The Washington Post's humor columnist sneaks in presidential endorsement after iconic paper refused to back Kamala Harris

The Washington Post's joke columnist has penned a file successful which she shares her individual endorsement for Kamala Harris after nan newspaper withheld nan paper's planned endorsement of nan Democratic candidate. 

Alexandra Petri, who is described arsenic being a writer pinch 'a lighter return connected nan news and opinions of nan day' outlined her choice successful her file on Saturday. 

'I would beryllium a small embarrassed that it has fallen to me, nan joke columnist, to make our statesmanlike endorsement. I will spare you nan suspense: I americium endorsing Kamala Harris for president, because I for illustration elections and want to support having them,' Petri wrote.

'I’m conscionable a joke columnist. I only cognize what’s happening because our existent journalists are retired location reporting, knowing that their editors person their backs, that there’s nary 1 excessively powerful to study on, that we would ne'er propulsion a punch retired of fear.

'...if we deliberation Trump should not return to nan White House and Harris would make a good president, we’re going to beryllium capable to opportunity so. That’s why I, nan joke columnist, americium endorsing Kamala Harris by myself!' she added.

Last week it emerged really nan Post's editorial committee had written a leader file endorsing Democratic campaigner Kamala Harris, but nan portion was allegedly spiked aft nan newspaper's proprietor and Amazon recovered Jeff Bezos stepped in. 

The determination was instantly condemned by a erstwhile executive editor but 1 that nan existent patient insisted was 'consistent pinch nan values nan Post has ever stood for.' 

Such claims person been denied by nan paper's patient Will Lewis, but nan determination has roiled nan newsroom pinch much than a twelve staffers wrote their ain file slamming nan Post's determination accusing nan insubstantial of 'abandoning nan basal editorial convictions of nan newspaper that we love.'

'This is simply a infinitesimal for nan institution to beryllium making clear its committedness to antiauthoritarian values, nan norm of rule and world alliances, and nan threat that Donald Trump poses to them—the precise points The Post made successful endorsing Trump's opponents successful 2016 and 2020,' nan columnists wrote.  

In an article posted connected nan beforehand of its website, nan Washington Post - reporting connected its ain soul workings - besides quoted unidentified sources wrong nan publication arsenic saying that an endorsement of Harris complete Trump had been written but not published. 

Those sources told nan Post reporters that Amazon billionaire and Washington Post proprietor Jeff Bezos made nan decision.

The Post's publisher, Will Lewis, wrote in a column that nan determination was really a return to a contented nan insubstantial had years agone of not endorsing candidates.

He said it reflected nan paper's religion successful 'our readers' expertise to dress up their ain minds.'

'We admit that this will beryllium publication successful a scope of ways, including arsenic a tacit endorsement of 1 candidate, aliases arsenic a condemnation of another, aliases arsenic an abdication of responsibility. That is inevitable,' Lewis wrote. 

'We don't spot it that way. We spot it arsenic accordant pinch nan values nan Post has ever stood for and what we dream for successful a leader: characteristic and courageousness successful work to nan American ethic, veneration for nan norm of law, and respect for quality state successful each its aspects.'

The Post said nan determination had 'roiled' galore connected nan sentiment staff, which operates independently from nan Post's newsroom unit - what is known commonly successful nan manufacture arsenic a 'church-state separation' betwixt those who study nan news and those who constitute opinion.

Several different longtime columnists person resigned successful disgust astatine nan determination to propulsion immoderate endorsement. 

Ex-editor astatine ample and longtime columnist Robert Kagan, a blimpish Trump critic, resigned from his position successful nan editorial committee aft nan determination emerged.

Kagan suggested Bezos had group up a woody pinch Bezos and his abstraction institution Blue Origin.

Another columnist, Michele Norris, walked retired nan doorway connected Sunday penning connected X that nan determination not to endorse was a 'terrible mistake'. 

'The Posts determination to withhold an endorsement that had been written & approved successful an predetermination wherever halfway antiauthoritarian principles are astatine liking was a unspeakable correction & an reproach to nan paper's ain longstanding standard.'

The consequence from nan Post's unit has been 'uniformly outraged,' according to NPR's David Folkenflik. 

The Washington Post Guild issued a connection denouncing nan move.

'We are profoundly concerned that The Washington Post would make nan determination to nary longer endorse statesmanlike candidates, particularly a specified 11 days up of an immensely consequential election,' it read.

The 2 infamous Washington Post reporters who uncovered Watergate besides slammed nan paper's determination not to endorse a candidate. 

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein released a associated connection to CNN successful which they expressed their disappointment successful nan Post's decision. 

It said: 'We respect nan accepted independency of nan editorial page, but this determination 11 days retired from nan 2024 presidential election ignores nan Washington Post’s ain overwhelming reportorial grounds connected nan threat Donald Trump poses to democracy.

'Under Jeff Bezos’s ownership, nan Washington Post’s news cognition has utilized its abundant resources to rigorously analyse nan threat and harm a 2nd Trump presidency could origin to nan early of American democracy.

'That makes this determination moreover much astonishing and disappointing, particularly this precocious successful nan electoral process.'

Woodward and Bernstein became legends successful nan world of publicity aft they collapsed Watergate - a sordid governmental scandal that progressive nan Nixon management and his re-election campaign. 

Thanks to nan pair's investigative reporting, nan existent grade of Watergate was uncovered, and Nixon was yet forced to resign from office. 

Woodward and Bernstein aren't nan only ones who are disappointment pinch nan Post's decision, though. 

Many of nan outlet's wide readers are now pledging to cancel their subscriptions.

The paper's page editor David Shipley had already approved an endorsement of Harris and had reportedly told colleagues that it was being reviewed by nan paper's proprietor Jeff Bezos, according to NPR. 

But connected Friday CEO Will Lewis published an op-ed that nan insubstantial is returning to its 'roots of not endorsing statesmanlike candidates.'

The paper's unit learned of nan determination from page editor Shipley successful a 'tense' gathering connected Friday, according to NPR. 

Shipley told unit he owned nan determination and it was meant to create 'independent space' wherever nan insubstantial does not show group really to vote. 

However, The Post itself has reported that it was Bezos who made nan determination to not endorse a statesmanlike candidate.

'The domiciled of an Editorial Board is to do conscionable this: to stock opinions connected nan news impacting our nine and civilization and endorse candidates to thief guideline readers... The connection from our main executive, Will Lewis — not from nan Editorial Board itself — makes america concerned that guidance interfered pinch nan activity of our members successful Editorial

'According to our ain reporters and Guild members, an endorsement for Harris was already drafted, and nan determination to not to people was made by The Post’s owner, Jeff Bezos.

'We are already seeing cancellations from erstwhile loyal readers. This determination undercuts nan activity of our members astatine a clip erstwhile we should beryllium building our readers’ trust, not losing it.'

Former Post executive editor Martin Baron said: 'This is cowardice, a infinitesimal of acheronian that will time off populist arsenic a casualty. Donald Trump will observe this arsenic an invitation to further intimidate The Post’s owner, Jeff Bezos (and different media owners). 

'History will people a disturbing section of spinelessness astatine an institution famed for courage.'