Jeff Bezos shoots down Washington Post Kamala Harris endorsement piece
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After the endorsement was approved by the Washington Post, owner Jeff Bezos reportedly intervened to cancel its publication, sending staff into a frenzy.
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Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos speaks at the Amazon re:MARS convention in Las Vegas on June 6, 2019. (AP)
Amazon founder and owner of The Washington Post Jeff Bezos reportedly killed a Kamala Harris endorsement piece when her nomination ran through and ran instead an objective publication that endorses no candidate, the newspaper itself reported.
In an editorial published by The Post's Will Lewis, he references a precedent of the journal's when it refrained from endorsing John F. Kennedy or Richard Nixon in the 1960 presidential election. Nixon was later implicated in the Watergate scandal, which consequently spawned 69 indictments and 48 criminal convictions, making it one of the most notorious political corruption scandals in US history.
In this context, Lewis refers to the 1960 decision and proposes three consequent viewpoints: Killing the story could be seen as "tacit endorsement of one candidate, or as a condemnation of another, or as an abdication of responsibility" but confirmed that for The Post, endorsement is a show of value and faith in a leader that has "character and courage in service to the American ethic, veneration for the rule of law, and respect for human freedom in all its aspects."
It is worth noting that this would be the second newspaper that kills a Kamala Harris endorsement piece, following the Los Angeles Times.
The Post’s union expressed serious concern about management's interference with editorial work just 11 days before a decisive election. They highlighted that the message came from chief executive Will Lewis, not the Editorial Board, which has led to reader subscription cancellations. Neoconservative scholar Robert Kagan has resigned as editor-at-large, according to Semafor’s Max Tani.
The Washington Post, known for its motto "Democracy Dies in Darkness," published endorsements for candidates in Virginia’s 7th district on October 13 and for the Maryland Senate on October 2. The paper has also regularly reported investigations into alleged wrongdoing by Donald Trump.
Staffers take it personal
According to The Columbia Journalism Review, two Washington Post board members, Charles Lane and Stephen W. Stromberg, authored the endorsement for Harris. Editorial page director David Shipley initially indicated that the endorsement was proceeding, noting its importance to ownership. However, he later informed the board that there would be no endorsement, which was followed by a controversial editorial from chief executive Will Lewis.
NPR reported that Shipley had approved the editorial before canceling it, mentioning it was under review by Jeff Bezos, who has contracts with the US government, including Amazon’s $10 billion cloud contract with the NSA and Blue Origin’s $3.4 billion NASA lunar lander contract.
Former Washington Post executive editor Marty Baron criticized the situation, calling it "cowardice and a setback for democracy." He suggested that this would encourage Donald Trump to further intimidate Bezos and other media owners, marking a troubling moment for an institution known for its courage.
The US elections are expected to take place on November 5, 2024, as scheduled. So far, 28.6 million people have voted in states with early voting rights as of October 24, as the clock to the presidential elections ticks until November 5.
Data indicate that around 43% of individuals who voted are registered Democrats, with 39% registered Republicans.
Candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump walk a tightrope, with polls indicating very close chances of winning for both.
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