Shortly after the Post’s announcement, Trump hosted executives from Blue Origin, Bezos’ space company that has a $3.4 billion contract with NASA to send astronauts to the moon. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who broke the Watergate scandal at the Post, called the decision “surprising and disappointing,” especially so close to the election.
The decision of billionaires Jeff Bezos, owner of the Washington Post, and Patrick Soon-Shiong of the Los Angeles Times not to endorse either candidate for the White House, even though their editorials had already been prepared in both cases in support of Kamala Harris sparked controversy and protests from journalists and readers. After publishing an article signed by editor William Lewis to break the news and assert that the lack of support does not undermine the values ​​of the paper, as this was a relatively recent tradition (since 1976 with Jimmy Carter) and it is right for the readers to decide for themselves, the journalists have published an article clarifying that the one who “blocked” the publication of the article was the owner of the newspaper (and Amazon) Jeff Bezos, the second richest man in the world, after Elon Musk.
Commentator Robert Kagan resigned: “Anyone who is as much a part of the American economy as Jeff Bezos obviously wants to have good relations with whoever is in power.” Shortly after the Post’s announcement, Trump hosted executives from Blue Origin, Bezos’ space company that has a $3.4 billion contract with NASA to send astronauts to the moon. Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who broke the Watergate scandal at the Post, called the decision “surprising and disappointing,” especially so close to the election.
Pulitzer Prize-winning columnists have written in the same newspaper that it is a terrible mistake and fear for the newspaper’s objectivity in the future. Stephen King canceled his subscription (and so did other readers). There were also protests at the Los Angeles Times: the journalist at the head of the newspaper’s board resigned; but the owner’s daughter, Nika, writes on social networks that it is right not to give the endorsement “to a candidate who is ‘overseeing’ a war against children” (an obvious reference to Gaza). Kamala Harris made headlines at rallies with Beyoncé and Michelle Obama, talking about abortion rights, one of her strong points (especially among female voters). Beyoncé invited Americans to vote “not as a celebrity or as a politician, but as a mother.” But Harris’s tone showed some anxiety: “Enthusiasm is good. But I want to talk about the work we have to do.”
Trump, boldly, invited people to “dream big” in Michigan, where he brought several Muslim leaders to the stage. He was three hours late for an interview with Joe Rogan, the king of podcasts popular with young male listeners, to whom the White House candidate said the “enemy within” in America is worse than a dictator. North Korean Kim Jong-un, that he would replace income taxes with obligations, that there could be life on Mars.
Tomorrow he will be at Madison Square Garden, New York, surrounded by Musk and Robert Kennedy. He had long wanted to hold a rally there: it is the place where Marilyn Monroe sang “Happy Birthday Mr. President” for JFK, where Bill Clinton spoke at the 1992 Democratic convention. The New York Times recalls that in 1939, 20,000 pro-Nazis held a rally there. But Trump knows he’ll be the center of attention, and that’s exactly what he wants.(world.al)
