Ex-WaPo editor Martin Baron calls the paper's lack of an endorsement "cowardice" and says Trump will see it as "an invitation to further intimidate" Jeff Bezos (Marty Baron/@postbaron)

Mediagazer: Ex-WaPo editor Martin Baron calls the paper's lack of an endorsement “cowardice” and says Trump will see it as “an invitation to further intimidate” Jeff Bezos (Marty Baron/@postbaron)

Top News:

Washington Post:

Sources: Washington Post editorial staffers had drafted an endorsement of Harris for president, and then Jeff Bezos made the decision not to publish it— Publisher Will Lewis explained the decision as a return to the newspaper's roots. — For the first time in 36 years …
Discussion: NPR, Salon, The Verge, The Hill, The Wrap, Columbia Journalism Review, CNBC, Rolling Stone, @maxwelltani, Newser, Associated Press, The Bulwark, @whstancil, @ianbassin, UPI, @emilybell, @stevenray@sfba.social, Iowa Starting Line, Janine Vanderburg on LinkedIn, @fraying@xoxo.zone, @kibblesmith, Washington Examiner, Gizmodo, @jbouie@threads.net, @ycombinator@rss-mstdn …, @vladaknowlton@threads.net, @davew@threads.net, @kimberlyeatkins@threads.net, @1elizabeth_jacobs@threads.net, @eric_ginsburg@threads.net, The Guardian, @ericschmeltzer@threads.net, @karenattiah@threads.net, Dovi Frances on LinkedIn, MeidasTouch News, @davidfolkenflik, @steinkobbe, @froomkin, @michaelhobbes.bsky.social, @maxwelltani, @pwnallthethings.bsky.social, @bymikedavis, @fenitn, @brianstelter, @sarahjeong.bsky.social, @Nonilex@masto.ai, @heidilifeldman@mastodon …, Alternet.org, KDFX-TV, GeekWire, @brooklynmarie.bsky.social, @zeblarson@hcommons.social, @suldrew@xoxo.zone, @aaronschaffer.com, @marisakabas.bsky.social, @daveweigel.bsky.social, @c_9@mstdn.ca, @robsonfletcher@mas.to, @harrymccracken@mastodon …, PinkNews, Townhall, New York Post, Adweek and New York Times

Discussion:

David Folkenflik /
NPR: ‘Washington Post’ won't endorse in White House race for first time since 1980s

Dan Froomkin /
Salon: Billionaires have broken media: Washington Post's non-endorsement is a sickening moral collapse

Elizabeth Lopatto /
The Verge: Jeff Bezos reportedly killed the Washington Post's Kamala Harris endorsement

Dominick Mastrangelo /
The Hill: Bezos made decision to kill Harris endorsement, reports Washington Post

JD Knapp /
The Wrap: Washington Post Resignations and Cancellations Begin, Guild Says Bezos Axed Endorsement: ‘Management Interfered’

Sewell Chan /
Columbia Journalism Review: The Washington Post opinion editor approved a Harris endorsement. A week later, Jeff Bezos killed it.

Nikki McCann Ramirez /
Rolling Stone: Washington Post Staff Is Furious That Bezos Nixed Presidential Endorsement

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: Scoop: Washington Post editor at large Robert Kagan confirms to me that he resigned from the Post following today's decision not to endorse in the presidential race.

Jenn Gidman /
Newser: In Surprise, Washington Post Won't Endorse

Ted Anthony /
Associated Press: Washington Post becomes the second major US newspaper to decline to endorse a presidential candidate

Jonathan V. Last /
The Bulwark: The Guardrails Are Already Crumpling

Will Stancil /
@whstancil: Again: if you work in journalism, and you're horrified at the WaPo decision, the best thing you can do is finally commit yourself to covering Trump's threat to democracy with the vigor it deserves, starting TODAY. Just hours ago he threatened to round up critics. Talk about it.

Ian Bassin /
@ianbassin: If billionaires and newspapers are refusing to endorse against Trump *before* he's even in power, imagine how they'll act when he can direct the federal govt against them. Imagine how the press will act after FOUR years of this. How will voters get accurate information in 2028?

Emily Bell /
@emilybell: Imagine owning a news organisation where one of your journalists was hacked to death by a dictator, and then not doing *everything* in your power to defeat his fans and enablers... @stevenray@sfba.social: “This is cowardice, a moment of darkness that will leave democracy as a casualty. Donald Trump will celebrate this as an invitation to further intimidate The Post's owner, Jeff Bezos (and other media owners),” former Post executive editor Martin Baron, who led the paper while Trump was president, said in a text message to The Post. …

Isabel Soisson /
Iowa Starting Line: How Trump exploited a willing media to convince Americans that nothing matters

Janine Vanderburg /
Janine Vanderburg on LinkedIn: “Democracy dies in darkness.” Or, in the light of day, The Washington Post? — #Cowardice — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Derek Powazek /
@fraying@xoxo.zone: If you wanna read something great, just this one time, read the comments on this story. Every one is livid. 10k so far and coming in too fast to keep up with. — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... [image]

Daniel Kibblesmith /
@kibblesmith: I am canceling my subscription to the incognito window I read free Washington Post articles in.

Ross O'Keefe /
Washington Examiner: Washington Post announces it won't endorse presidential candidate for first time since 1988

Jamelle Bouie /
@jbouie@threads.net: unbelievable to me that institutions like the washington post are rolling over in advance for an addled old man who is visibly falling apart before our eyes. disgraceful @ycombinator@rss-mstdn.studiofreesia.co m: Jeff Bezos kills Washington Post editorial board presidential endorsement — https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... #ycombinator

Vlada Knowlton /
@vladaknowlton@threads.net: Yes, during this very frightening period, when we are understandably expressing outrage at all the news media cowards bowing down to fascism, this is an important reminder to recognize and thank all the journalists fighting the good fight and reporting the truth about the GOP's fascist candidate. …

Dave Winer /
@davew@threads.net: Do not obey in advance.

