Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and owner of The Washington Post, defended the newspaper’s decision to stop endorsing presidential candidates as a way to maintain credibility and combat perceptions of political bias. Bezos argued that presidential endorsements do not sway elections and only create a perception of bias, so ending them is a principled decision. The announcement that The Post would no longer make endorsements sparked backlash from readers, staff members, and social media influencers, resulting in a loss of digital subscribers and staff resignations. Bezos denied claims that he made the decision to stop issuing endorsements, stating that there was no involvement from Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump. He also clarified that a meeting between a business executive and Trump was unrelated to the decision. Bezos emphasized that he will not allow The Post to fade into irrelevance and believes in the importance of a credible, trusted, and independent voice in the media landscape. Despite resignations from editorial board members who believed endorsing Harris over Trump was crucial, Bezos stood by the decision to remain impartial in the presidential election. The non-endorsement came in the wake of the Los Angeles Times also announcing they would not back either candidate, with reports suggesting that the owner prevented the editorial page from endorsing Harris. The decisions by both newspapers reflect a shift away from traditional political endorsements in favor of maintaining journalistic integrity and impartiality.
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Jeff Bezos stands by Washington Post’s choice to abstain from endorsing presidential candidates just before election
