Thank you so much for reporting this – I gave up on The Washington Post a while back and your description of the way HCR has been erased in this article makes my blood boil. True, we don’t know what went on in the editor’s “booth. But we cannot ignore the fact that Heather started this so-called digital Democratic revolution single-handedly— without fanfare, a publicist, a stylist. She models integrity to all of us, which is something the Washington Post and Bezos could take a few lessons from.
She has certainly has built a following/community to which many voices contribute and interact; which is an important part of a larger movement. It seems to me that emerging social movements have been essential to the "better angels" of our societal evolution as a nation; what a collaborative democracy is, and a dictatorship isn't. "Movement" is far more accurate than WaPo's projection of "army" at this point.
Thanks for pointing this out! I gave up my WaPo subscription in disgust last year, so didn’t see the article. Katharine Graham must be spinning in her grave at what has happened to the Post, to Bezos’ eternal shame.
Yep. NitPicking Specialist here. Notice "regulate" where "relegate" is meant? Either the reader/ contributor did that (judging by the quality of the rest of what of hers is quoted, that's unlikely; but if it is hers, professional editors have an obligation to correct errors*) or the WaPo did it because whoever copy-edited (and no, I do not and never will accept that as one word without the hyphen) this didn't "see" it, most likely because he or she doesn't know "regulate" makes no contextual sense and/or doesn't even know the word "relegate".
So yep. No WaPo comes into this home now, in any form. True for some time. Abysmal.
*Unless of course the purpose of letting errors in word choice stand is to show the quality -- or lack of quality -- of the brain producing those errors.
I noticed that word too. It's my impression that newspapers in general no longer employ copy editors. That's painful to me, as my first job after college was as a copy editor and the habit has never lapsed.
I think that wrong word was in someone's comments, which the Post wouldn't be editing. Perhaps the writer here should have inserted [sic] to signal the error
Boycott Amazon, boycott Washington Post, boycott Whole Foods, One Medical, etc. —all of the octopus has got to go. All of these Amazon subsidiary organizations were once worthwhile in their own right. Now they simply serve as profit centers for an insanely greedy man/corporation.
I was encouraged when I heard that the boycott/cancelation of Disney recently was very effective. Over a million people acted and Disney reversed their decision. This kind of action is really impactful.
I follow and read HCR and she is brilliant. I used to read NYT and WaPo but after the changes I saw and the people they fired because they wanted to tell the truth, I gave it up. I’m not going to support any publication who will gladly lie to keep their supreme leader happy! I will listen to a female historian who is truthful and will not give in to billionaires
HCR wasn't even attending to start anything...she was just sharing her knowledge of history during the covid shutdown...she made sense when the world didn't make sense.
This not-I-think-an error shows up hither and yon, as (I believe) a (quite clever) tactic to get out word of important forthcoming events to people who will likely be supporters so long as they are informed.
Men are afraid of women of integrity, like HCR. No matter how much money they have, without integrity they are afraid of anyone who speaks truth to power. So they bully and rape and mock, trying to erase a woman who teaches history.
Get a grip on yourselves white lads. Your time is past. You really screwed things up.
There are more of us ordinary everyday good people than there are of you. Pitiful.
Felicia, I see your perspective and where you’re coming from. When a woman shows up with calm authority and a track record, some folks don’t argue the facts, they go straight for the eraser.
And your point about “a woman who teaches history” is the tell. That’s not really about one post, it’s about who gets to speak with authority in public without being punished for it.
I've been a supporter of Heather's for a long time. I subscribe to her Letter from an American and participate in her live FB talks. She speaks the truth about Trump, his lapdogs, and the terrifying impact this regime is having on America. Thanks for also supporting her and what she does so well.
The Democratic Party’s engagement with digital media influencers is important. However, I have never thought of Heather Cox Richardson as an influencer. She is a brilliant educator, who holds the history and values that have made our country great, and is not shy about reminding us of what is at stake at this time. I am deeply indebted to her for what she has shared with every listen.
