Steve Martin

Bezos has not interfered at all in the news coverage as far as I can tell. I've heard nothing of the sort. And every day they're producing one scoop after the next and telling the public what it needs to know about their government.

Well, only in the last several weeks where I've been very disappointed. I started commenting just before the election last year when The Washington Post made when Jeff Bezos made the decision to kill an editorial endorsing Kamala Harris for president. They had been endorsing for president consistently since 1976, with only one exception when George Bush and Michael Dukakis were the candidates.

Well, only in the last several weeks where I've been very disappointed. I started commenting just before the election last year when The Washington Post made when Jeff Bezos made the decision to kill an editorial endorsing Kamala Harris for president. They had been endorsing for president consistently since 1976, with only one exception when George Bush and Michael Dukakis were the candidates.

And so I felt that was the wrong decision. It came only 11 days before the election itself. I think it was a demonstration of fear on basis as part about reprisals from Donald Trump. I described it then in a tweet as as cowardice, as cowardly and spineless. And and, you know, since then, there have been a number of steps that Jeff Bezos has taken that caused me a lot of concern.

And so I felt that was the wrong decision. It came only 11 days before the election itself. I think it was a demonstration of fear on basis as part about reprisals from Donald Trump. I described it then in a tweet as as cowardice, as cowardly and spineless. And and, you know, since then, there have been a number of steps that Jeff Bezos has taken that caused me a lot of concern.

Amazon making a million-dollar donation to the inauguration, Bezos making a pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago at that dinner, having conversation with Melania Trump about this supposed documentary that would be made about her life, for which she herself would be the executive producer. Amazon, two weeks later, paying $40 million for the rights to that so-called documentary.

Amazon making a million-dollar donation to the inauguration, Bezos making a pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago at that dinner, having conversation with Melania Trump about this supposed documentary that would be made about her life, for which she herself would be the executive producer. Amazon, two weeks later, paying $40 million for the rights to that so-called documentary.

three times the amount of the next highest bidder, Bezos appearing on the dais during the inauguration as if he were a trophy for Donald Trump, along with all the other tech executives, subsequently making a decision that the opinion pages

three times the amount of the next highest bidder, Bezos appearing on the dais during the inauguration as if he were a trophy for Donald Trump, along with all the other tech executives, subsequently making a decision that the opinion pages

would only include opinions that were consistent with his own, as he described it, as personal liberties and free markets, essentially a libertarian philosophy, it sounds like, although he did not explain it in any detail whatsoever. And so it's been one thing after the next, and I've been very concerned about it.

would only include opinions that were consistent with his own, as he described it, as personal liberties and free markets, essentially a libertarian philosophy, it sounds like, although he did not explain it in any detail whatsoever. And so it's been one thing after the next, and I've been very concerned about it.

In fact, Amazon most recently reached an agreement to purchase the rights to Donald Trump's old TV show called The Apprentice, And I'm sure that undoubtedly Donald Trump will be receiving a portion of that.

In fact, Amazon most recently reached an agreement to purchase the rights to Donald Trump's old TV show called The Apprentice, And I'm sure that undoubtedly Donald Trump will be receiving a portion of that.

Fear, I think. You know, I can't get into his head, but I think that's really what's happened is that, you know, Trump during the campaign said that he would be people's retribution. He talked about seeking vengeance on his perceived political enemies. Bezos had always been seen as perceived as a political enemy for one reason, one reason only.

Fear, I think. You know, I can't get into his head, but I think that's really what's happened is that, you know, Trump during the campaign said that he would be people's retribution. He talked about seeking vengeance on his perceived political enemies. Bezos had always been seen as perceived as a political enemy for one reason, one reason only.

and that was the coverage on the editorials of the washington post and so um i think he was concerned that with if trump got back into power uh that he would deny amazon uh contracts that it has with the federal government it has a enormous number of contracts with the federal government particularly for cloud computing services and also his commercial space venture blue origin was really at an inflection point as you know a couple of weeks ago it

and that was the coverage on the editorials of the washington post and so um i think he was concerned that with if trump got back into power uh that he would deny amazon uh contracts that it has with the federal government it has a enormous number of contracts with the federal government particularly for cloud computing services and also his commercial space venture blue origin was really at an inflection point as you know a couple of weeks ago it

It launched its finally successfully launched a rocket into space, and it was hoping to be in a position of competing directly with SpaceX. Well, SpaceX is owned by Elon Musk. Elon Musk certainly after the election was practically was camped out at Mar-a-Lago. and now is camped out at the White House basically and has more power in this government than probably anybody but Donald Trump himself.

It launched its finally successfully launched a rocket into space, and it was hoping to be in a position of competing directly with SpaceX. Well, SpaceX is owned by Elon Musk. Elon Musk certainly after the election was practically was camped out at Mar-a-Lago. and now is camped out at the White House basically and has more power in this government than probably anybody but Donald Trump himself.

So I think it's fear that he would that it would it would have a very damaging impact on Amazon's business and the business of Blue Origin, both of which depend to a large degree on the contracts with the federal government.