Kimberly Atkins Stohr /
@kimberlyeatkins@threads.net: If this was really about “returning to our roots” y'all would have made this call before the election season started. We see you. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Elizabeth Jacobs /
@1elizabeth_jacobs@threads.net: TL;DR of Washington Post non-endorsement announcement: The race is too close and Jeff Bezos may have all the money but he's morally bankrupt.

Eric Ginsburg /
@eric_ginsburg@threads.net: A reminder who controls mainstream media. https://www.cnbc.com/...

Lois Beckett /
The Guardian: Los Angeles Times sees resignations and loss of subscriptions after owner blocks Harris endorsement

Eric Schmeltzer /
@ericschmeltzer@threads.net: There is nothing - nothing - keeping the editorial boards of the LA Times and Washington Post from publishing their endorsements online, on Substack or elsewhere, and explaining in blunt terms why they were silenced by their own newspaper. In fact, I would very highly urge them to do so, immediately.

Karen Attiah /
@karenattiah@threads.net: Today has been an absolute stab in the back. What an insult to those of us who have literally put our careers and lives on the line to call out threats to human rights and democracy.

Dovi Frances /
Dovi Frances on LinkedIn: Shocking - One of the most left wing publication in the Americas The Washington Post, with 11 days left for the elections …

Aaron Parnas /
MeidasTouch News: Washington Post Editor At Large Resigns Over Newspaper's Non-Endorsement: Report

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: UPDATE: Robert Kagan confirms to NPR that he has resigned from WaPost editorial board after disclosure it would not make an announcement. Kagan has been a persistent conservative critic of Trump, tying him to an autocratic tradition. Uniformly outraged response from staff. @steinkobbe: That's crazy can't believe one of the good liberal billionaires would do that. The ultra rich have historically been so good at fighting fascism

Dan Froomkin /
@froomkin: To honor Kagan, read his marvelous 2023 op-ed about Trump as dictator. https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ...

Michael Hobbes /
@michaelhobbes.bsky.social: People are going to spin this as “I can't believe you rubes think the WaPo endorsement would have moved any votes” but it's not about the poll results, it's about elite institutions doing the bare minimum to stave off authoritarianism.

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: Opinion staff at WaPo are furious about the paper's endorsement decision. Several are contemplating what action to take, ranging from resigning, quitting the board, or a statement. “If you don't have the balls to own a newspaper, don't,” one Post opinion employee tells me. @pwnallthethings.bsky.social: WaPo losing subscriptions won't impact Bezos much; he won't care. Amazon losing a bunch of prime subscribers and their black friday sales being lower than expected will cause more alarm at the meetings he attends

@pwnallthethings.bsky.social:
for folks cancelling their WaPo subscriptions, I get it, but consider also cancelling your Amazon Prime membership or deciding to buy things later this year from another retailer

Mike Davis /
@bymikedavis: I don't have much of an issue with newspapers not endorsing candidates. In 2024, they aren't moving the needle one bit. But to decline to do so two weeks be for an election simply in an act of fence-sitting, so you can curry favor with whoever wins? That's cowardice.

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: Kudos to the @washingtonpost media reporting team today (and every day!)

Sarah Jeong /
@sarahjeong.bsky.social: i will defend anyone's right to cancel a subscription as an act of conscience. that said, this may be relevant to those thinking about it: — wapo news desk was the first to publish that bezos had a direct hand in killing the endorsement, and that's *fucking wild as shit* @Nonilex@masto.ai: And straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak: — “An #endorsement of #KamalaHarris had been drafted by The #WashingtonPost editorial page staffers but had yet to be published, acc/to 2 sources briefed on the sequence of events who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. …

Heidi Li Feldman /
@heidilifeldman@mastodon.social: Here's former Washington Post executive editor Marty Baron saying what needs to be said about the Post's decision not to endorse a Presidential candidate: “This is cowardice, a moment of darkness that will leave democracy as a casualty. ... …

David Badash /
Alternet.org: ‘Cowardice’: Washington Post faces backlash after refusing to endorse in presidential race

Kurt Schlosser /
GeekWire: Jeff Bezos blamed for spiking Washington Post's presidential endorsement of Kamala Harris

Brooke /
@brooklynmarie.bsky.social: I've never liked the “benevolent billionaire” model of journalism and feel pretty validated in that dislike now [embedded post]

Zeb Larson /
@zeblarson@hcommons.social: Whatever else is true (and a lot is true), 2024 is the year where national media in the U.S. revealed how hopelessly inadequate it is, at all levels. I don't fault reporters or individual editorialists: this is an indictment of its leadership and its business structure. …

Aaron Schaffer /
@aaronschaffer.com: A statement from Post Guild leadership on the Washington Post's decision to not endorse a presidential candidate [image]

Marisa Kabas /
@marisakabas.bsky.social: let me make something perfectly clear: the endorsements are a secondary issue. this is about billionaires exerting control over the editorial process. freedom of the press is under direct threat. [embedded post]

Dave Weigel /
@daveweigel.bsky.social: “The decision not to publish was made by The Post's owner — Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.” — I worked at the paper for seven years and Bezos never interfered with a thing. This is five-alarm fire stuff. — www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/ ...

Cameron MacLeod /
@c_9@mstdn.ca: Jeff Bezos in 2013: “I understand the critical role the Post plays in Washington, D.C., and our nation and the Post's values will not change. Our duty to readers will continue to be the heart of the Post, and I am very optimistic about the future,” Bezos said in a statement. https://www.pcmag.com/... …

Robson Fletcher /
@robsonfletcher@mas.to: “This is cowardice, a moment of darkness that will leave democracy as a casualty,” former Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron said. — “Donald Trump will celebrate this as an invitation to further intimidate The Post's owner, Jeff Bezos (and other media owners). …

Harry McCracken /
@harrymccracken@mastodon.social: Not a great sign that it's the CEO writing this note to readers. He shouldn't be involved in this decision. https://www.npr.org/...

