This week, Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, expressed her dismay over the lack of endorsement from some noteworthy newspapers during the tense final stages of the 2024 presidential race. Her reveal came amid a candid conversation on the popular talk show, ‘The Breakfast Club.’
When the talk show co-host, Charlamagne Tha God, probed into her thoughts on major publications, notably The LA Times and The Washington Post, stepping back from backing a presidential candidate, Harris was open with her disappointment. However, she swiftly pivoted the conversation towards the significance of her contender in this race, Donald Trump.
‘Indeed, it is disappointing, Charlamagne,’ she opined, then quickly steering the conversation back to the competition at hand. ‘Yet, what we’re discussing really circles back to my point on who Donald Trump actually is.’
‘After all,’ Harris continued, ‘he is the one who stands shoulder-to-shoulder with me on this political battlefield. Some of your audience may already be aware, while others might not fully grasp the fact, that within Donald Trump’s circles lie the ultra-rich.’
The headline last week was dominated by the surprising news that The Los Angeles Times, contrary to anticipations, decided not to back any candidate in the presidential race. A widespread expectation had been that the newspaper would likely endorse its fellow Californian, Harris.
It was The Washington Post that dropped the next bombshell. As we entered the final sprint towards the elections, the influential newspaper declared an abrupt end to the practice of presidential endorsements, setting a clear precedent for the future.
In a defying move, the editorial board of The Washington Post announced a new policy—’The Washington Post will not be endorsing any candidate for the presidency in this or any future election.’ They portrayed this decisive shift as an honest return to their journalistic roots, firmly renouncing any kind of presidential candidate endorsement.
USA Today followed suit, becoming the third titan of the print media to shy away from making a presidential endorsement in the race. Thus, we saw a distinct pattern forming in the lead up to the election, one that drove a narrative of independence among influential media outlets.
A spokesperson for USA Today came forward to explain the recent decision: ‘Our network, inclusive of all USA TODAY publications, will refrain from endorsing any presidential or national races.’ The decision echoes the sentiments of its peers – a cumulative move towards endorsing journalistic neutrality and independence in the race towards the presidency.
This course of non-endorsement by major publications possibly signposts an era where vocal neutrality is prioritized over choosing sides, especially for influential newspapers. While traditionalists may bemoan the collapse of the longstanding custom of endorsements, others view it as a necessary evolution, valuing the objectivity this stance offers.
Nevertheless, the series of unendorsements undeniably cast a pall over Harris, who admittedly saw them as a blow. Despite this, she kept her focus firmly anchored on her competitor, Donald Trump, and the implications of his connections to the wealthy elite.
Undoubtedly, these decisions, and the motivations behind them, will continue to incite debates in journalistic and political circles. The tradition of endorsements and the influence it brings into the political races have long been a part of our democratic process.
Hence, it seems important not to understate the weight of these printing giants’ choices. As much as these might ostensibly constitute retreats from the political field, they are more accurately seen as strategic repositionings, which might yield novel insights and impacts on how we perceive elections.
The electoral battlefield in 2024 has changed. Candidates now find themselves navigating uncharted territories where former allies have chosen to withhold their backing. How this will shape future campaigns and, more importantly, voter perception and behavior, remains a question worthy of our fullest attention.
Kamala on the refusal of many of the nation’s biggest media outlets to endorse her: “It gets back to my point about who is Donald Trump because he is the one, right, who is up for election with me.” ? pic.twitter.com/oYOvypPKja
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 29, 2024