Glenn Kessler, a former editor at the Washington Post, found it challenging to defend the publication’s stance during an appearance on “The Next Mark Halperin” on Thursday. In a piece released on Tuesday, Kessler admitted he believed that the Post’s readership leaned liberal. However, when host Mark Halperin pressed him about the potential bias in the newsroom influencing this audience, Kessler consistently denied that bias played a role.

Halperin suggested that many Washington Post reporters show more hostility toward Republicans than Democrats in their political coverage, asking Kessler if he rejected that idea entirely. Kessler responded with a laugh, asserting his disbelief in the suggestion before struggling to elaborate further.

When asked to clarify, Kessler’s responses became a bit disjointed. He seemed hesitant, mumbling through his thoughts while trying to articulate his point. He reflected on the frustration expressed by former Presidents Obama and Clinton toward the Post’s coverage, highlighting the paper’s role in holding the powerful accountable.

Kessler also criticized President Trump’s assertion that the media is the “enemy of the people.” Halperin continued pressing, inquiring if Kessler thought there were absolutely no liberal biases evident in the Post’s political and government reporting. Kessler again stammered without a focused response, leading Halperin to change tactics and ask about how previous colleagues covered elections, regardless of which party won.

Kessler responded ambiguously, claiming never to have discussed political opinions regarding election coverage with fellow Post reporters. He emphasized that he rarely found himself questioning the reasons behind conservative anger toward the paper’s reporting.

Halperin asked if Kessler thought the newsroom exuded a bias against Republicans, to which Kessler admitted the question caught him off guard again. He suggested that if he were to state “never,” it would be misleading, noting that he felt certain elements were biased toward Republicans and Trump. Still, he rejected the notion that the Post was overwhelmingly biased as claimed.

Kessler announced his departure from the Washington Post on July 28, following some controversial fact-checks related to the upcoming 2024 election. He expressed dissatisfaction with a decision to not endorse a presidential candidate for that election, criticizing how the opinion section shifted focus, which he believed turned off the paper’s left-leaning readers.

He noted that finding a balance in attracting both liberal and conservative readers had been a challenge, reflecting a desire to attract a wider audience without alienating the existing readership.