Sophie Perry /
PinkNews: Beyoncé set to join Kamala Harris at Texas rally New York Post: WAPO staffers think owner Jeff Bezos holding up Kamala Harris endorsement | Reporter Replay

Brad Pareso /
Adweek: Two More LA Times Editorial Writers Quit Over ‘Chickens—’ Owner's Block of Harris Endorsement

Katie Robertson /
New York Times: L. A. Times Editorial Chief Quits After Owner Blocks Harris Endorsement

RELATED:

NPR:

The Washington Post will not endorse a presidential candidate in the 2024 election, “nor in any future election,” writes CEO Will Lewis in a note to readers— Even though the presidential race between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris remains neck and neck …

Discussion:
Washington Post, The Hollywood Reporter, The Hill, Fox News, The Guardian, Media Nation, @brianstelter, New York Times, The Wrap, New York Magazine, CNN, Washington Times, Vanity Fair, The National Pulse, Breitbart, New Republic, @bgrueskin, @tvietor08, acecomments.mu.nu, @maxwelltani, HuffPost, The Gateway Pundit, @brhodes, The Moderate Voice, @davidu, Business Insider, Deadline, Le Monde.fr, The Daily Caller, @swelljoe@mas.to, @mikeisaac, @igb@mastodon.hccp.org, @martyswant, @ilvestoomas, @drewsav, @nkulw, @dfeldman.bsky.social, ZeroHedge News, @jonnelledge, @deggans, @jessicalessin, @mlbellar@universeodon.com, @abbymcdonald, @mikiebarb, @mccartneywp, @rexhuppke, @semaforben, @markjacob16, @davekarpf.bsky.social, @pblest, @zurch.bsky.social, @janemayernyer, @robertbalkovich, @blogoftheirown, @benjaminwittes …, @cgasparino, @sjjphd.bsky.social, @davekarpf.bsky.social, @dylanbyers, @virtualbri@mastodon.online, @jimstewartson, @dfeldman.bsky.social, @kashana.bsky.social, Michael Learmonth on LinkedIn, @benmullin, @radleybalko.bsky.social, @jesseltaylor.bsky.social, @kevin_kinkead, @leahmcelrath, @ditzkoff, @danpfeiffer, @greene.haus, @jamellebouie.net, @heerjeet, @statindy, @greene.haus, @tomcoates, @bri_sacks, @touge@hachyderm.io, @tomtomorrow.bsky.social, @davekarpf.bsky.social, RedState, freebeacon.com, Barrett Media, HotAir, Status and r/Journalism

Discussion:

William Lewis /
Washington Post: On political endorsement — A note from the publisher: — William Lewis is publisher …

Alex Weprin /
The Hollywood Reporter: Washington Post Surprise: Paper Now Won't Endorse Presidential Candidates

Dominick Mastrangelo /
The Hill: Washington Post reels from Bezos decision to not endorse Fox News: Washington Post editor at large quits after paper declines to endorse presidential candidate

Anna Betts /
The Guardian: Washington Post says it will not endorse candidate for first time in 30 years

Dan Kennedy /
Media Nation: Jeff Bezos, too, shows Trump ‘anticipatory obedience’; plus, death for sale, and Billy Penn at 10

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: Washington Post's announcement: “The Washington Post will not be making an endorsement of a presidential candidate in this election. Nor in any future presidential election. We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates.”

Sean Burch /
The Wrap: Washington Post Won't Endorse a Presidential Candidate for First Time in 36 Years

Ed Kilgore /
New York Magazine: Before Harris Snub, Washington Post Refused to Endorse Doomed Dukakis

Hadas Gold /
CNN: Washington Post will not endorse a candidate in 2024 presidential election, breaking decades of tradition

Jeff Mordock /
Washington Times: Washington Post won't endorse presidential candidate for first time in decades

Natalie Korach /
Vanity Fair: “Cowardice”: Washington Post Blasted for Not Endorsing in 2024

Wendell Husebø /
Breitbart: Washington Post Snubs Kamala Harris with Non-Endorsement

Adrienne Mahsa Varkiani /
New Republic: Washington Post Slams Gutless Jeff Bezos for Shocking Endorsement News

Bill Grueskin /
@bgrueskin: Here's the thing about these LAT/WPost non-endorsements. They're unimportant politically; few votes would be swayed. But the billionaire owners are (intentionally or not) sending a signal to the newsrooms: Prepare to accommodate your coverage to a Trump regime. [image]

Tommy Vietor /
@tvietor08: The WaPo endorsing Harris would move exactly zero voters her way, but still lol at this cowardly shit from the crew that brought us “democracy dies in darkness” acecomments.mu.nu: Confirmed: Washington Post Will Not Endorse Kamala; Leftwing Activists Pretending to be Journalists Cope and Seethe

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: Opinion staff at WaPo are furious about the paper's endorsement decision. Several are contemplating what action to take, ranging from resigning, quitting the board, or a statement. “If you doin't have the balls to own a newspaper, don't,” one Post opinion employee tells me.

Sara Boboltz /
HuffPost: Washington Post Declines To Make Presidential Endorsement For First Time In Decades

Cristina Laila /
The Gateway Pundit: IT'S OVER: In Huge Blow to Kamala Harris, the Washington Post Won't Endorse a Presidential Candidate For First Time Since 1980s After Tense Meeting with Editor

Ben Rhodes /
@brhodes: There is no logic that isn't damning as to why the Washington Post and LA Times feel they can endorse in every local, state and federal election other than a presidential race.

