LA Times Makes Big Announcement

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Looks like things aren’t going so smoothly for Kamala Harris back home in California. The Los Angeles Times, a paper that has faithfully endorsed Democratic presidential candidates since 2008, was reportedly blocked from endorsing Harris this time around. And who do we have to thank for this? None other than the paper’s billionaire owner, Patrick Soon-Shiong. Yep, even in liberal California, Harris can’t seem to lock in the support she probably thought was guaranteed.

Let’s be clear: The LA Times has long been a cheerleader for the Democratic Party. They’ve backed the likes of Obama, Hillary Clinton, and even Joe Biden in his match-up against Trump. But this time? The editorial board had apparently been all set to throw their support behind Harris, only to be told to hit the brakes by Soon-Shiong. Talk about awkward. It’s like getting dressed up for a party only to find out you’re not invited.

Now, the official line is that the paper doesn’t comment on “internal discussions” about editorials or endorsements. But let’s be real—this isn’t just some behind-the-scenes squabble. When a liberal bastion like the LA Times can’t even endorse their own vice president, it says something.

The editorial board was probably getting ready to wax poetic about Harris’s groundbreaking candidacy, but Soon-Shiong decided otherwise. And, if you dig a little deeper, this isn’t even the first time he’s stepped in like this. He blocked the endorsement of Elizabeth Warren in 2020, too. So, what gives?

Soon-Shiong is no stranger to the political world. He reportedly tried to score a role in the Trump administration back in 2017, meeting with Trump a couple of times. While nothing came of it, the fact that he even entertained working with Trump suggests he’s not your average California progressive. Maybe that’s why he’s not so keen on the Times becoming Kamala’s personal PR machine.

Meanwhile, Harris is taking hits from other directions, too. Major unions like the Teamsters and the International Association of Fire Fighters—groups that once happily backed Biden—are now withholding their endorsements. It’s almost like people are starting to wonder if the Biden-Harris ticket is really worth their support this time around. And if even the LA Times can’t bring itself to wave the Harris flag, maybe there’s a reason to pause.

But don’t worry—while Harris was left off the endorsement list, the paper did manage to throw its support behind progressive candidates like Adam Schiff. Priorities, right? For all the talk about this being the “most consequential election in a generation,” the Times apparently couldn’t decide which presidential candidate to endorse.

Maybe the real takeaway here is that even within her own state, Kamala Harris isn’t exactly inspiring confidence. Whether it’s unions pulling back or newspapers getting cold feet, the cracks are starting to show. And if the LA Times is anything to go by, the Harris 2024 campaign might not be the slam dunk she expected.