Washington Put up proprietor Jeff Bezos defended the paper’s option to not endorse a 2024 presidential candidate just a few weeks earlier than the election, arguing it wouldn’t have made a distinction anyway.
Liberal staffers publicly condemned the choice to not endorse Vice President Kamala Harris after a draft had reportedly already been written. There have been resignations from Put up staffers and editorial board members, a mass exodus of subscribers and Bezos even needed to defend the “principled choice” in a uncommon op-ed.
Bezos was requested concerning the choice on Wednesday as he was interviewed by New York Instances columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin at DealBook Summit 2024.
After recalling the historical past of The Put up, citing how the group traditionally didn’t endorse candidates up till after Watergate, he defined, “We simply determined that, you recognize, it wasn’t going to assist … it wasn’t going to affect the election both manner.”
Washington Put up proprietor Jeff Bezos defended his alternative for the outlet to not endorse a candidate shortly earlier than the 2024 election. (The New York Instances DealBook Summit 2024 Dwell/posted by Andrew Sorkin)
“There is no proof that newspaper endorsements affect elections,” Bezos mentioned. “No unbiased voter in Pennsylvania at the moment was gonna say, ‘Oh! Is that what the Washington Put up thinks? Properly, then I will do this.’ In order that wasn’t going to occur.”
“We simply determined that the pluses of [an endorsement] had been very small and it added to the notion of bias,” he continued. “On the identical time, you recognize, we’re battling the problem that each one conventional media is battling, which is a really troublesome and important lack of belief.”
He mentioned the media not solely must be correct, however the folks must consider it is correct.
Sorkin learn significantly scathing rebukes of the non-endorsement from former Put up government editor Marty Baron and journalist David Remnick, however Bezos stood his floor.
Andrew Ross Sorkin and Jeff Bezos communicate onstage throughout The New York Instances Dealbook Summit 2024 at Jazz at Lincoln Heart on December 04, 2024 in New York Metropolis. ((Picture by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Photographs for The New York Instances))
“We made this choice, it was the best choice. I am happy with the choice we made, and it was removed from cowardly as a result of we knew there can be blowback, and we did the best factor anyway,” he mentioned.
Sorkin proceeded to deliver up the backlash, similar to 250,000 folks canceling their subscriptions, asking if Bezos’ try to revive belief within the media had backfired and as a substitute made them extra cautious of it.
“No, I do not observe that logic,” Bezos mentioned, later including that he was not shocked by the backlash, “You’ll be able to’t do the mistaken factor since you’re apprehensive about dangerous PR or no matter it’s you need to name it. This was the best choice. We made the best choice. I am very happy with that call.”
When Bezos expressed his optimism about Trump’s subsequent presidency, Sorkin pressed him concerning the president-elect’s contentious relationship with the media, having referred to them because the “enemy.”
“I’ll attempt to speak him out of that concept. I do not assume the press is the enemy. And I do not assume, you recognize, he is additionally… You have in all probability grown within the final two years. He has, too. Like, it is, you recognize, this isn’t the case. The press shouldn’t be the enemy,” Bezos mentioned.
He later added, “Let’s go persuade him of this. You and I ought to go. Let’s go speak to him.”
Fox Information’ Brian Flood contributed to this report.