I have subscribed to Heather Cox Richardson for some time. She has a talent for explaining current events and connecting them to past historical events and American history in general. Each one of her detailed articles is like listening to an engaging class in American history.
I have followed HCR with Letters From An American and her other posts avidly, with relief from others ranting, for her clarity and informed history since learning about her. She is the first and primary writer and speaker I turn to and recommend to others.
I don’t read the Washington Post, so wasn’t aware of the travesty you describe. I am glad to learn about your perspective now and be able to follow you.
Here's to you reaching 100 by the end of this holiday weekend! I've read HCR every day for several years now and have learned so much about this country. She is a guiding light for so many. (And I found you & other outstanding writers in her comment section) Thank you for calling out this piece in WAPO.
Damn, man. I'm an 80-year-old woman relying on Social Security, and you finally pushed me into the Subscriber category. I don't do this very often because I can't afford to financially support every substack that I read. But here I am now. Because you're so good and so compelling.
Regarding HCR, women have been relegated to the background for eons. There is a saying... "Anonymous was a woman." Even female authors used to write under male pseudonyms so their work would be published. Even Einstein's first wife was essential to his work while he got the full credit. I long ago canceled my WaPo subscription, so I can't post comments on their site. But I would if I could. Thanks for calling our attention to this outrage.
Brilliant. Your words are an indictment of an entire industry and its enabling schools of journalism. I'm saving this essay, sharing this essay, rattling the bars: billionaire-controlled media is deliberately grooming a generation of "readers" for the ultimate goal of an anesthetized public, willing to be lulled to complacency, while the powerful rape the planet. Oh, and HCR has been my lifeline since 2020. She will not be erased, not if I and thousands like me and you can help it.
Their "ultimate goal of an anesthetized public" seems to have been reached quite some time ago. They seem to have shifted to their "maintenance program" since they seem unwilling to progress to the "truth and enlightenment" stage.
They've been trying to shut us up for centuries. It hasn't quite gone according to their plan but there's more work to be done for sure. Watching the Pope the other day surrounded by the Turkish patriarchy made my stomach heave. Sickening.
Anybody know about a recent djt exec order that signs over U.S. tech&space science to a consortium of existing (including some v. well known) brainiacs? Reported by source I think is trustworthy but can't recall which!?
I cancelled my Post subscription months ago and they just keep giving me reasons not to resubscribe. Bezos has ruined what was one of the US media of record.
They just gave me another one while I was looking for it - a headline about how his "flexible diplomacy" and "improvisatory approach" could "succeed where others have failed" with Ukraine. Excuse me while I go throw up at the sycophancy. Of course, he's done such a *spectacular* job over the past 10 months.
Excellent essay. I cancelled my WaPo subscription a while ago, after my favorite columnists started to leave. That they would publish an article like the one you describe does not surprise me. Apparently they see what’s going on in the digital media world, but don’t really understand why they’re losing the battle. I fully expect soon to see an editorial “In Defense of Corporate Ownership” in their pages, or rather, to hear about such, since I won’t be reading it. And IIRC, Dr. HCR’s subscriber numbers have surpassed those of WaPo. Here’s hoping XVOA continues to grow. You deserve a wider audience.
Thank you for this post, Xplisset! I've been following and liking your comments on HCR's daily LFAA, and now I've become a paid supporter. Keep up the good work -- your analyses are so important and insightful! Like other commenters, I also gave up on WAPO several months ago.
Heather Cox Richardson is a National Treasure. Her "Letters From an American" is the first email I read every day. I've learned more from her about my country's history than I learned in 12 years of primary and secondary school and 2 years of Community College. I always hated reading about history until I signed up for her newsletter. She brings history to life, and weaves a thread from the past into the now like no one else. Her words enthrall me, every day.
I tell everyone I know about her, and strongly encourage them to subscribe to her newsletter. More often than not, they tell me they are already subscribed.
