New Yorker Editor-in-Chief David Remnick criticized Jeff Bezos has given a new interview, accusing the Washington Post of ending its support for Vice President Harris less than two weeks before the election.
The decision not to endorse, announced two weeks before the election, prompted resignations from the Post's editorial board and condemnation from many voices in Democratic politics and the media.
Remnick, who previously worked for the Post, weighed in on the controversy in an interview with Oliver Darcy of Sunday's Status newspaper.
“If Jeff Bezos had said two years ago that he thought all endorsements should be removed from editorial pages, we would be able to discuss this one way or another,” Remnick said. spoke.
“But when, days before an election, a threatening demagogue is the favorite to win the election, your editors are preparing support for his opponent, and you brush it off. , to do that – well, it's an act that has a very different flavor.”
washington post reported A letter of support for Harris had already been written when Bezos personally decided to block her endorsement.
Bezos, who also owns Amazon, defended his decision to break with more than 35 years of tradition in an op-ed a week before the election. He said his goal is not to advance his own business interests, as many have assumed, but to protect the Post's reputation at a time when trust in the media is eroding. spoke.
“What the president's endorsement actually does is create a perception of bias,” Bezos wrote. “A recognition of non-independence. It's a principled decision to terminate them, and it's the right decision.”
“I also want to be clear that there is no quid pro quo at work here. Neither the campaign nor the candidates were consulted or informed about this decision at any level or in any way.” “It's completely made in-house,'' Bezos added.
Mr. Bezos' decision comes as the Post is undergoing a difficult leadership change under CEO Will Lewis and struggling to reverse declining readership and revenue. According to the outlet, lost tens of thousands of subscribers Regarding the approval decision.
President Trump has repeatedly threatened to go after media outlets, including television networks, that he perceives to be damaging to him or favoring his opponents. However, during his first administration, many media outlets experienced a “Trump bump” in readership and finances.
Mr. Remnick told Darcey that he was concerned that the media business was “down” as Mr. Trump returned to office.
“We have to find new ways to make these supreme institutions work. But I don't think that's an excuse to bow to power,” he said.
