Washington Post Owner Jeff Bezos Defends Paper’s Decision to Not Back 2024 Candidate, Claims Presidential Endorsements ‘Create a Perception of Bias’

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos defended the Washington Post’s choice to refrain from endorsing a presidential candidate ahead of the November 5 election, stating that such endorsements can “create a perception of bias.”

In an op-ed published by the Washington Post on Monday evening, Bezos articulated that the newspaper’s decision to cease its long-standing practice of endorsing presidential candidates represents a “principled decision, and it’s the right one.”

“Presidential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election. No undecided voters in Pennsylvania are going to say, ‘I’m going with Newspaper A’s endorsement.’ None,” he remarked.

“What presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias. A perception of non-independence.”

On Friday, Washington Post CEO and Publisher Will Lewis revealed that the newspaper would not be selecting a candidate for president, a decision that sparked outrage within the newsroom and among its readership.

Reports indicate that the editorial board had already drafted an endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump before this decision was halted.

Following the controversial announcement, NPR reported that over 200,000 readers have canceled their digital subscriptions to the Washington Post.

Additionally, one opinion section staff member resigned, while two others stepped down from the editorial board but chose to remain with the publication, according to Semafor.

In his op-ed, Bezos also emphasized that public trust in the press has eroded, and news organizations “must work harder to control what we can control to increase our credibility.”

“We must be accurate, and we must be believed to be accurate. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but we are failing on the second requirement,” he stated.

“Most people believe the media is biased. Anyone who doesn’t see this is paying scant attention to reality, and those who fight reality lose.”

Bezos, the second-richest individual globally, noted that while his publication and the New York Times receive numerous awards, “increasingly we talk only to a certain elite.”

“Many people are turning to off-the-cuff podcasts, inaccurate social media posts and other unverified news sources, which can quickly spread misinformation and deepen divisions,” Bezos expressed.

He also addressed a claim made by Robert Kagan, an editor-at-large who resigned, suggesting that Bezos had a deal with Trump due to the GOP nominee meeting with Blue Origin executives—Bezos’s space company—after the Washington Post’s announcement.

“I would also like to be clear that no quid pro quo of any kind is at work here,” he stated. “Neither campaign nor candidate was consulted or informed at any level or in any way about this decision.”

Bezos claimed he was not aware of the Blue Origin meeting with Trump that coincided with the announcement about not endorsing, and when he learned about it later, he “sighed.”

“I knew it would provide ammunition to those who would like to frame this as anything other than a principled decision,” he added.

This marks the first time in 36 years that the Washington Post will not issue an endorsement for the presidential election.

Lewis stated on Friday that the Washington Post is not departing from its tradition but is instead reverting to a past practice of not endorsing candidates.

He affirmed that this approach is “consistent with the values the Post has always stood for” and reflects the publication’s trust in “our readers’ ability to make up their own minds.”

{Matzav.com}