For the first time in 36 years the Washington Post will not endorse a presidential

candidate this election.

Publisher and CEO Will Lewis explained the decision saying, quote, we recognize that this

will be read in a range of ways including

as an abdication of responsibility. We don't see it that way. We see it as consistent

with the

statement in support of our reader's ability to make up their own minds.

That comes after the Los Angeles Times publisher blocked a planned endorsement

to Vice President Kamala Harris.

Both papers are owned by billionaires

and their potential role in all of this

is now being questioned.

For a closer look, I'm joined now by Sewell Chan,

executive editor of Columbia Journalism Review.

So it's good to see you.

We should know too that you have worked at the Washington Post

and the LA Times, you have led the Texas Tribune.

So you have some insight into how these kinds of decisions are made, but what do we know about what went down behind the scenes at the Washington Post, how this decision was made?

Well, Amna, we know that it was made rather suddenly.

The editorial writers, and I reported who they are,

had begun drafting this editorial and had gone through the normal process that a very important

editorial or endorsement like this would have gone through.

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