No one can take her brilliant light away from us by trying to ignore her, and no one can eclipse her, because we won't let them. We see her, we value her gift to us, and there's nothing they can do about that. We see them, too. We know what they're doing. Heather Cox Richardson is worth a thousand Washington Posts. They know it. And that's why they try to cover her up.
Thanks for calling this out. I wouldn’t have known since I canceled the subscription to WP more than a year ago. I’ve been reading her newsletter since sometime in 2020 and now I listen to her podcasts and YouTube talks several times a week. I really love how she manages to stay completely balanced and makes every effort to not editorialize or give her opinion, even while becoming more feisty about it. 😊. She states the facts and gives the historical context and lists ramifications of those facts. I have to be careful and selective with my money for subscriptions. I have upgraded to paid. Keep up the good work.
Thank you so much for reporting this – I gave up on The Washington Post a while back and your description of the way HCR has been erased in this article makes my blood boil. True, we don’t know what went on in the editor’s “booth. But we cannot ignore the fact that Heather started this so-called digital Democratic revolution single-handedly— without fanfare, a publicist, a stylist. She models integrity to all of us, which is something the Washington Post and Bezos could take a few lessons from.
She has certainly has built a following/community to which many voices contribute and interact; which is an important part of a larger movement. It seems to me that emerging social movements have been essential to the "better angels" of our societal evolution as a nation; what a collaborative democracy is, and a dictatorship isn't. "Movement" is far more accurate than WaPo's projection of "army" at this point.
https://ojaiohana.substack.com/p/join-us-through-dec-2nd-we-aint-buying?r=5chxge
Black Friday update
Every time I see your name, I think it's my daughter-in-law. She is also a J L Graham.
Thanks for pointing this out! I gave up my WaPo subscription in disgust last year, so didn’t see the article. Katharine Graham must be spinning in her grave at what has happened to the Post, to Bezos’ eternal shame.
did the same with NYT after 50 years. Every time I read it, the spin, the omissions, or smugness sent me over the edge.
Just forced to cancel The Atlantic....
,,,,,these are such difficult times.
Yes, and that’s why it’s important that this kind of thing is being brought to our attention. Thank you, XPlisset
Yep. NitPicking Specialist here. Notice "regulate" where "relegate" is meant? Either the reader/ contributor did that (judging by the quality of the rest of what of hers is quoted, that's unlikely; but if it is hers, professional editors have an obligation to correct errors*) or the WaPo did it because whoever copy-edited (and no, I do not and never will accept that as one word without the hyphen) this didn't "see" it, most likely because he or she doesn't know "regulate" makes no contextual sense and/or doesn't even know the word "relegate".
So yep. No WaPo comes into this home now, in any form. True for some time. Abysmal.
*Unless of course the purpose of letting errors in word choice stand is to show the quality -- or lack of quality -- of the brain producing those errors.
I noticed that word too. It's my impression that newspapers in general no longer employ copy editors. That's painful to me, as my first job after college was as a copy editor and the habit has never lapsed.
I think that wrong word was in someone's comments, which the Post wouldn't be editing. Perhaps the writer here should have inserted [sic] to signal the error
Don't believe so. (That it was a commenter's boo- boo.)
It’s the Post after Katharine what can I say. Bezoes is no Katharine Graham.
BEZOS = BOZO🤡
Boycott Amazon, boycott Washington Post, boycott Whole Foods, One Medical, etc. —all of the octopus has got to go. All of these Amazon subsidiary organizations were once worthwhile in their own right. Now they simply serve as profit centers for an insanely greedy man/corporation.
I was encouraged when I heard that the boycott/cancelation of Disney recently was very effective. Over a million people acted and Disney reversed their decision. This kind of action is really impactful.
Ditto! I gave up my subscription too.
I follow and read HCR and she is brilliant. I used to read NYT and WaPo but after the changes I saw and the people they fired because they wanted to tell the truth, I gave it up. I’m not going to support any publication who will gladly lie to keep their supreme leader happy! I will listen to a female historian who is truthful and will not give in to billionaires
She is the height of integrity.
