The Washington Post is sitting on the fence at the most dangerous time in history | Tim Adams

The paper itself has exposed the story behind its editorial refusal to endorse any candidate in the US presidential election

The theory is that journalists should report the news rather than headline it - but on Friday the Washington Post, the celebrated ally of American democracy during Watergate, broke that principle. The paper came out refusing to endorse the candidate in the forthcoming election who will defend the rule of law, against the convicted criminal who has shown time and again - not least on 6 January 2021 - that he explicitly aims to overturn it.

The Post's British chief executive, Will Lewis, wrote an editorial that stated the Post would sit on the fence for the most significant US election of modern times (bringing to mind that old truth the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to donothing").