held the same role at Rupert
Murdoch's Wall Street Journal; served as the editor of the London-based
Telegraph, which is closely allied with the Tory party; and was a
consultant to Conservative Boris Johnson when Johnson was U.K. prime
minister.

Copyright 2024 NPR'

On 2024-10-25, John Smyth <smythlejon2@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Even far left WAPO won't endorse Kamala Harris.
> They know a loser when they see one.
>
> "Washington Post' won't endorse in White House race for first time since
> 1980s"
>
><https://www.kpbs.org/news/politics/2024/10/25/washington-post-wont-endorse-in-white-house-race-for-first-time-since-1980s>
>
> 'Even though the presidential race between former President Donald Trump
> and Vice President Kamala Harris is neck and neck, The Washington Post
> has decided not to make a presidential endorsement for the first time in
> 36 years, the publisher and CEO announced Friday.
>
> "We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential
> candidates," Will Lewis wrote in an opinion piece published on the
> paper's website. He referenced the paper's policy in the decades prior
> to 1976, when, following the Watergate scandal that the Post broke, it
> endorsed Democratic nominee Jimmy Carter. The last time the Post did not
> endorse a presidential candidate in the general election was 1988,
> according to a search of its archives.
>
> Colleagues learned the news from the editorial page editor, David
> Shipley, at a tense meeting shortly before Lewis' announcement. The
> meeting was characterized by someone with direct knowledge of
> discussions on condition of anonymity to speak about internal matters.
>
> Shipley said that he told other editorial board leaders Thursday by
> management that there would be no endorsement, though he has known for
> weeks. He added that he "owns" this decision. The reason he cited was to
> create "independent space" where the newspaper does not tell people for
> whom to vote.
>
> Colleagues were said to be "shocked" and uniformly negative. Post
> corporate spokespeople have not responded to multiple messages left by
> NPR on the subject.
>
> Former Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron, who led the
> newsroom to acclaim during Trump's presidency, denounced the decision
> starkly.
>
> "This is cowardice, a moment of darkness that will leave democracy as a
> casualty," Baron said in a statement to NPR. "Donald Trump will
> celebrate this as an invitation to further intimidate The Post’s owner,
> Jeff Bezos (and other media owners). History will mark a disturbing
> chapter of spinelessness at an institution famed for courage."
>
> A similar decision by Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong led
> this week to the resignations of the paper's editorials editor and two
> editorial board members. Soon-Shiong said that he had asked the
> editorial board to draft a "factual analysis" of Trump and Harris'
> policies and plans. In her resignation letter, editorials editor Mariel
> Garza said the decision made the paper look “craven and hypocritical,”
> given its past reporting and editorials on Trump.
>
> The Post's investigative team has routinely reported on wrongdoing and
> allegations of illegality by former President Donald Trump, the
> Republican presidential nominee, and his associates. The editorial
> board, which is operated apart from the newsroom, has repeatedly
> declared that Trump's actions in office and his rhetoric as a candidate
> have rendered him unfit for office.
>
> It has especially focused on what he did in January 2021 to encourage
> his supporters to deny the formal certification of President Biden's
> election.
>
> The possibility that the Post might withhold an endorsement was first
> reported by Oliver Darcy's newsletter Status. Even before Friday's
> announcement, the potential lack of an editorial drew consternation from
> journalists within the Post, who see it as a major American publication
> that needs to weigh in on the most pressing issue of the day.
>
> Post owner Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder and one of the world's richest
> people, has major contracts before the federal government in his other
> business operations, with billion-dollar implications affecting Amazon's
> shipping business and cloud computing services as well as his Blue
> Origin space company.
>
> He brought in Lewis, who has significant conservative bonafides, as
> publisher and CEO in January. Lewis held the same role at Rupert
> Murdoch's Wall Street Journal; served as the editor of the London-based
> Telegraph, which is closely allied with the Tory party; and was a
> consultant to Conservative Boris Johnson when Johnson was U.K. prime
> minister.
>
> Copyright 2024 NPR'

I suspect they might be holding off endorsement for one reason or another.
However, if true, it's a good business decision because they are jettisoning
Kamala without endorsing Trump so while their loyal readers may not be
happy they won't be outraged either.

So it's basically "we are still left leaning but not Kamala left leaning".

--
pothead

See Kamala Harris best interview ever.
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6363352689112
She really knocks this one out of the park.
Don't you agree?