On Jan. 19, the @nytimes editorial board will publish our choice for the Democratic nomination for president. It won’t be the first time we’ve endorsed a candidate — we’ve been doing that since 1860 — but we aim to make it our most transparent endorsement process to date. 
Historically, endorsement interviews are off-the-record — meaning nothing said leaves the room, other than the board’s final judgement.
But these aren’t typical times. The 2020 election is beginning in the shadow of voter suppression, a presidential impeachment, not to mention climate change and escalating foreign conflicts. Voters have a lot to think about in this election cycle, and we want to help.
The board comes to its decision by doing something very few in America get a chance to: sitting down with each candidate for over an hour, and asking them questions they haven’t answered before on the trail or the debate stage. Sometimes, it got personal.
In a first for @nytopinion, all presidential candidate interviews will be on the record and filmed. Next week, we'll be publishing the full, annotated transcripts online.
Our endorsement will be revealed on Jan. 19 episode of @TheWeekly on @FXNetworks, which will feature portions of candidates' interviews and the board’s deliberations. The written version will be published shortly after. And we’ll take you behind the scenes in a pop-up podcast.
You’ll get to meet the editorial board, journalists with years of experience covering elections, foreign policy, health care and law. They brought their expertise to bear on these interviews, in the hopes it'll help voters with Democrats’ complex choices this primary season.
We know not everyone will agree with our endorsement or the thinking behind it. But our goal is to present an informed view through reasoned analysis and open debate. I hope you will tune in.
In the meantime, which Democrat would you endorse? (Asking for a friend.)
P.S. And yes, friendly reminder that @nytopinion is completely separate from @nytimes newsgathering operation. We do not speak for the newsroom.
