Posted on 08/20/2010 2:55:46 PM PDT by RonDog
The Ann Coulter You Don't Know
by Matt LatimerThe flap over Coulter’s speech to a gay Republican group
shows that the right’s provocateur is a heck of a lot of more
complicated than she’s made out to be."Wait until you hear what Ann Coulter did now" has become a cable news era cliché—up there with “fair and balanced," "we report, you decide," and "can I please get a word in edgewise, Mr. Carville?" So upon learning that Ann has found her way into another controversy—a sadly overused word when applied to Ms. Coulter—the natural temptation is to brace oneself. This, after all, is the woman who mused—in jest?—that perhaps America would be better off if women couldn't vote.
One of the carefully guarded secrets of Ann Coulter world
is how much she is not hated and—dare one say it—even liked
by many within the dreaded liberal elite.
No doubt to the surprise of Coulter haters—and "hate" is not too strong a word here—the supposed Bellatrix Lestrange of the Republican Party recently took a stand that the more rational among them might even applaud. When informed she could not participate in a political conference if she kept a commitment to speak to a group of gay Republicans, Ms. Coulter told organizers just what they could do with their conference. Noting that she speaks to all kinds of groups whose views she does not necessarily agree with—"the main thing I do is speak on college campuses, which is about the equivalent of speaking at an al Qaeda conference"—Coulter, in her own style, stood for something that conservatives are supposed to believe in: the free exchange of ideas. Few, of course, have exercised that particular privilege with more vigor than the woman who famously labeled Katie Couric "the affable Eva Braun" of the liberal movement.Lately, in fact, Coulter has been making a habit of getting on the bad side of the right’s Dwight Schrutes, even at the risk of alienating some of her book buyers and website subscribers. She was, for example, an early and outspoken opponent of the Obama birther movement, calling its adherents a collection of "cranks." And in response to commentator Bill Kristol’s haughty demand that Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele resign because Steele criticized the military surge in Afghanistan, Coulter turned the tables. "Bill Kristol Should Resign," she wrote, thus fearlessly taking on one of the Grand Poobahs of today’s GOP and provoking a needed debate within the conservative movement over the dangers of supporting every military action at every time under every circumstance.
Tolerance for differing viewpoints...willingness to stand up to the GOP’s titans...is this the Ann Coulter that liberals loathe and Republicans love? That is exactly her. But you’re not supposed to tell anyone. In fact, one of the carefully guarded secrets of Ann Coulter world is how much she is not hated and—dare one say it—even liked by many within the dreaded liberal elite. Well-credentialed members of the mainstream media privately extol her. Among her friends is the decidedly unconservative talk show host Bill Maher, on whose cable program she frequently appeared. "Unlike so many people in America, she was not afraid to get booed," Mr. Maher once said of his pal. But at a quasi-debate with Maher, Coulter showed the limits of her affection. "Bill wants me to behave like a wife who laughs each time she hears her husband tell the same story," she told her audience. (Predictably she did not oblige.) To the shock, awe, and dismay of many on the left, Coulter even has dated a number of liberal acolytes, including a one-time aide to Joe Biden and the former president of the New York City Council. There are even anecdotal cases of—brace yourselves—actual kindness.
I can attest to this unsettling phenomenon. Some years ago, a geeky political nerd from Michigan came to Capitol Hill with grandiose dreams and a debilitating shyness. Few among the great potentates and perennial climbers of the United States Senate had much time for the lugs at the bottom. But Ann did. Though a senior aide to a U.S. Senator, she took the time to get to know the rest of us, ask our opinions, share stories, and be a friend. Even then I knew that Coulter would not be long for the dreary rituals and bloviating self-absorption of Capitol Hill. Instead she became a media star.
More than a decade later, when I wrote a book about my experiences in Washington I asked my publisher if Ann could read it. I figured she wouldn’t remember me and expected a polite rebuff. Instead Ann got to it quickly and wrote a generous blurb. When the book received criticism from prominent Bush aides and some conservative friends waited out the deluge from a comfortable distance, Ann Coulter stood by with her support, even appearing on Fox News to lend a hand and correct the facts.
I jokingly told her that from here on out I’d punch anyone who attacked her in my presence. "You’re going to be pretty busy," she instantly replied.
None of this is to say that Ann Coulter hasn’t deserved the animosity or opposition she has received over the years—and which she sometimes has shrewdly cultivated. She knew well what she was doing when she boldly criticized the 9/11 widows or poked fun at Senator John Edwards before that particular sport became a national pastime. And most likely she wouldn’t take back a single offending word she has ever uttered.
But there is a reason why all the latter-day Coulter imitators on cable news channels have been about as cutting edge as a J.C. Penney commercial. People—at least those who matter—usually are more complicated than their caricatures. It’s too bad that politics doesn’t allow us to see more public figures that way.