Kathy Gill /
The Moderate Voice: Washington Post joins LA Times in journalistic malpractice: neither paper will issue presidential endorsement

David Ulevitch /
@davidu: Incredible to see the major cracks appearing as a result of the constant media lies (on Kamala, on Trump, on Biden, on Israel, on Europe, etc.). They can't say the truth about Kamala nor can they endorse a man they compare to Hitler, so WaPo now, and LA Times endorse nobody—Wild! [image]

Geoff Weiss /
Business Insider: Washington Post reports that owner Jeff Bezos stopped it from endorsing Kamala Harris

Nicole Silverio /
The Daily Caller: Washington Post Won't Endorse 2024 Presidential Candidate

Joe Cooper /
@swelljoe@mas.to: The billionaires who own the largest media are putting their thumbs on the scale with more enthusiasm of late. I guess there's no point in owning the media, if you can't use it to lower your taxes at the expense of literally every other human on earth. https://www.npr.org/...

Rat King /
@mikeisaac: the throughline is tech corporate stewardship and bracing for a trump presidency big tech moguls who dont own media companies doing the same even if you believe editorial board influence is waning in the internet age, i cant see how this does anything but neuter them further

Marty Swant /
@martyswant: For context, here is @oliverdarcy's report from this week: https://www.status.news/... [image] @ilvestoomas: When major newspapers begin pre-emptively to self-censor you can no longer trust their content. My parents saw this when the Sovs occupied Estonia. Friends from a number of once liberal democracies have seen it. We always see it in the dimming crepuscular light before a @drewsav: These newspapers are making strange decisions given that their subscriber base is overwhelmingly Democrats.

Noah Kulwin /
@nkulw: “We” has never meant Jeff Bezos this much

Daniel Feldman /
@dfeldman.bsky.social: I've been speculating for a while that the media wasn't going gloves-off on Trump because they feared retaliation if he wins. I never expected them to just come out and say it though! [embedded post]

Jonn Elledge /
@jonnelledge: well this feels fucking stupid @deggans: The Washington Post makes it official: It has published a statement from its publisher saying that, for the first time in many years, it will not endorse a candidate in the presidential race, though it has endorsed candidates in other races. https://www.cnn.com/...

Jessica Lessin /
@jessicalessin: A person could make interesting arguments on both sides of whether today, a newspaper should endorse a political candidate or whether readers should care. But you cannot argue changes in policy at washpo and Latimes within two weeks of an election— as the polls tip slightly more @mlbellar@universeodon.com: “Fascism comes to America” - the silence of bent knees — If we the people survive this election, Never Forget, Never Forgive. — https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ ...

Abby McDonald /
@abbymcdonald: Democracy dies in darkness, except when 43% of our potential customer base prefers the darkness, in which case it's a valid viewpoint that must be respected by keeping the lights off for everyone.

Michael Barbaro /
@mikiebarb: A WaPo endorsement for president had been written and was ready to publish before Jeff Bezos decided the paper would not endorse. [image]

Robert McCartney /
@mccartneywp: There are reports that The Washington Post may decline to endorse anyone for president. It would be first time that's happened since 1988. There's speculation in newsroom that owner Jeff Bezos may want to avoid risk of endangering Amazon's government contracts if Trump wins.

Rex Huppke /
@rexhuppke: These are not good signs. I don't think newspaper endorsements matter much anymore, honestly, but the reluctance to do them suggests timidity and a fear of retribution from Trump. That ain't the way news organizations are supposed to function.

Ben Smith /
@semaforben: Just... impossible timing for this announcement to be read as a statement of principal

Mark Jacob /
@markjacob16: As fascism rose in America, the Washington Post adopted the slogan “Democracy dies in darkness.” Now WaPo has turned cowardly, skipping a presidential endorsement to appease Trump. Perhaps WaPo will change its slogan to: Democracy dies in our silence. https://www.npr.org/... @davekarpf.bsky.social: This is extraordinary on three levels. (All of them bad. We're talking levels-of-hell here, obviously.) — 1. From a narrow business perspective, news orgs like WaPo benefitted in 2017-21 by branding themselves as courageous journalistic defenders of democracy. — (...) [embedded post]

Anthony Zurcher /
@zurch.bsky.social: Newspaper editorials have been dying for a while. A vestigial organ from a different era, like an appendix. This year is going to speed along their demise.

Jane Mayer /
@janemayernyer: When Bezos brought in Lewis, a Murdoch guy, the handwriting was in the wall.

Robert Balkovich /
@robertbalkovich: Legacy media is facing a red alert crisis. If the paper whose slogan is “Democracy Dies in Darkness” cannot bring itself to endorse the candidate running against someone vowing to destroy press freedom there needs to be some kind of serious intervention and change. @blogoftheirown: It just reeks of integrity for the WaPo to wring their hands over whether to risk Bezos's wrath by endorsing Kamala....while still proudly displaying the “Democracy dies in darkness” slogan they added after the 2016 election.

Benjamin Wittes /
@benjaminwittes@thecooltable.wtf: As a longtime member of the Washington Post editorial page staff, this genuinely shocks me. My thoughts are with my former colleagues. And I'm just going to say out loud that this would never have happened under Fred Hiatt or Meg Greenfield. Never. — https://www.npr.org/...

Charles Gasparino /
@cgasparino: woke reporters over there are losing their minds

Sarah J. Jackson /
@sjjphd.bsky.social: It's almost like there's an argument to be made that billionaires shouldn't control newspapers or universities

@davekarpf.bsky.social:
(2) This decision is obviously some mix of “we would like access if Trump wins,” “we would like Trump not to attack our business if Trump wins, and “we would like Trump not to punish our owner's other companies if Trump wins. All of those reasons are semi-rational, but extraordinarily cowardly.

Dylan Byers /
@dylanbyers: Marty Baron, famed former Washington Post editor of the Democracy Dies in Darkness era, weighs in >

Brian Tatosky /
@virtualbri@mastodon.online: https://www.npr.org/... MSM is not on your side, example #12313141 — #USPol #WashingtonPost @jimstewartson: I cannot imagine a more disgraceful move by a newspaper I grew up with—whose motto is “Democracy dies in darkness.” Just devastating to see once great institutions be laid so low. However, and this is important, now you will get to really see who is who. Never let them forget.

