The Washington Post stuns observers by not making a presidential endorsement
‘MediaBuzz’ host Howard Kurtz reports on how The Washington Post is refraining from making a presidential endorsement for the first time in decades on ‘Special Report.’
Billionaire Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos reportedly wants to add more conservative writers to the paper’s opinion section in an effort to expand the "Democracy Dies in Darkness" paper’s audience.
Last week, the Post sent liberals into a tizzy when it announced that it wouldn’t endorse a candidate in the upcoming presidential election despite years of hostility toward former President Trump and a reported endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris already drafted and ready to publish. The paper’s publisher insisted the Post was returning to its roots, but outrage quickly poured in as many liberal readers canceled their subscriptions and urged others to do the same.
Nineteen opinion columnists co-signed a letter condemning the decision, at least three employees have quit in protest and many other current and former Post staffers expressed outrage on social media.
Billionaire Jeff Bezos bought the Washington Post in 2013. ((Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage) ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images)
It has been reported by the Washington Post Guild and other outlets that Bezos made the call not to offer an endorsement, but the high-powered Amazon mogul has remained mum on the issue.
The New York Times has covered the uproar occurring at its rival paper and reported that Bezos "is interested in expanding The Post’s audience among conservatives," citing a person familiar with the matter.
Bezos has informed publisher William Lewis "that he wants more conservative writers on the opinion section," the Times added.
The Washington Post declined comment. A rep for Bezos did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Washington Post has long been hostile toward former President Trump. (AP)
The Post has some conservative columnists and contributors, such as Hugh Hewitt, Marc Thiessen and George Will, but publishes far more left-leaning ones. It’s unclear if the Post will beef up its roster with additional conservatives, but much of the paper’s current staff clearly doesn’t care for Trump.
The Post has used various terms to suggest the former president is unfit for office in recent years, and recently castigated Trump's "insidious" rhetoric in recent interviews and rallies. Editorials have said he would govern "chaotically," that Harris is clearly "better" when comparing the two candidates, and that he had a "reservoir of grievance" at his Republican nomination acceptance speech.
He has an "extreme agenda" and is "unpredictable" and "outright dangerous," the Post argued earlier this year when it feared then-presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden could lose the race.
In 2016 and 2020, the Post enthusiastically endorsed Hillary Clinton and Biden against Trump. It called him "dreadful" and "uniquely unqualified" in 2016. In 2020, it referred to Trump as "the worst president of modern times."
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Fox News Digital’s David Rutz contributed to this report.
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