‘Fundamentally saddened’: Washington Post readers on failure to endorse Harris
GuardianOct 23
Ex-WaPo Editor: Bezos Struck 'Quid-Pro-Quo' Deal With Trump
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The Facts
Former Washington Post editor-at-large Robert Kagan, who resigned last Friday following the paper's decision not to endorse a candidate in the US presidential election, has alleged that The Post's owner, Jeff Bezos, struck a secret deal with former Pres. Donald Trump to drop its planned endorsement of Vice Pres. Kamala Harris.
Kagan claims that Trump met with executives at Blue Origin — Bezos' space exploration company — the same day as The Post's announcement and there was a "quid pro quo" agreement to end the paper's decades-long practice of endorsing a presidential candidate.
The Spin
Republican narrative
The Post's decision to refrain from endorsing a presidential candidate is a step toward true journalistic neutrality. It allows readers to form their own opinions without undue influence from the paper. The allegations of a quid pro quo are baseless and ignore the publisher's stated reasons for the decision.
Democratic narrative
The decision not to endorse a candidate is a cowardly move that undermines democracy. It's a clear example of corporate interests bowing to political pressure, potentially sacrificing journalistic integrity for financial gain. This sets a dangerous precedent for media self-censorship and could further erode press freedom.
