Journalist Bob Woodward, best known for his coverage of the 1960s Watergate scandal, criticized his former employer, the Washington Post, for not endorsing either candidate in the 2024 presidential race.
The announcement of this non-endorsement came less than two weeks before Election Day. The Washington Post had issued its backing to candidates since the 1980s. This week, owner Jeff Bezos announced that tradition is over, joining the Los Angeles Times and USA Today in opting not to support Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump.
“I really disagree,” Woodward said on Tuesday’s episode of ABC’s The View. “The Post thought, it has a news side and an editorial side. It’s one institution. During Watergate — can I go back 50-plus years to talk about? When Carl Bernstein and I wrote stories that were denied, the Washington Post editorial department stood squarely behind us all of the way.”
Legendary ‘Washington Post’ journalist @realBobWoodward explains why he “really disagrees” with the newspaper’s editorial board not endorsing a presidential candidate, pointing to the media outlet having both a news side and editorial side. pic.twitter.com/JKv5DCJ01w
— The View (@TheView) October 29, 2024
Woodward has also written several books on presidents, including a trilogy about Trump, and released a book on President Joe Biden’s first term earlier this month.
“I go with the idea: It’s one institution,” Woodward continued. “And it is an institution reporting about Donald Trump and what he’s done and supported by the editorial page.”
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Following the Washington Post’s decision, an estimated 200,000 readers canceled their subscriptions. Additionally, three members of the editorial board left their posts in protest. A written endorsement for Harris had already been in the works when Bezos decided to break with tradition.
Regarding the Los Angeles Times, the paper had backed the Democratic candidate since 2008. USA Today made the call on Monday.