Vice President Kamala Harris expressed disappointment in major liberal newspapers like The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times for choosing not to offer endorsements in the current election cycle. Both newspapers have billionaire owners who decided to quash the endorsements late in the election cycle. Harris suggested that this decision was influenced by her opponent, former President Trump, who she claimed only cares about benefiting wealthy Americans, including himself, rather than the general public. She criticized Trump for prioritizing his own interests over those of the American people.
During an appearance on “The Breakfast Club,” Harris addressed the issue of major news publications opting not to endorse a candidate in the 2024 presidential race. She suggested that Trump would offer significant tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans if he were to return to office. Harris accused Trump of only being concerned about his personal grievances and not taking into account the needs of the American people. She emphasized the importance of a president who prioritizes the well-being of the population rather than focusing solely on their own interests.
Jeff Bezos, the billionaire owner of The Washington Post, defended the newspaper’s decision not to endorse a candidate in the upcoming election. Bezos argued that endorsements do not sway election results but instead create a perception of bias among readers. He reiterated that the decision to end presidential endorsements was a principled one and stood by it. Similarly, Patrick Soon-Shiong, the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times, expressed no regrets about his paper not endorsing a candidate, citing concerns about further creating mistrust among readers.
The decisions by The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times to forgo endorsements have faced criticism from some Democrats and media pundits. The fallout included numerous canceled subscriptions to the newspapers and resignations by some staffers. MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski suggested that former President Trump may have influenced The Post’s editorial board to withdraw their endorsement of Harris in the presidential race. Despite their history of supporting Democratic candidates, The Post faced backlash for not endorsing a candidate in the current election cycle.
The Washington Post’s editorial board endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016 and President Biden in 2020, showing support for Democratic candidates in previous elections. The newspaper’s editorials about Trump have been consistently critical, with one article referring to him as the worst president in modern history. The decisions by major newspapers to refrain from endorsing a presidential candidate have sparked debate and raised questions about the influence of wealthy owners on the editorial process. The controversy surrounding these decisions has led to speculation about the role of political pressure and bias in media endorsements.
