Dominant
major newspaper in
Washington,
DC and its metro area, and
America's second
serious national newspaper (after the
New York Times -- I don't consider
USA Today a serious newspaper).
Editorial slant is liberal but pragmatic and non-partisan (at least, their editorial masthead reads "The Washington Post -- An Independent Newspaper"), although usually supporting Democratic individuals and initiatives. The counter to this in the Washington area is the Washington Times, a conservative and overtly Republican editorial page.