New York Times editor Mara Gay said the paper’s Sunday night dual endorsement of Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar is meant to point out that there’s two ways forward for anti-Trump voters, but neither side is buying it.
“This is really our way of narrowing that field, and also just pointing out to voters there is more than one pathway forward here,” Gay told Morning Joe on Monday, saying Warren and Klobuchar present the best “two paths” to beat US President Donald Trump.
Conservatives have mocked the dual endorsement for being motivated by identity politics — Warren and Klobuchar are two of the last three women running for the nomination from the Democrat Party — while potential Democrat voters have slammed the New York Times for being incapable of picking one candidate.
“BREAKING: The New York Times picks both the Chiefs and the 49ers to win the Super Bowl,” conservative commentator and podcaster Ben Shapiro tweeted in response to its dual 2020 endorsement. The mocking tone was echoed by many in reaction to the paper’s editorial board not only being unable to make a clear endorsement.
“The @nytimes now with twice the wokeness,” joked ‘Justified’ actor and ‘Gosnell’ director Nick Searcy.
Conservative podcaster and Townhall columnist Derek Hunter theorized the addition of Klobuchar in the Times’ endorsement decision was simply a reluctance to throw their full weight behind the controversial Warren.
“Their heart is with Warren, but they want to continue pretending to not be a left-wing rag, so they tossed in Klobuchar knowing she doesn't stand a chance,” Hunter tweeted.
One of the most surprising aspects of a dual endorsement of Klobuchar/Warren is that the two candidates are quite different policy-wise. Klobuchar has attempted to sell herself as more of a moderate liberal, while Warren has embraced drastic policies like Medicare for All and higher tax rates on top earners.
“On one hand, the hot mess of the #nytimesendorsement is trivial as this may not change a single vote. On the other hand, we may look at this as THE moment it was clear the opposition to Trump lost its mind and couldn't get its act together,” Philadelphia Inquirer opinion columnist Will Bunch tweeted.
“That Warren and Klobuchar have little in common policy wise tells you the #nytimesendorsement wasn’t at all about issues and only about identity politics,” added user @CacccioppoliMike.
In a viral clip from the interview of the Times’ editorial board with candidate Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator suggested “maybe” the New York Times, along with the “political establishment” has failed millions of Americans who now call themselves Trump supporters.
“Maybe this ‘fresh out of f**ks’ answer explains why Bernie didn't win the #nytimesendorsement,” YouTuber and commentator Tim Black tweeted.
Actor Adam Baldwin suggested “it’s over” for Sanders after his spat with the Times.
This is the first time in the history of the New York Times that they have endorsed two candidates at the same time.
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