Opinion: I don't like Matt Friedeman

below is the letter i sent to him and the Clarion Ledger regarding the article above. Below that is a letter i wrote 18 months ago upon hearing he was no longer going to be a columnist. I don't care for Matt.
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I was disappointed to see Matt Friedeman in this paper again. I have to wonder if the Governor will be allowed the same sort of mouthpiece in the paper. Perhaps Matt has another article where he can give us the rest of the 'truth' about this race?

How about the lobbying Barbour's firm did for abortion funds through the UN?

How about his being forced to testify before the ethics comittee in DC?

How about the 'rise in spending' noted by the Cato institute coming under GOP governor Fordice?

How about the fact that Musgrove argued against the legislature's spending every year of his term and then CUT the budget himself every year of his term?

How about the fact he hasn't called for a tax hike?

How about mentioning Barbour's 'out of state' politicos in the race?

How about we rummage through Haley's client list?

I could go on, but what is the point? Matt doesn't care about the truth. He cares about the half truths he can print. Matt Friedeman acts as if the partial picture he paints is enough to cover the stain of mendacity. For this reader, its not. He does no service to this paper or this state.

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(personal note to Matt F.)
i understand you are a biased man doing whatever he can to get your man elected. just like i see he has no real policy. the sad part is that you just are not a forthright man. from your writing, it seems you have long ago made your peace with this fact.

(and from 1-21-02)

Good riddance to Friedeman column


I, for one, am very glad to see Matt Friedeman go ("Run as regular columnist been quite interesting," Dec. 28).

Almost without exception, each of his columns took the low ground while trying to dress up his diatribes in Christianity. Matt would preach about how people no longer take responsibility for their actions and then in the next breath would blame society's ills on liberals, Democrats, and non-Christians. In short, anyone not like him.

Instead of legitimate ideas on how to fix our problems, we got articles about how Billy Graham's son, Franklin, really wasn't that far off for believing Islam to be "a very evil and wicked religion."

Thanks, Matt, just what the country needs in a time of crisis. I couldn't be happier you no longer have this paper to use as your megaphone.

Jason Pollan

Jackson