Daniel Feldman /
@dfeldman.bsky.social: (Keep in mind Bezos' own marriage was blown up due to retaliation during the first Trump campaign. So he has some experience with this.)

Michael Learmonth /
Michael Learmonth on LinkedIn: What's unconscionable about this is the timing: fine to say you're getting out of the presidential endorsements business …

Ben Mullin /
@benmullin: new: Washington Post publisher Will Lewis explains why The Post won't be endorsing for president: [image]

Radley Balko /
@radleybalko.bsky.social: I don't know how this ends, but it's now abundantly clear that It Could Happen Here. — I'll never get over the craven blind-eyeing and preemptive supplication from people, groups, and institutions who ought to know better. — I hope voters bail us out. But we've been tested. And too many have failed. @jesseltaylor.bsky.social: democracy dies in darkness, but we exhibited massive moral cowardice at noon eastern when the sun was out, so

Kevin Kinkead /
@kevin_kinkead: find me one person under the age of 30 who cares about newspaper political endorsements

Leah McElrath /
@leahmcelrath: To be fair, the @washingtonpost said, “Democracy dies in darkness.” They never said they wouldn't participate in killing it in broad daylight.

Dan Pfeiffer /
@danpfeiffer: The @washingtonpost endorsement moves less than zero votes in a presidential race, but announcing this with 10 days to go right after Trump's COS says he's a fascist is so dumb. Proving once again there is no one worse at PR than media companies

Greg Greene /
@greene.haus: WaPo leadership then: “Democracy dies in darkness.” — now: (*hits the dimmer switch, sets mood lighting*) [embedded post]

Jamelle /
@jamellebouie.net: a free press is essential to democracy but these specific institutions are not www.npr.org/2024/10/25/n...

Jeet Heer /
@heerjeet: Billionaires know that Trump will exact revenge if they endorse Harris and he wins but that Harris will not exact revenge if she wins and they didn't endorse anyone. That's what these non-endorsements are about.

Sherrod Brown Dem /
@statindy: Insane actually. WaPo endorses all the time for Virginia/Maryland/DC elections

Greg Greene /
@greene.haus: Exactly. More nonprofit news co-ops, please, and more policy at the federal level to nurture and subsidize them. Enough waiting for billionaires or Godot to save us; we'll have to do it ourselves. [embedded post]

Tom Coates /
@tomcoates: Genuinely cannot imagine a scenario where a serious journalistic organization ought to be rising to the occasion and articulating the clarity of the choice. They're like, “Hannibal Lecter vs. Clarice Starling - reasonable people can come to different positions about who is best”

Brianna Sacks /
@bri_sacks: We won a Pulitzer for public service for our coverage of the Jan. 6 insurrection

Mike Tougeron /
@touge@hachyderm.io: What the actual $*&?!? With all of their editorial posts, criticisms of #Trump, warnings about what his presidency would entail, etc, they decide not to endorse #Harris?!? What a spineless, weak, pitiful decision. How can they make all of those claims yet not endorse her? … @tomtomorrow.bsky.social: With all respect to many talented and thoughtful journos within the system, big media has failed spectacularly.

@davekarpf.bsky.social:
(3) the only POSSIBLE defense of this decision is “eh, our editorial statements don't really matter anyway.” — And y'know what? That's semi-true. The election outcome isn't going to hinge on Will Lewis possessing a spine or a conscience. — But you cannot run a newsroom if you don't think it matters.

Susie Moore /
RedState: YUGE: WaPo Declares It Will Not Endorse a Presidential Candidate This Election

Matthew Xiao /
freebeacon.com: Washington Post Declines To Endorse a Presidential Candidate For First Time Since 1980s, Angering Editorial Staff Barrett Media: News Media Reacts to Washington Post Failing to Endorse Candidate in 2024 Presidential Election

Oliver Darcy /
Status: A Puzzle at The Post — The Washington Post building. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Semafor:

WaPo editor-at-large Robert Kagan quits after the late move to not endorse in the presidential race; source: subscription cancellations are unusually high— The Scoop — The Washington Post's leadership recently sought meetings with the Democratic and Republican nominees for president …

Discussion:
Mediaite, The Wrap, The Hill, HotAir, @elienyc, @smurfburger.bsky.social, Townhall and Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion

Discussion:

Isaac Schorr /
Mediaite: Washington Post Editor-at-Large Robert Kagan Resigns Over Paper's Decision Not to Endorse Kamala Harris

Sharon Knolle /
The Wrap: Washington Post Had Kamala Harris Endorsement Ready to Go Before Jeff Bezos Nixed It

Dominick Mastrangelo /
The Hill: Washington Post not endorsing presidential candidate for first time in decades

David Strom /
HotAir: Jennifer Rubin to Resign From Washington Post?

Elie Mystal /
@elienyc: I'm getting sick of people saying “cancelling subscriptions hurts the writers not the owners.” It's an objectively true statement that lacks the context of: A. Well if we're being real about NOTHING *hurts* billionaires. Being a billionaire literally buys you out of consequences

Rebecca Downs /
Townhall: Another Major Newspaper Won't Make an Endorsement for President

@postbaron:

Ex-WaPo editor Martin Baron calls the paper's lack of an endorsement “cowardice” and says Trump will see it as “an invitation to further intimidate” Jeff Bezos— On political endorsement https://www.washingtonpost.com/ ... This is cowardice, with democracy as its casualty. @realdonaldtrump will see this as an invitation to further intimidate owner @jeffbezos (and others). Disturbing spinelessness at an institution famed for courage.

