Not to be outdone by Patrick Soon-Shiong and the Los Angeles Times, billionaire Jeff Bezos has apparently also killed his paper’s endorsement of Kamala Harris. Declaring the paper’s lack of an endorsement just 11 days before the election is a breathtaking act, one which can only be viewed as political, no matter how much the publisher tries to cover his ass with nonsense excuses. It’s also something I simply can’t stomach. Though I’ve long been a Washington Post subscriber, that ended on Friday.

In addition to cancelling, I took the time to write to the paper about this, because it matters.

Today, I learned that rather than endorsing Kamala Harris as the paper’s editors intended, the Washington Post would not be endorsing a candidate in the 2024 US presidential election. My understanding is that this is a direct result of interference from owner Jeff Bezos. Allowing ownership to interfere with editorial in this way is a cardinal sin.

As a result, I have cancelled my subscription to your publication. It’s important that you know the two things are directly connected.

Will Lewis, you claim that this is “returning to your roots”. That is a pathetic excuse for what is, at best, cowardice. Perhaps the most charitable interpretation of this is that both you and Jeff Bezos are afraid of the fallout, should a second Trump term come to pass. You should be, because we all should be. But to allow that fear to influence your editorial decisions, and to prevent you from making the endorsement your editorial team wished to make, is a sickening dereliction of duty.

Even in your piece, you said “in 1976 for understandable reasons at the time, we changed this long-standing policy and endorsed Jimmy Carter as president.”. What, in your mind, were those understandable reasons? Was Gerald Ford a fascist? Did he claim he would be a dictator on day one? Or seek to have generals like Hitler’s? Did he provoke an attempted coup? Did he do any of the incredibly long list of horrendous things Donald Trump has done? You know the answer, and I suspect in your heart, you know that this is wrong.

I hope the powers that be at the Washington Post can find their spines and do what’s right. An endorsement of Kamala Harris is, quite simply, a must. Anything less is kowtowing to Trump, and all the awful he represents.

Interestingly, the Post has published both pieces from their own staff ripping this decision, as well as scornful letters from readers. Approximately no one has been supportive of this hideous blunder. Perhaps that can be a lesson to other publishers out there.

In the meantime, it’s clearly time for another new motto for the Post. Of the options proposed by Slate back in 2017, “Vulgar Displays of Power” seems most apt.

In the meantime, I will once again urge my American readers to get out there and cast their vote for Kamala Harris, and then help others vote too. Visit vote.org to get started.