LA Times Ripped for ‘Deplorable’ Decision to Not Endorse Kamala Harris: ‘Just Canceled My Subscription’
Los Angeles Times readers are fuming over the paper’s decision to not endorse a presidential candidate this year, with many of them posting on X that they’re canceling their subscriptions over the “deplorable” move.
Semafor reported on Tuesday the LA Times wouldn’t be endorsing either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump for president at the behest of billionaire businessman owner Patrick Soon-Shiong. The editorial board was prepared to endorse Harris and has endorsed the Democratic candidate in each of the past four elections, going back to Barack Obama in 2008.
The decision to abstain from endorsing angered a number of Harris fans who jumped on X to say they were ditching the paper.
“Mrs. Doubtfire” screenwriter Randi Mayem Singer posted she had “just canceled” her subscription over the paper’s non-endorsement. “WTF is wrong with you?” she asked.
Just canceled my subscription, @latimes. WTF is wrong with you?https://t.co/HZyKGcfnwz
— Randi Mayem Singer (@rmayemsinger) October 23, 2024
Evan Handler, best known for playing Harry on “Sex and the City,” said he was also canceling his subscription. He said he didn’t “need to spend $15.96/month to read only what Patrick Soon-Schiong [sic] allows the paper’s staff to publish.” He also called on others to cancel their subscriptions by sharing the Times’ cancelation email.
Writer Janice Hough responded to Handler, saying it was a “deplorable” move by the Times.
Deplorable. I used to love reading the LA Times as a kid visiting my grandparents. But now the Dodgers aren't the only thing to hate in Los Angeles. Got it.
— Janice Hough (@leftcoastbabe) October 22, 2024
And another longtime Times reader responded to Handler, saying he’d just canceled his subscription. “Now is a time for courage, not cowardice,” he said.
Dina Demetrius, an Emmy-winning reporter who works for CBS, posted it was “unconscionable” for the Times to not endorse Harris.
Unconscionable. “It’s unclear how he might serve a Trump administration.”https://t.co/EhKawGL4JH https://t.co/mpX63igrMx
— Dina Demetrius (@DinaDemetrius) October 23, 2024
Sports pundit Jemele Hill said the paper “abandoned” its responsibility to “disrupt and sometimes tell people the uncomfortable truth.”
The cowardice of journalists during this time is so utterly disappointing. The very nature of this job is to disrupt and sometimes tell people the uncomfortable truth. That a paper like the LA Times has abandoned that responsibility sadly speaks to where we are. https://t.co/7TzKh7tjQr
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 23, 2024
“Queer as Folk” actor Peter Paige reshared a post calling out Soon-Shiong for being friends with fellow South African billionaire Elon Musk. Paige said he wants to make Soon-Shiong’s decision “a much bigger story” than if the paper had simply endorsed Harris.
Let's make the fact that the new owner of the LA Times ORDERED his editorial staff not to make an endorsement a much bigger story than the endorsement would have been. https://t.co/F0kES046jE
— Peter Paige (@ThePeterPaige) October 23, 2024
You’re getting the idea. But here’s a few more people who were upset at the Times:
Cancel your @latimes subscription by clicking the cancel option at https://t.co/oHSYJbq56h, emailing customerservices@latimes.com or calling 213-283-2274. https://t.co/snIbry9brC
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) October 23, 2024
Sorry but this should have produced an instant mass resignation. Now it should result in the mass cancellation of LA Times subscriptions. https://t.co/TTghxfGDXu
— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) October 22, 2024
Of all the elections to sit out.
The Los Angeles Times decision to not endorse for president this year made my decision to cancel my subscription extremely easy.
They’ve coward in fear over Trump’s “Enemies will be punished” threats.
Gross, weak and pathetic.@latimes pic.twitter.com/mQ64xQUodB— SeanNyberg (@SeanNyberg) October 22, 2024
Dear @LATimes: the spineless neutrality of this decision is repugnant. Your owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, clearly doesn't give a damn about the health of our nation. That earns you a cancellation: "LA Times won't endorse Harris for president—or Trump." https://t.co/kjE4FWQien
— Lorraine Devon Wilke
(@LorraineDWilke) October 23, 2024
Message to owner Patrick Soon-Shiong of the struggling, soon to be boycotted LA Times:
On behalf of the people of California & your hard working staff: Go f-ck yourself!https://t.co/3BkcnGi4bB— Jonathan Greenberg (@JournalistJG) October 22, 2024
The angry ex-LA Times subscribers won’t have to look far for outlets that have endorsed their favorite candidate, at least. The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Atlantic, and The New Yorker, among other newspapers and magazines, have officially backed the vice president.
The post LA Times Ripped for ‘Deplorable’ Decision to Not Endorse Kamala Harris: ‘Just Canceled My Subscription’ appeared first on TheWrap.