Discussion:
The Hill, Mediaite, Status, The Wrap, Salon, NPR, Business Insider, @wajahatali, @ecgreaves, The Gateway Pundit, Raw Story and New York Post

Discussion:

Ashleigh Fields /
The Hill: Marty Baron on Post endorsement choice: ‘This is cowardice’

Diana Falzone /
Mediaite: ‘This is Cowardice’: Ex-Washington Post Editor Marty Baron Slams Paper For Declining Presidential Endorsement

Oliver Darcy /
Status: Democracy Dies in Darkness

Sean Burch /
The Wrap: Washington Post Readers Revolt Over ‘Shameful’ Decision to Not Endorse Kamala Harris

Charles R. Davis /
Salon: “This is cowardice”: Ex-editor blasts Washington Post after Jeff Bezos blocks Harris endorsement

David Folkenflik /
NPR: Washington Post won't endorse a presidential candidate

Peter Kafka /
Business Insider: The Washington Post and LA Times just stepped into a bigger political mess than the one they tried to avoid

Wajahat Ali /
@wajahatali: “Don't obey in advance” was the first warning by Timothy Snyder, an authoritarianist expert, on how to fight tyranny. Washington Post bent both knees.

Dr. Ellen Greaves /
@ecgreaves: @WajahatAli @IAmPoliticsGirl Ignoring its vaunted history of publishing the Pentagon Papers despite a court's temporary restraining order after Nixon went after the NY Times. Ben Bradlee & Kathryn Graham knew that if they caved to Nixon the reputation of the Post would be irreparably harmed.

Ben Kew /
The Gateway Pundit: Mayhem at Washington Post After Bezos Kills Harris Endorsement - Staff Threatening to Quit and Denounce Company

Tom Boggioni /
Raw Story: ‘Plain old cowardice’: WaPo publisher facing wave of outrage over endorsement snub

Semafor:

Two more members of the Los Angeles Times editorial board have resigned over the paper's decision not to endorse a candidate in the 2024 presidential election— The Scoop — Two more members of the Los Angeles Times editorial board resigned on Thursday over the paper's decision …

Discussion:
The Wrap, The Guardian, Status, Mediaite, New York Post, New York Times, @semaforben, Fox News, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, @maxwelltani@threads.net, @marisakabas.bsky.social, @margarita.bsky.social, Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit, Townhall, The Hill, Columbia Journalism Review, The Hollywood Reporter, SFGATE, The Independent, Washington Times, Deadline and The San Francisco Standard, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Ross A. Lincoln /
The Wrap: Two More LA Times Editorial Writers Quit Over ‘Chickens—’ Owner's Block of Kamala Harris Endorsement | Exclusive

Oliver Darcy /
Status: Turbulence at the Times — Amid the current upheaval, the Los Angeles Times has notably refrained …

David Gilmour /
Mediaite: Three LA Times Editorial Staffers Quit In Protest After Owner Vetoed Kamala Harris Endorsement

Alexandra Steigrad /
New York Post: Two more LA Times editors quit after owner calls off Kamala Harris endorsement

Ben Smith /
@semaforben: More fallout at the LA Times, @maxwelltani scoops https://www.semafor.com/...

Fox News:
LA Times union begs readers not to cancel the subscriptions that pay their salaries after blasting owner

Mary Chastain /
Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion: Los Angeles Times Editorial Editor Resigns After Owner Didn't Allow Presidential Endorsement

Maxwell Tani /
@maxwelltani@threads.net: Karin Klein, another LA Times editorial board member, tells me she has also resigned https://www.semafor.com/...

Maxwell Tani /
@maxwelltani@threads.net: NEW: LA Times editorial board member Robert Greene tells me he has also resigned from the paper over the decision not to endorse in the 2024 presidential race, as well as the statement yesterday from owner Patrick Soon-Shiong.

Marisa Kabas /
@marisakabas.bsky.social: masterful gambit, pat. [image]

Margarita Noriega /
@margarita.bsky.social: Los Angeles expects more from the LA Times than silence. www.cjr.org/business_of_...

Jim Hᴏft /
The Gateway Pundit: LA Times Owner Exposes Editorial Board's Bias After Refusing to Draft Balanced Analysis of Trump and Kamala Harris Policies — Opts for Silence Instead of Informing Voters

Leah Barkoukis /
Townhall: Here's What the LA Times' Editorials Editor Did After Owner Decided Not to Run Presidential Endorsement

Juliann Ventura /
The Hill: L.A. Times editorial editor quits after owner blocks plans to endorse Harris

Sewell Chan /
Columbia Journalism Review: Mariel Garza, editorials editor of the Los Angeles Times, resigns after the outlet's owner blocked the editorial board's plans to endorse Harris for president

Katie Kilkenny /
The Hollywood Reporter: Los Angeles Times Editorial Page Editor Resigns Following Paper's Decision Not to Endorse Presidential Candidate

Farley Elliott /
SFGATE: LA Times editor quits after billionaire owner blocked paper's presidential endorsement

Josh Marcus /
The Independent: LA Times editorials editor quits after billionaire owner reportedly blocked paper from endorsing Harris

Victor Morton /
Washington Times: Los Angeles Times editor resigns over owner's refusal to endorse Kamala Harris

Ted Johnson /
Deadline: Los Angeles Times Editorials Editor Resigns Over Owner's Decision Not To Endorse In Presidential Race The San Francisco Standard: L.A. Times opinion editor quits after billionaire owner kills endorsement

Axios:

Sources: Meta strikes a multi-year deal with Reuters to use its news content to provide real-time answers to user queries in Meta AI chatbot, a first for Meta— - Meta has backed away from news content in its platforms' main feeds amid regulatory scrutiny, but news content may prove harder …

Discussion:
The Verge, Reuters, iPhone in Canada Blog, The Wrap, The Information, @sarafischer, Engadget, Talking Biz News and Hindustan Times, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Mia Sato /
The Verge: Meta signs its first big AI deal for news

Aditya Soni /
Reuters: Meta Platforms to use Reuters news content in AI chatbot

Sean Burch /
The Wrap: Meta Strikes AI Deal With Reuters

Sylvia Varnham O'Regan /
The Information: Meta Strikes AI Deal With Reuters

Sara Fischer /
@sarafischer: NEW: @Meta's first news deal in the AI era... $META has struck a multi-year deal with @Reuters to use its news content for real-time answers to user queries about news in its Meta AI chatbot - Reuters is a fact checking partner but never had news tab deal https://www.axios.com/...

