Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein have spoken out following The Washington Post‘s decision to stop endorsing presidential candidates.
The legendary journalists shared a joint statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, addressing the decision to revert to an old policy the publication had in which it remained impartial.
“We respect the traditional independence of the editorial page, but this decision 11 days out from the 2024 presidential election ignores The Washington Post‘s own overwhelming reportorial evidence on the threat Donald Trump poses to democracy,” the statement read.
They continued, “Under Jeff Bezos’ ownership, The Washington Post’s news operation has used its abundant resources to rigorously investigate the danger and damage a second Trump presidency could cause to the future of American democracy and that makes this decision even more surprising and disappointing, especially this late in the electrical process.”
On Friday, the publication announced it would not endorse Kamala Harris or Donald Trump in this year’s presidential election, a decision that it has not made since 1988. Instead, The Washington Post will let readers decide which candidate it supports and maintain this policy moving forward.
A memo was released to staff in which CEO Will Lewis wrote: “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.”
In an attempt to preempt criticism about the decision, Lewis explained that it had nothing to do with the candidates.
“We recognize that this will be read in a range of ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate, or as a condemnation of another, or as an abdication of responsibility. That is inevitable,” the memo continued. “We don’t see it that way. We see it as consistent with the values The Post has always stood for and what we hope for in a leader: character and courage in service to the American ethic, veneration for the rule of law, and respect for human freedom in all its aspects. We also see it as a statement in support of our readers’ ability to make up their own minds on this, the most consequential of American decisions — whom to vote for as the next president.”
