AOL's Right-Leaning Matt Lewis Departs Over Arianna Takeover

February 8th, 2011 5:38 PM

Matt Lewis of AOL's Politics Daily is defecting from AOL in the wake of their purchase of The Huffington Post, and AOL's plans to put leftist Arianna Huffington the czarina in charge of all content. Right-leaning Lewis will leave for the Daily Caller in a few weeks since he felt uncomfortable about Arianna the "far-left liberal" curtailing his freedom to express himself once he's affiliated with "an overtly left-of-center (sometimes activist) outlet."

I've met Ms. Huffington exactly once -- on the set of "Nightline's" election night coverage. She could not have been kinder. Additionally, I have even authored an article or two for her site (on tech issues) over the years. This is all to say that I have no personal issue with Ms. Huffington, and that I am not a "Huff-hater."

However, writing a guest post is different from working for someone, and it occurs to me that AOL has vastly underestimated the public perception (I would argue the accurate impression) that Huffington is a far-left liberal.

Obviously, I am more than happy to write for a mainstream news outlet where differing opinions are allowed to flourish, but I am less comfortable with the notion of being permanently affiliated with an overtly left-of-center (sometimes activist) outlet.'

As a conservative (albeit, an admittedly iconoclastic one), it is vital that I maintain the freedom to call them like I see them.

Other conservatives or libertarians might make a different call, and I would not disparage them for doing so.'

I am incredibly blessed to be joining a terrific organization in The Daily Caller. I look forward to learning from it's founder and editor in chief, Tucker Carlson, and working alongside the terrific team he has assembled. The Daily Caller and Tucker Carlson personify iconoclastic conservatism, and so I am hopeful I will quickly fit in.