Sarah Fielding /
Engadget: Meta AI gains access to Reuters news content in multi-year deal

Chris Roush /
Talking Biz News: Reuters strikes AI deal with Facebook

BBC:

Three journalists have been killed in Lebanon by an Israeli airstrike on a building known to be housing reporters, whose courtyard had cars marked “press”— Three journalists have been killed in an Israeli airstrike on a building known to be housing reporters in south-eastern Lebanon, witnesses have told the BBC.

Discussion:
Associated Press: An Israeli airstrike on a journalist compound kills 3 TV staffers, state news says

Josh Dickey /
The Wrap: Israeli Airstrike Kills 3 Hezbollah-Aligned Journalists as They Sleep in Lebanon Guest House Committee to Protect Journalists: 3 killed, 3 hurt in Israeli strike on journalists' compound in Lebanon

Ramy Inocencio /
CBS News: Israel accused of killing journalists in Lebanon strike and children as troops storm Gaza hospital National Union of Journalists (NUJ): NUJ condemns killing of three Lebanese journalists by Israeli air strike

Raya Jalabi /
Financial Times: Three journalists among those killed in Israeli air strikes in Lebanon Algemeiner.com: Israel and Hezbollah Trade Fire Across Lebanon Border, Blinken Calls for Urgent Resolution

David MacRedmond /
TheJournal.ie: Israel kills three journalists in ‘deliberately targeted’ strike in south Lebanon

The Atlantic:

A profile of Mike Solana, a Peter Thiel protégé whose Pirate Wires newsletter and podcast became popular among “anti-woke” tech figures since the “techlash”— Mike solana has opinions. Here are a few of them: Building stuff is good.

Discussion:
@micsolana, @jcbeam, @adriennelaf and @micsolana, more at Techmeme »

Discussion:

Mike Solana /
@micsolana: my house was only cramped for a little while growing up, and my parents always worked (my dad just moved from drywall to teaching). I don't hate talking “about” peter, I hate talking FOR him, because I don't want to mischaracterize his opinions. I only manned the PR inbox at FF

Chris Beam /
@jcbeam: Spent some time with Mike Solana, the Peter Thiel protégé whose work provides a glimpse into how some of Silicon Valley's most powerful people think: https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...

Adrienne LaFrance /
@adriennelaf: A great profile of Mike Solana, the hilarious and pugnacious mind behind Pirate Wires, the latest anti-media media startup for VCs and VC wannabes: https://www.theatlantic.com/ ...

Mike Solana /
@micsolana: a few things in here I would have characterized differently, a few characterizations I disagree with, and a couple points missing context, but this is an essentially honest piece on my history to pirate wires, and I'm happy I participated

Adweek:

Nonprofit Notus names Brad Bosserman as CRO, who says the site will have ads and sponsors; the newsletter has a five-figure subscriber base and ~20 fellows— The nonprofit news organization will have a three-pronged approach to revenue — The nonprofit Allbritton Journalism Institute …

USA Today:

A poll of 1,000 likely US voters finds 72% had not seen Kamala Harris on a podcast and 77.5% had not seen a Trump podcast appearance— An exclusive USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll asked respondents whether they caught campaign appearances by Harris and Trump on podcasts.

Discussion:
New York Post, Inside Radio, @danielstrauss4, @brianstelter, Reuters, Poynter, The Texas Tribune and Austin American-Statesman

Discussion:

Diana Glebova /
New York Post: How Barron Trump has been influencing his dad's presidential run — and helping him reach younger voters

Lori Lewis /
Inside Radio: Candidates Embrace Podcasts, But Is It Working? Here's What One Survey Shows.

Daniel Strauss /
@danielstrauss4: Watch this become the new normal for campaigning 👇

Brian Stelter /
@brianstelter: A new USA TODAY/Suffolk U poll finds that 1 in 4 American adults have heard Kamala Harris on a podcast and 1 in 5 have heard Donald Trump - impressively high totals if you ask me https://www.usatoday.com/...

Reuters:

UMG releases a Spanish version of “Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree” using Sound Labs' Mic Drop and says it shows how AI use can be respectful of artists— Universal Music Group (UMG.AS) on Friday released a Spanish version of country music star Brenda Lee's 1958 hit song …

Discussion:
Billboard, TechCrunch, Digital Music News, Stereogum, Rolling Stone, Music Ally and Music Business Worldwide

Discussion:

Kristin Robinson /
Billboard: Brenda Lee's ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree' Re-Released in Spanish Using AI Technology

Brian Heater /
TechCrunch: Classic Christmas song gets authorized Spanish reworking thanks to ‘responsible’ AI

Dylan Smith /
Digital Music News: Nearly 70 Years Later, ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree' Is Available in Spanish Thanks to ‘Responsibly-Trained AI’

Chris Deville /
Stereogum: Brenda Lee Releases AI-Generated Spanish Version Of “Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree”

Stuart Dredge /
Music Ally: AI gives a Brenda Lee Christmas classic a Spanish makeover

NPR:

Recent moves at the Los Angeles Times and NBC News, and the lack of a Washington Post presidential endorsement, raise concerns that owners are appeasing Trump— Recent episodes involving major U.S. news organizations have stoked fears that outlets are preemptively self-censoring coverage …

Discussion:
New York Post, The Guardian, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wrap, San Francisco Chronicle, Associated Press, ZeroHedge News, Forbes, @maxwelltani, CNN, Balloon Juice, The Present Age, @jbrand07, @pattmlatimes, @mattdpearce, Raw Story, Newser, @_hamilton_matt, Deadline, Crooks and Liars, The Boston Globe, Media Nation, @sbasspersonal, @azi, @bgrueskin, @davidfolkenflik, TVNewsCheck, The Gateway Pundit, Matt Pearce, Vanity Fair, Blaze Media, Washington Times, Poynter, Breitbart, MediaPost, HuffPost, acecomments.mu.nu, Washington Examiner, Daily Mail, Fox News, Axios, UPI, Bloomberg and Semafor

Discussion:

Alexandra Steigrad /
New York Post: Jeff Bezos reportedly killed Washington Post's Kamala Harris endorsement: ‘This is cowardice’

Margaret Sullivan /
The Guardian: The Washington Post and LA Times refused to endorse a candidate. Why?