HCR wasn't even attending to start anything...she was just sharing her knowledge of history during the covid shutdown...she made sense when the world didn't make sense.
https://ojaiohana.substack.com/p/join-us-through-dec-2nd-we-aint-buying?r=5chxge
"...in the wrong thread"
This not-I-think-an error shows up hither and yon, as (I believe) a (quite clever) tactic to get out word of important forthcoming events to people who will likely be supporters so long as they are informed.
I live for her nightly letters and videos!
I stopped teading after Grahmn sold it
Men are afraid of women of integrity, like HCR. No matter how much money they have, without integrity they are afraid of anyone who speaks truth to power. So they bully and rape and mock, trying to erase a woman who teaches history.
Get a grip on yourselves white lads. Your time is past. You really screwed things up.
There are more of us ordinary everyday good people than there are of you. Pitiful.
Felicia, I see your perspective and where you’re coming from. When a woman shows up with calm authority and a track record, some folks don’t argue the facts, they go straight for the eraser.
And your point about “a woman who teaches history” is the tell. That’s not really about one post, it’s about who gets to speak with authority in public without being punished for it.
Bezos has ruined the WaPo. Look at all of the top journalists who have left to write elsewhere,
I've been a supporter of Heather's for a long time. I subscribe to her Letter from an American and participate in her live FB talks. She speaks the truth about Trump, his lapdogs, and the terrifying impact this regime is having on America. Thanks for also supporting her and what she does so well.
And has been doing before there was such a thing as "influencers" (and I had to override my spell checker on that one).
The Democratic Party’s engagement with digital media influencers is important. However, I have never thought of Heather Cox Richardson as an influencer. She is a brilliant educator, who holds the history and values that have made our country great, and is not shy about reminding us of what is at stake at this time. I am deeply indebted to her for what she has shared with every listen.
Me too!
I have subscribed to Heather Cox Richardson for some time. She has a talent for explaining current events and connecting them to past historical events and American history in general. Each one of her detailed articles is like listening to an engaging class in American history.
Me too.
Me too.
I have followed HCR with Letters From An American and her other posts avidly, with relief from others ranting, for her clarity and informed history since learning about her. She is the first and primary writer and speaker I turn to and recommend to others.
I don’t read the Washington Post, so wasn’t aware of the travesty you describe. I am glad to learn about your perspective now and be able to follow you.
Thank you!
Here's to you reaching 100 by the end of this holiday weekend! I've read HCR every day for several years now and have learned so much about this country. She is a guiding light for so many. (And I found you & other outstanding writers in her comment section) Thank you for calling out this piece in WAPO.
Damn, man. I'm an 80-year-old woman relying on Social Security, and you finally pushed me into the Subscriber category. I don't do this very often because I can't afford to financially support every substack that I read. But here I am now. Because you're so good and so compelling.
Regarding HCR, women have been relegated to the background for eons. There is a saying... "Anonymous was a woman." Even female authors used to write under male pseudonyms so their work would be published. Even Einstein's first wife was essential to his work while he got the full credit. I long ago canceled my WaPo subscription, so I can't post comments on their site. But I would if I could. Thanks for calling our attention to this outrage.
Hahaha. I just wrote the same thing, Donna! Take my money!
😂👏🏾
Thanks for this story!
Brilliant. Your words are an indictment of an entire industry and its enabling schools of journalism. I'm saving this essay, sharing this essay, rattling the bars: billionaire-controlled media is deliberately grooming a generation of "readers" for the ultimate goal of an anesthetized public, willing to be lulled to complacency, while the powerful rape the planet. Oh, and HCR has been my lifeline since 2020. She will not be erased, not if I and thousands like me and you can help it.
Their "ultimate goal of an anesthetized public" seems to have been reached quite some time ago. They seem to have shifted to their "maintenance program" since they seem unwilling to progress to the "truth and enlightenment" stage.
