Peter Freyne never missed a deadline in the 13 years he worked for Seven Days. He delivered his political column, "Inside Track," every Tuesday by 4 p.m. and was never subtle about it. Shortly after emailing his article, Freyne would show up at the office to answer questions, argue, check last-minute facts and, depending on his mood, terrorize our staff. His column was the last thing we squeezed into the paper before sending it to press.
So it’s ironic — not to mention premature and terribly sad — that Peter Freyne left this Earth early on a Wednesday. After battling cancer, seizures and a strep infection that spread to his brain, he died peacefully at Fletcher Allen Health Care at 12:26 a.m. today — six hours after our weekly deadline. Did he have a hand in the timing of his final departure, knowing the news would break just after the paper went to bed? We wouldn’t put it past him to go out with a poke.
Freyne, 59, came out of the bar-stool school of journalism, along with his hero, Chicago newspaperman Mike Royko. He never went to school to learn to be a political columnist, but brought his considerable and diverse life experiences to a fun and informative “Inside Track” that originated in the Vanguard Press, Burlington’s original alt weekly, in the late ’80s. Freyne was the rare reporter who could skewer a politician in print and have a drink with him two days later — until he gave up drinking. Many of his “victims” became his sources — and in some cases, friends.
Vermont journalism has been a lot less lively since he retired last June. Here's a video that Eva Sollberger made of Freyne right after that, when Seven Days readers once again named him the state's "Best Print Journalist" in our annual Daysies survey.
His passing marks the end of an era. He may have planned that, too.
Please direct media inquiries to Seven Days Co-editor Pamela Polston, 864-5684, pamela@sevendaysvt.com.
Click here for downloadable press images of Peter.
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Click here to read comments about Peter, and to add your own.
Time to bid farewell to "Freyne Land."
It's been a great run. New writing challenges ahead.
Heck, I've outlived Tim Russert by six months!
In fact, thanks to the wonders of modern medicine, and six months of chemotherapy from the good folks at the Mary Fanny on Hospital Hill, I beat the deadly cancer that was on track to end it all about one year ago.
But along the way, something else popped up. Had one of those grand mal seizures during a chemotherapy session. They did tests, but couldn't explain it. And I, Dr. Freyne, figured it was a reaction to the chemo-dose going in too fast. Sensitive, Pete!
Anyway, for more than a year I took my twice-a-day anti-convulsive pharmaceuticals like a good boy. Felt fine, but felt slightly "different."
However, I never appreciated how important those little yellow pills were until I stopped taking them for two days earlier this month. I started feeling like my "old" self again!
Then, bingo-bango! Had another seizure and ended back up in the Mary Fanny. Learned my lesson well.
Each day of life is a gift.
It's got to be for a reason, eh?
And it only works best when we realize we're in it together.
That's the only way we'll get this country back on course.
The Bums of Bush Land have taken a very heavy toll, but the times are a-changing.
See ya out there!
Vermont's Independent U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has declined to endorse a presidential candidate...until now.
Ol' Bernardo finally let his ol' cat out of the bag this week - to the people of France, well, actually to the readers of Le Monde .
Sen. Barack Obama is his candidate.
Le Monde Capitol Hill writer Corine Lesnes ends her piece on Vermont's one-of-a-kind senator with a little insight into things to come down Washington-way in January.
Cheer up, folks. Time to pull together. Brighter days ahead.
Here's a translation of the kicker on Corine's Le Monde piece:
"Bernie" and his group of progressive friends in Congress are already working on a program for first 100 days of 2009: medical coverage for all, reduction in military spending, reform of trade agreements, and the end of the war in Iraq ... "I told Barack Obama not to worry for its first three months, we have already prepared the ground for him", said "Bernie".
Also... I caught this license plate down the block the other day.
Nice.
It's 2:45 on the east coast, and no public concession yet from Hillary Clinton wife of Bill, mother of Chelsea.
But Barack Obama has claimed the Democratic nomination, and behind the scenes the deal is going down, hopefully before the evening network newscasts.
Please, Baracko, please don't give the lovely lady the vice-presidential slot on your ticket.
Please, no more stories about presidential fellatio by White House interns in the Oral, sorry, Oval Office. No more blow jobs that become impeachable offenses.
Please, Obama WHamma. Don't go there.
How's about....Bill Richardson of New Mexico?
The dude speaks fluent Spanish!
Gratias, amigo.
Lunchtime on Monday, though I rarely eat lunch anymore. Sorry.
But can someone please tell me why, in this high-tech TV Age, I cannot watch U.S. Sen.Ted Kennedy's brain surgery "live" on my television set, or laptop or cell phone [were I to actually own a cell phone]?
C'mon. I was raised on The "Dr. Kildare" Show and "Ben Casey" in the 1960s. Even worked for two years in the surgery ward at the old General Hospital in downtown Minneapolis [1972-74]. I can handle it.
Instead, it's the commercial-hawking endless stream of Barack "town meetings" and Hillary "town meetings" and McCain "town meetings" that fills America's screens.
Pathetic propaganda.
But propaganda is what sells, right?
Everything from gas-guzzler, air-polluting cars to hard-on-enhancing pharmaceuticals.
Propaganda sure worked well for Adolph Hitler in the 1930s. And here at home, as successfully employed by Robert McNamara in the 1960s, worked for LBJ, the Texas Democrat in the Lincoln Bedroom. And, as successfully employed by Karl Rove in this decade, it's worked for "W," the Texas Republican currently leading the United States of America.
Lucky us!
Anybody catch 60 Minutes on CBS last night?
David Martin's story on "The Pentagon's Ray Gun" is certainly worth a visit.
As a wise old man once said: Holy fucking shit!
When will we ever learn?