Daniel D'Addario /
Variety: As L.A. Times and Washington Post Kill Presidential Endorsements, Do Editorial Pages Still Matter?

Zoe G. Phillips /
The Hollywood Reporter: More Editors Exit Los Angeles Times Amid Paper's Presidential Endorsement Scandal The Wrap: LA Times Owner's Daughter Nika Soon-Shiong Praises Non-Endorsement of Kamala Harris: ‘Overseeing a War on Children’

Sara Libby /
San Francisco Chronicle: The real problem with the Washington Post and L.A. Times endorsement decisions

Associated Press:
Two more LA Times editorial board members resign after the paper withholds a Harris endorsement

Tyler Durden /
ZeroHedge News: “Dangerous Times” - LATimes Editor Quits After Owner Strikes Down Kamala Endorsement

Conor Murray /
Forbes: Ex-Editor Baron Decries ‘Disturbing Spinelessness’ Of Washington Post Not Endorsing For President

Max Tani /
@maxwelltani: NEW: LA Times editorial board member Robert Greene tells me he has also resigned from the paper over the decision not to endorse in the 2024 presidential race, as well as the statement yesterday from owner Patrick Soon-Shiong.

Jon Passantino /
CNN: Two more Los Angeles Times editorial board members resign amid turmoil over blocked Harris endorsement

Parker Molloy /
The Present Age: Playing It Safe Is Risking Democracy: Media's Silent Endorsement of Authoritarianism

Jessica Brand /
@jbrand07: It is hard to describe what a loss this is. @robrtgreene was one of the most important, moral columnists in America on the critical issues of our time. @pattmlatimes: .@robrtgreene won a Pulitzer Prize for his wise, informed, invaluable writing about how government at every level works, and doesn't. This is a serious blow to the paper, a serious loss for readers, and for me, a gut-punch loss of a great colleague and friend.

Tom Boggioni /
Raw Story: ‘Anticipatory obedience’: Major media outlets accused of withholding fire on Trump

Jenn Gidman /
Newser: LAT Loses Subscribers, More Staff After Endorsement Uproar

Matt Hamilton /
@_hamilton_matt: Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Robert Greene is smart, deeply knowledgeable about L.A. County, and a decent colleague. His departure is a huge loss.

Zac Ntim /
Deadline: Two More LA Times Editors Exit Over Owner's Decision Not To Endorse In Presidential Race

Ed Scarce /
Crooks and Liars: Two More Editorial Writers At The LA Times Quit Over Blocked Endorsement

Dan Kennedy /
Media Nation: More fallout from the LA Times; plus, the Sun shines in Colorado, and news deserts spread

Steve Bass /
@sbasspersonal: I don't know how much endorsements matter. However, if owners are fearful about endorsements, will they stand behind critical reporting? Raises questions for sure.

Azi™ /
@azi: “One of the central media stories in the U.S. right now is the people who run big media companies making accommodations for a second Trump presidency and thinking about how to avoid antagonizing him” — @semaforben

Bill Grueskin /
@bgrueskin: This behavior by the Washpost edit page — and the editors' unwillingness to be upfront about it — is bizarre. Smacks of “anticipatory obedience” as @TimothyDSnyder would put it. Via @davidfolkenflik Link below [image]

David Folkenflik /
@davidfolkenflik: Did the L.A. Times and other news outlets pull punches to appease Trump? My story for NPR - (with cameos from @semaforben & @ianbassin) https://www.npr.org/...

Sara Fischer /
TVNewsCheck: Meta Strikes Multi-Year Deal With Reuters

Jim Hᴏft /
The Gateway Pundit: REPORT: Far-Left Washington Post Staffers Furious as Jeff Bezos Allegedly Blocks Kamala Endorsement, Fearing Trump's Inevitable White House Comeback Matt Pearce: That doesn't make any sense, Patrick — An embarrassing and avoidable episode for the owner of the Los Angeles Times.

Natalie Korach /
Vanity Fair: Los Angeles Times Owner's Attempt at 2024 Neutrality Backfires

Chris Enloe /
Blaze Media: LA Times owner tells the truth about Kamala Harris non-endorsement fiasco — and it exposes the rot in journalism

Mallory Wilson /
Washington Times: L.A. Times owner says editorial board was given choice, ‘chose to remain silent’ on endorsement

Tom Jones /
Poynter: The Los Angeles Times won't endorse a candidate for president. Its owner offers a nonsensical explanation

Paul Bois /
Breitbart: Los Angeles Times Editor Resigns After Owner Blocks Kamala Harris Endorsement

Ray Schultz /
MediaPost: Editorials Editor Of ‘The Los Angeles Times’ Resigns Over Blocked Endorsement

Marita Vlachou /
HuffPost: Los Angeles Times Editor Resigns After Owner Blocks Presidential Endorsement

Jenny Goldsberry /
Washington Examiner: Los Angeles Times editorials editor quits when owner won't endorse Harris

Germania Rodriguez Poleo /
Daily Mail: LA Times boss says editors were asked to come up with ‘fair’ analysis of Trump AND Kamala - but chose not to

Fox News:
LA Times editor resigns over the paper not endorsing Harris for president: ‘Not okay with us being silent’

Rebecca Falconer /
Axios: LA Times editor resigns after owner blocks Harris endorsement plans

Sheri Walsh /
UPI: L.A. Times editorials editor quits over decision to withhold presidential endorsement

Christopher Palmeri /