Media

Newsweek - Martin Baron, the former executive editor of The Washington Post, slammed the newspaper's decision not to endorse in the 2024 presidential race. William Lewis, the Post's publisher, announced on Friday that the newspaper will not endorse Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump in the presidential race. Lewis described the decision as a return "to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates."

The decision sparked pushback from Baron, who served as editor from 2012 to 2021. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he warned the newspaper's owner, Jeff Bezos, about what not endorsing in the race could mean. "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," Baron posted. Baron told NPR the decision is "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). History will mark a disturbing chapter of spinelessness at an institution famed for courage," he said.