Renowned Washington Post editor-at-large Robert Kagan has officially resigned from his position, citing the paper’s decision not to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election. The move comes after the Post’s leadership announced that it would revert to its traditional stance of not endorsing presidential candidates.
According to sources close to Kagan, the decision to step down was a direct result of the paper’s refusal to take a stance on the election. In a statement, Max Tani, a media editor with Semafor, confirmed that Kagan had informed him of his resignation, citing the Post‘s decision as the reason.
The Washington Post‘s decision not to endorse a candidate has sparked controversy, with former executive editor Marty Baron labeling it “cowardice.” Baron argued that the paper’s owner, Jeff Bezos, would be perceived as vulnerable to intimidation by former President Donald Trump, who has been known to target media outlets that criticize him.
The Post‘s decision is part of a broader trend, with other prominent newspapers also opting not to endorse a candidate. The Los Angeles Times, Harris’s hometown newspaper, has also refused to endorse a candidate, despite previously backing several high-profile Democratic candidates, including President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The non-endorsement of Harris has also been met with criticism from other quarters, including the Teamsters Union. Despite polling indicating that nearly 60 percent of Teamsters members supported Trump, while 34 percent expressed support for Harris, the union ultimately chose not to endorse a candidate.