Matt Latimer is the author of the New York Times bestseller, SPEECH-LESS: Tales of a White House Survivor. He was deputy director of speechwriting for George W. Bush and chief speechwriter for Donald Rumsfeld.
I will only add that I am much more aggrieved that Ted Olsen, (widower of Barbara Olsen, aka FReeper BKO, who died in the plane that was crashed into the Pentagon on 9/ll) and whom many here thought President Bush should nominate for SCOTUS, IS BOTH for gay marriage AND for the GZM. Ted Olsen on SCOTUS. Wow, that would have worked out dandy, huh? Another turncoat nominee.
Ted Olsen argued the case FOR THE HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVISTS in CA, that resulted in the homosexual judge overruling the people and Proposition 8 we passed,which provided that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."
The gay judge's ruling is stayed, subject to the Appellate Court, but Olsen intends to argue in front of the Appellate court too. What a guy. What a conservative. He thinks the Constitution permits gay marriage, because to not allow gays to marry, is to discriminate against them.
Beam me up.
When you see some of the responses on this and other threads from the Coulter apologists pertaining to her acceptance to being the KEYNOTE speaker at this perv conference, is it any wonder how we have digressed from being a moral nation so rapidly?
That is very true! Therefore I'm terminating my discussion with you lest anyone get the false impression that I actually know you and care what you think.
“Ann Coulter...you are no conservative”
Yep anyone failing to toe the line must be destroyed.
That seems to be the trend lately and I find it alarming.
God bless her.. thats not an easy job.. One issue Bushbots and snarky psuedo conservatives abound.. its really like trying to herd CATS... Did I say God bless her?... Oh! yeah...
Anyway trying to fire up republicans is like trying to burn wet toilet paper sometimes.. she does piss off the RINOs tho.. they hate her more than the liberals do..
Hate the sin, not the sinner.
I don't think Obama could accomplish that. I think it was done by a well-funded organization.
My whole point in bringing up Ted Olson was to point out that President Bush's former solicitor general, is "actively" working to enact a huge portion of the gay agenda, namely "gay marriage" while pundit, writer, and author Ann Coulter, has merely agreed to give a speech in front of a homosexual group.
Ann Coulter for agreeing to speak before the homosexual group = she's the devil incarnate.
Ted Olson = *crickets*
BEAM. ME. UP.
He would have been another disaster on SCOTUS.
There have been more articles posted about Coulter than Olsen. I only saw one about Olsen.
Yep, there’s a firestorm around Coulter. She’s likely enjoying all the publicity. Might even be fodder for her next book.
Olson (I misspelled his name) thoroughly disgusts me. I’ve seen him on TV twice now. Each time he’s been completely lawyerly smug, if you know what I’m trying to convey. I am thankful President Bush ignored the calls to appoint the turncoat to SCOTUS. Thank God and GWB for Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito.
He obviously had help in sealing his background and making parts of it disappear. That does not prevent him from releasing his information and giving us the transparency he promised while running for office.
I believe our nation and her people are strong enough to survive Obama. I’m not sure we’re strong enough to survive his supporters and entrenched organization. They are my concern.
I think you know that answer!
That's too bad, - you've just lost a good source for truth and morality. whatisthetruth or WITT as his FRiends call him, is one person you should get to know, he will teach you many things, but I guess you, like some others here, can't handle the truth and aren't open to gaining knowledge.
but but but but but, rush had elton at his wedding so IT MUST BE ok, no? I mean if rush is friends with elton and coulter wants to speak at a perv conference sheesh - we as sheeple and bots MUST go along with this, we cannot go against rush and coulter, we must obey and follow what they say and agree with what they do, we must not have an independent thought, must not accept that what they say or do is wrong, must not think for ourselves.
My opinion on associating with homosexual rights groups is that it only gives them standing. There has already been articles posted where “conservatives” are cheering this. The problem is GOProud is not conservative and only works for “gay rights”. I am not ok with that.
It will be interesting to see what she has to say to them.
She’s running rough shod over people who are concerned about 0thugga’s eligiblity according the Constitution.
You have it reversed.
And it will be interesting to find out what she says to the GOProud “gay” agenda pushing people. Will she mention that their stated legislative agenda is not conservative, is unconstitutional (except their support for the 2nd Amendment) and is nothing other than the “gay” agenda with a fake “conservative” label on it?
Or not?
My opinion on associating with homosexual rights groups is that it only gives them standing...I understand.
But, as you and I have discussed before, just TALKING to them does not necessarily imply CONSENT with all their positions.
Here, for example, is Ann "improperly validating" the harridans on "The View" --
What are the odds that she will not similarly challenge the core beliefs of the Homocon crowd -- when she appears before them?
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