{"id":2360809,"date":"2024-10-28T22:38:02","date_gmt":"2024-10-29T02:38:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bezos-rejects-rumors-of-quid-pro-quo-in-defense-of-the-washington-posts-nonendorsement-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-10-28T22:39:38","modified_gmt":"2024-10-29T02:39:38","slug":"bezos-rejects-rumors-of-quid-pro-quo-in-defense-of-the-washington-posts-nonendorsement-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bezos-rejects-rumors-of-quid-pro-quo-in-defense-of-the-washington-posts-nonendorsement-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Bezos rejects rumors of \u2018quid pro quo\u2019 in defense of the Washington Post\u2019s nonendorsement &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">34<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbezos-rejects-rumors-of-quid-pro-quo-in-defense-of-the-washington-posts-nonendorsement-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2360809&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Jeff Bezos,\u200d owner of\u2064 the\u2062 *Washington Post*, has refuted allegations of\u200c a &#8220;quid pro quo&#8221; connected \u200dto the \u200bnewspaper&#8217;s unprecedented decision \u2062not to endorse a presidential candidate\u2062 this election year. This marks the first time since 1988 that the *Washington Post* has opted out \u200dof such \u200dendorsements, a choice that has ignited backlash among its liberal readership. In an\u200c op-ed,\u2062 Bezos explained that the decision aimed to\u200d restore the newspaper&#8217;s credibility, asserting\u200d that presidential endorsements do not <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/can-christian-voter-outreach-beat-democrats-election-machine\/\" title=\"Can Christian Voter Outreach Beat Democrats&#039; Election Machine?\">significantly influence election outcomes<\/a> and\u2063 can \u2063create perceptions of bias. He highlighted a \u2063historical precedent set by former publisher Eugene \u200bMeyer,\u2064 who similarly avoided \u200bendorsements. Bezos clarified that a recent meeting between Blue Origin\u2019s CEO Dave\u2063 Limp and former \u200bPresident Donald Trump\u200d was unrelated to this decision, firmly \u200dstating that no external pressures were \u2063involved and\u200b that\u2063 the choice was made entirely\u2063 within the organization. He \u2064expressed concern\u2063 about the paper&#8217;s declining reputation and the shift of readers to social\u2064 media and podcasts.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Bezos rejects rumors of &lsquo;quid pro quo&rsquo; in defense of the Washington Post&rsquo;s nonendorsement<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1846002\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><em>Washington Post<\/em> owner <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jeff-bezos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Jeff Bezos\">Jeff Bezos<\/a> shot down rumors of a &ldquo;quid pro quo&rdquo; regarding the newspaper&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3203416\/washington-post-presidential-endorsement-2024-trump-harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"decision not to endorse\">decision not to endorse<\/a> a presidential candidate this year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>On Friday, the <em>Washington Post<\/em> announced that it would not be endorsing a presidential candidate for the first time since 1988. The decision was personally made by Bezos himself, a decision that sparked outrage among many liberal subscribers. Bezos defended his decision in an op-ed for the paper, saying that it was a principled decision to boost the outlet&rsquo;s credibility and that there was no ulterior motive.<\/p>\n<p>In the piece, Bezos bemoaned the deteriorating position of the outlet. He argued that halting presidential endorsements was a needed step to recovering credibility and that such an endorsement wouldn&rsquo;t have a big effect anyway.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Presidential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election. No undecided voters in Pennsylvania are going to say, &lsquo;I&rsquo;m going with Newspaper A&rsquo;s endorsement.&rsquo; None,&rdquo; he wrote. &ldquo;What presidential endorsements actually do is create a perception of bias. A perception of non-independence. Ending them is a principled decision, and it&rsquo;s the right one.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>He cited the example of Eugene Meyer, the publisher of the paper from 1933 to 1946, who also refused to do endorsements.<\/p>\n<p>Bezos explained that a meeting between Blue Origin chief executive Dave Limp and former President Donald Trump was fully coincidental and had no impact on the decision not to issue an endorsement.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I would also like to be clear that no quid pro quo of any kind is at work here,&rdquo; he wrote. &ldquo;Neither campaign nor candidate was consulted or informed at any level or in any way about this decision. It was made entirely internally.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p>Upon finding out about the meeting between Trump and Limp, Bezos said that he &ldquo;sighed,&rdquo; knowing &ldquo;it would provide ammunition to those who would like to frame this as anything other than a principled decision.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;But the fact is, I didn&rsquo;t know about the meeting beforehand,&rdquo; Bezos said. &ldquo;Even Limp didn&rsquo;t know about it in advance; the meeting was scheduled quickly that morning. There is no connection between it and our decision on presidential endorsements, and any suggestion otherwise is false.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Bezos warned that the paper had been losing its credibility with the public, hemorrhaging readers to social media and podcasts. <\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Our brethren newspapers have the same issue. And it&rsquo;s a problem not only for media, but also for the nation. Many people are turning to off-the-cuff podcasts, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/u-s-surgeon-general-calling-for-censorship-yet-again\/\" title=\"U.S. Surgeon General Calling for Censorship Yet Again\">inaccurate social media posts<\/a> and other unverified news sources, which can quickly spread misinformation and deepen divisions,&rdquo; he wrote. &ldquo;The <em>Washington Post<\/em> and the <em>New York Times<\/em> win prizes, but increasingly we talk only to a certain elite. More and more, we talk to ourselves.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;While I do not and will not push my personal interest, I will also not allow this paper to stay on autopilot and fade into irrelevance &mdash; overtaken by unresearched podcasts and <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">social media barbs &#038;mdash<\/a>; not without a fight,&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p>The decision not to endorse a candidate cost the company financially, with a reported 200,000 digital subscribers, 8% of its paid circulation, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3203416\/washington-post-presidential-endorsement-2024-trump-harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"leaving\">leaving<\/a> after the announcement. Three editorial board members also resigned.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1846002\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1846002\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bezos denies &#8216;quid pro quo&#8217; claims over Post&#8217;s nonendorsement<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2653,"featured_media":2360810,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/AP24101585888058.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[15686,42383,32293],"class_list":["post-2360809","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-bezos","tag-nonendorsement","tag-washington-post"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/AP24101585888058.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2360809","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2360809"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2360809\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2360810"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2360809"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2360809"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2360809"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}