Inside The Washington Post's Decision to Stop Presidential Endorsements

A tropical storm was approaching Florida's Gulf Coast in late September when key figures from a major newspaper flew into Miami for a meeting with the newspaper's owner. The attendees included the opinion editor and the chief executive and publisher, who discussed future plans for the opinion section during a working lunch and dinner.

The impending election, less than 45 days away, was a major topic of discussion. Following the meeting, it became apparent that the owner had reservations about the newspaper endorsing either candidate. However, he seemed open to persuasion.

The owner's ultimate decision to end the paper's longstanding practice of endorsing presidential candidates became public on Friday, drawing criticism from within and outside the newspaper. This decision followed further discussion as the leaders advocated for maintaining the tradition so close to the election. The editorial board had already drafted an endorsement of a candidate, though the owner had not reviewed it beforehand.

The decision had been developing for weeks, but the exact motivations and timing remain unclear.