Tech journalist Kara Swisher has been trying to gather a group of wealthy people to buy the Washington Post from Jeff Bezos.
The podcaster told Axios of her plans, arguing that although Bezos does not currently want to sell the paper, the Amazon owner will eventually change his mind.
Swisher, who started her career at the Post’s mailroom, says Bezos will want to get rid of the paper because it has become a ‘managerial nightmare.’
‘The Post can do better’ she told the outlet.
‘It’s so maddening to see what’s happening. … Why not me? Why not any of us?’
Swisher admitted that if Bezos wants to sell, there would be a long line of suiters.
‘Hopefully not Elon,’ Swisher said. ‘Though he seems pretty busy these days being President (Not) Elect.’
Back in October, the newsletter Status reported that Swisher was ‘interested in assembling a consortium of wealthy investors to make a bid for the paper.’
Swisher told Axios that she would not be opposed to Bezos remaining at the company as an investor, but the paper would be run by ‘a board of civic-minded people.’
Liberals were outraged by the Post’ decision to not endorse a candidate for the 2024 presidential election.
A Harris endorsement had been drafted and was being reviewed by Bezos, according to the paper’s page editor David Shipley but was spiked just 11 days before the election.
At least one Post editor resigned following the move, which saw the paper lose hundreds of thousands of subscribers.
However, publisher Will Lewis rejected claims that Bezos was involved in the endorsement decision.
‘Reporting around the role of The Washington Post owner and the decision not to publish a presidential endorsement has been inaccurate,’ Lewis said.
‘He was not sent, did not read and did not opine on any draft. As Publisher, I do not believe in presidential endorsements.
‘We are an independent newspaper and should support our readers’ ability to make up their own minds.’
He added the move is not, ‘tacit endorsement of one candidate, or as a condemnation of another’.
The announcement marked the first time in 36 years that the paper has decided to not make a presidential endorsement and the timing of the decision has raised eyebrows.
‘To declare a moment of high principle, only 11 days before the election that is just highly suspect that is just not to be believed that this was a matter of principle at this point,’ Former Post editor Marty Baron said.
He noted that Donald Trump has ‘continually’ threatened Bezos and anyone who he deems a political enemy.
‘If their philosophy is readers can make up their own minds on the big issues that they face in this democracy, then don’t run any editorials,’ Baron said.
The Post’s move came the same week that the Los Angeles Times announced a similar decision, which triggered the resignations of its editorial page editor and two other members of the editorial board. In that instance, the Times’ owner, Patrick Soon-Shiong, insisted he had not censored the editorial board, which had planned to endorse Harris.
‘As an owner, I’m on the editorial board and I shared with our editors that maybe this year we have a column, a page, two pages, if we want, of all the pros and all the cons and let the readers decide,’ Soon-Shiong said in an interview with Spectrum News. He said he feared endorsing a candidate would add to the country’s division.
In August, the newly rebranded Minnesota Star Tribune also announced it would no longer endorse candidates. The paper is owned by billionaire Glen Taylor, who also owns the Minnesota Timberwolves. Its publisher is Steve Grove, who was economic development commissioner in the administration of Gov. Tim Walz — Harris’ running mate.
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