Woodward And Bernstein Blast Washington Post's 'Surprising' Decision Not To Endorse

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the famed journalists whose reporting on the Watergate scandal for The Washington Post led to Richard Nixons resignation from the White House, questioned their former publications surprising and disappointing decision to not endorse a candidate in the 2024 presidential election.

We respect the traditional independence of the editorial page, began a joint statement from the pair, saying the papers decision ignores the Washington Posts own overwhelming reportorial evidence on the threat [GOP nominee and former President] Donald Trump poses to democracy.

Under Jeff Bezoss ownership, the Washington Posts news operation has used its abundant resources to rigorously investigate the danger and damage a second Trump presidency could cause to the future of American democracy and that makes this decision even more surprising and disappointing, especially this late in the electoral process, the statement added.

The Post had drafted an endorsement of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris before the call to stop endorsing presidential candidates came from Bezos, the papers billionaire owner, according to the newspapers own reporting on the move.

The Posts nonendorsement in this years presidential election, its first since 1988, sparked in-house condemnations along with backlash across the media, including from the papers former Executive Editor Marty Baron.

This is cowardice, with democracy as its casualty, Baron wrote on X , proceeding to name handles used by Trump and Bezos on the social platform. @realdonaldtrump will see this as an invitation to further intimidate owner @jeffbezos (and others). Disturbing spinelessness at an institution famed for courage.

Robert Kagan a former adviser to Republican John McCains 2008 presidential campaign, who last year warned that a Trump dictatorship is increasingly inevitable resigned as a Post editor at large in the wake of the papers decision.

New statement from Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein: \"We respect the traditional independence of the editorial page, but this decision 11 days out from the 2024 presidential election ignores the Washington Post's own overwhelming reportorial evidence on the threat Donald Trump

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New statement from Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein: "We respect the traditional independence of the editorial page, but this decision 11 days out from the 2024 presidential election ignores the Washington Post's own overwhelming reportorial evidence on the threat Donald Trump
Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 26, 2024

The nonendorsement arrives after Patrick Soon-Shiong, the Los Angeles Times billionaire owner, similarly blocked his newspapers editorial board from endorsing a candidate in the election, a move thats so far prompted the resignations of three editorial board members.

William Lewis, the Posts controversial publisher and CEO, on Friday told readers that his publication was returning to its roots. The newspaper regularly began endorsing presidential candidates beginning in 1976 with Democrat Jimmy Carter.

We recognize that this will be read in a range of ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate, or as a condemnation of another, or as an abdication of responsibility. That is inevitable. We dont see it that way, Lewis wrote.

We see it as consistent with the values The Post has always stood for and what we hope for in a leader: character and courage in service to the American ethic, veneration for the rule of law, and respect for human freedom in all its aspects. We also see it as a statement in support of our readers ability to make up their own minds on this, the most consequential of American decisions whom to vote for as the next president.

The Washington Post Guild, in a statement Friday , slammed Lewis message and said that the paper is already seeing cancellations from once loyal readers following the nonendorsement.

This decision undercuts the work of our members at a time when we should be building our readers trust, not losing it, the guilds leadership wrote.