Not to mention, the want to anesthetize women.
They've been trying to shut us up for centuries. It hasn't quite gone according to their plan but there's more work to be done for sure. Watching the Pope the other day surrounded by the Turkish patriarchy made my stomach heave. Sickening.
Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_Men_Don%27t_Listen_and_Women_Can%27t_Read_Maps
👊🏾✊🏾👍🏾
Anybody know about a recent djt exec order that signs over U.S. tech&space science to a consortium of existing (including some v. well known) brainiacs? Reported by source I think is trustworthy but can't recall which!?
I cancelled my Post subscription months ago and they just keep giving me reasons not to resubscribe. Bezos has ruined what was one of the US media of record.
They just gave me another one while I was looking for it - a headline about how his "flexible diplomacy" and "improvisatory approach" could "succeed where others have failed" with Ukraine. Excuse me while I go throw up at the sycophancy. Of course, he's done such a *spectacular* job over the past 10 months.
You nailed it.
No Woodward and Bernstein to rock the (Bigly) boats.
Same here.
Excellent essay. I cancelled my WaPo subscription a while ago, after my favorite columnists started to leave. That they would publish an article like the one you describe does not surprise me. Apparently they see what’s going on in the digital media world, but don’t really understand why they’re losing the battle. I fully expect soon to see an editorial “In Defense of Corporate Ownership” in their pages, or rather, to hear about such, since I won’t be reading it. And IIRC, Dr. HCR’s subscriber numbers have surpassed those of WaPo. Here’s hoping XVOA continues to grow. You deserve a wider audience.
Or how billionaires are the natural betters and benefactors of "commoners". "Reaganomics" plainly spoken.
LOL. By then they might have merged with the NY Post.
Thank you for this post, Xplisset! I've been following and liking your comments on HCR's daily LFAA, and now I've become a paid supporter. Keep up the good work -- your analyses are so important and insightful! Like other commenters, I also gave up on WAPO several months ago.
Heather Cox Richardson is a National Treasure. Her "Letters From an American" is the first email I read every day. I've learned more from her about my country's history than I learned in 12 years of primary and secondary school and 2 years of Community College. I always hated reading about history until I signed up for her newsletter. She brings history to life, and weaves a thread from the past into the now like no one else. Her words enthrall me, every day.
I tell everyone I know about her, and strongly encourage them to subscribe to her newsletter. More often than not, they tell me they are already subscribed.
No one can take her brilliant light away from us by trying to ignore her, and no one can eclipse her, because we won't let them. We see her, we value her gift to us, and there's nothing they can do about that. We see them, too. We know what they're doing. Heather Cox Richardson is worth a thousand Washington Posts. They know it. And that's why they try to cover her up.
Amen. My thoughts exactly.
Thank you for sharing this Washington Post article. Your analysis is spot on and their article infuriates me.
I’m a very happy paid supporter of your writing. Keep up the good work!
100 Incredible Pro-Democracy Newsletters including Heather Cox Richardson, Xplisset and 98 more.
https://thedemlabs.org/2025/11/24/100-incredible-pro-democracy-newsletters/
https://newsletters.glide.page
HCR has been my sanity since the insanity of DJT began. She is a national treasure.
Thanks for calling this out. I wouldn’t have known since I canceled the subscription to WP more than a year ago. I’ve been reading her newsletter since sometime in 2020 and now I listen to her podcasts and YouTube talks several times a week. I really love how she manages to stay completely balanced and makes every effort to not editorialize or give her opinion, even while becoming more feisty about it. 😊. She states the facts and gives the historical context and lists ramifications of those facts. I have to be careful and selective with my money for subscriptions. I have upgraded to paid. Keep up the good work.
I think she officers a point of view, but with auditable "receipts".
With you 100%. People are using HCR’s name and photo to gain audiences. Despicable. Made me want to slap a few Post-ers.