Washington Post, Adopting the slogan “Democracy Dies in Darkness” Donald TrumpPresidential, publisher and CEO of the newspaper who chose not to support a candidate in the 2024 presidential election William Lewis It was announced on Friday Notes to the readers.

Joining Lewis to mail In January, he wrote that the paper was “returning to our origins of not endorsing presidential candidates,” citing editorials in 1960 and 1972 as examples in which the paper explained its reasoning for not doing so. Lewis argued: to mail Approved by the editorial board existed before 1976 Jimmy Carter for the president. to mail has approved every cycle since, but 1988.

“We recognize that this will be read in a variety of ways, including tacit approval of one candidate, condemnation of the other, or abdication of responsibility. This is inevitable,” Lewis writes, adding: “We do not see it that way.”

Others clearly did this. “This is cowardice, a moment of darkness that will undermine democracy.” Marty Baron, the to mail‘s former editor-in-chiefHe said in his statement: Vanity Fair. “Donald Trump will celebrate this as an invitation to further intimidation.” Mailowner of, Jeff Bezos (and other media owners). “History will mark a disturbing period of spinelessness in an institution renowned for its courage.”

Tommy Vietor, someone old Barack Obama staff and Pod Save America co-host, wrote on x to mail “I confirm (Kamala) Harris It would attract exactly zero voters its way, but I still laugh at the cowardly nonsense of the team that brought us ‘democracy dies in darkness’.”

NBC’s Chuck Todd, while admitting he was “agnostic about the impact of newspaper endorsements” wrote He said of X: “The unintended consequence of this decision… is exactly what makes all of this so demoralizing for working journalists. The intimidation of rich men and publicly traded companies harms us all.”

to mailThe decision came immediately after Los Angeles Times editorial board break with recent tradition Not endorsing 2024 presidential candidate, controversial move by billionaire owner Patrick Soon-Shiong. Times‘text editor, Mariel Garza, resigned On Wednesday, together with two editors-in-chief, in protest, Robert Greene And Karin Klein, the following Thursday.

While it’s debatable whether newspaper editorials produced by the opinion side of the operation actually sway voters, it’s striking to see the nation’s two most prominent political parties, especially when Americans’ views are less than two weeks away from Election Day. each approved publication Hillary Clinton (2016) and Joe Biden (2020), I am not participating in the 2024 race.

“These decisions are appalling, a dereliction of duty, and a disturbing testimony to the priorities of two newspapers owned by billionaires.” Margaret Sullivan, someone old New York Times public editor and to mail Media columnist who currently writes a politics and media column Guardian USA, he tells me.

Inside to mailNPR’s David Folkenflik reportededitorial page editor David Shipley Lewis conveyed the decision to staff in a “tense meeting” just before announcing it publicly. While staff were reportedly surprised by this change, Shipley reportedly said he “owned” the decision and that it was intended to allow the paper to remain “independent”; this language was also used by Lewis in his letter to readers.

Two to mail board members, Charles Lane And Stephen W. Stromberg had already drafted a Harris draft approval When the process stalled before Friday’s announcement, Columbia Journalism Review managing editor Sewell Chan. He added that the decision approved by Shipley “angered” employees.

Lewis’s tenure was marked by controversy. the to mail, reporting across sales points conflicts about his plans for the newspaper and his ties to the British. phone hacking scandal. Lewis previously worked Rupert MurdochNews Corp.