Stephen Colbert owes President Trump an apology — and that’s no joke!

On Frank Martin

I read with great disappointment the recent letter by a reader who criticized USC men’s basketball head coach Frank Martin. Coach Martin is one of the most respected names in college basketball; he is an incredible mentor and teacher, and we are fortunate to have a man of such stature here in Columbia.

The letter writer criticized Martin for only taking USC to one NCAA tournament appearance during his eight years here, but failed to mention that this appearance saw USC go on a four-game run that culminated in our school advancing to the Final Four for the first time.

SEC basketball is not a cotillion ball; it is a fiercely competitive environment where only the best survive by excelling in areas like recruiting, game preparation and player development. And there are quite a few former Gamecock players who are now playing professional ball because they had a coach — Frank Martin — who was willing to push them hard.

Coach Martin does great work for our university and our community; I am both proud and appreciative that he is our coach, and I believe that most Gamecock fans feel the same way that I do.

Joel Lourie, Columbia

On Medicaid

The State’s recent article on the federal government approving South Carolina’s work and volunteer requirements for Medicaid recipients noted that these new rules will jeopardize health care for some of the most vulnerable South Carolinians.

The article also pointed out something that was overlooked by most others: the waiver included a request to give postpartum moms continuous Medicaid coverage for a full year after delivery. Unfortunately, this request was both seemingly denied and forgotten along with the families standing to benefit from it.

Currently women on Medicaid lose coverage 60 days after delivery, but it is after this point where we see so many critical unmet health needs. South Carolina has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the country, and an increasing number of these maternal deaths are occurring after delivery; providing women with continuous Medicaid coverage would help save lives.

OB/GYN physicians are disappointed at this missed opportunity because extending Medicaid coverage for new moms is key to improving women’s health and reducing maternal deaths in South Carolina — and it has growing support from legislators in other states and Congress.

Amy Crockett, Piedmont

Crockett is an obstetrician-gynecologist.

On Stephen Colbert

I demand that President Donald Trump receive a public, on-air apology from late-night talk host Stephen Colbert. Of course, if Colbert does not apologize, I will still watch him — Colbert is the funniest and most quick-witted person on TV. But if Colbert does not apologize, I will know that he is a spineless clown, too.

In a recent monologue Colbert said that Trump asked the Ukraine president to “do me a favor” during their phone call; in truth, Trump actually requested that the Ukraine leader “do us a favor.” To change “us” to “me” — as Colbert did — is to twist the thing up. And that isn’t fair: the president of the United States deserves to be accurately quoted.

If folks are well-informed, they will not get all of their news from clowns, comedians and weak news outlets.

Norman Spell, Summerville

On the holiday lights

Charging people $20 per car to drive through the State Fairgrounds to see some Christmas lights? That’s the craziest thing I have ever heard of! Do the people who organize the holiday lights display realize much money South Carolinians spend each October while the State Fair is going on? I’m sure it’s a high six-figure amount — if not somewhere in the millions of dollars.

As far as I’m concerned, the folks at the State Fairgrounds should decorate the facility with lights every holiday season and let all cars go through there for free! They should be ashamed of themselves for being such Ebenezer Scrooges and charging South Carolinians 20 bucks per car to see the lights.

I think I will spent my money at either the North Carolina or Georgia state fair next year.

Steve McCracken, Columbia