Posted on 06/08/2006 7:14:54 AM PDT by Pokey78
Five women who lost husbands in the 9/11 attacks are deflecting the media's inquiries following conservative pundit Ann Coulter's comments that the widows are using their grief "to make a political point."
Middletown's Kristen Breitweiser said yesterday that the media's obsession with the story, when the country faces more pressing and immediate issues, "is absolutely reprehensible."
Coulter, an unapologetic right-wing conservative best known for lambasting liberal thought on talk-radio shows, on television and in books, says in the just published "Godless: The Church of Liberalism" that the widows act "as if the terrorism attacks happened only to them."
Coulter gained further media traction on Tuesday, when, during an appearance on NBC's "Today" show, she said the women are using their personal tragedy "to make a political point."
Breitweiser said the women have decided to stop answering media inquiries.
"We have people dying on the battlefields of Iraq, and all people want to talk about is Ann Coulter," Breitweiser said yesterday afternoon.
She said the media's fixation on Coulter's comments "doesn't bode very well for this country."
Breitweiser, Lorie Van Auken and Mindy Kleinberg, both of East Brunswick, and Patty Casazza, of New York State and formerly of Colts Neck, have lobbied for greater government accountability with regard to the 2001 attacks.
They are also cited as instrumental in the creation of the 9/11 Commission and for pressuring the White House to allow testimony from then-National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.
Monica Gabrielle, of Long Island, N.Y., is the group's fifth member.
The five, who call themselves the September 11th Advocates, issued a 13-paragraph statement Tuesday in which they call Coulter's comments slanderous.
"Contrary to Ms. Coulter's statements, there was no joy in watching men that we loved burn alive," they wrote. "There was no happiness in telling our children that their fathers were never coming home again. We adored these men and miss them every day."
They write that the attacks "caused us to ask some serious questions regarding the systems that our country has in place to protect its citizens" and that their only motivation was to make the nation a safer one.
The statement also includes a list of eight national-security-related items that the five characterize as shortcomings. Among them are scarcity of funding for homeland security; intelligence community oversight; and transportation, ports, border, and chemical- and nuclear-plant security.
They also call for a civil-liberties oversight board.
"So let them sue!"
They won't, of course, as they have no case. Coulter's speech is protected speech. The Jersey Girls have chosen to make themselves public political figures. Coulter's statement was on a political topic. No way this is actionable under New York Times v. Sullivan.
Lets add Michael Berg, father of beheaded Nick Berg, to Ann's list of Infallibles.
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyid=2006-06-08T141552Z_01_N08295664_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-ZARQAWI-BERG.xml&src=rss&rpc=22
Check # 26
Like Ann says, ...if you don't leave a liberal foaming at the mouth then you're not doing it right!
Because they look stupid and can no longer hide from the fact that they are using their husnads deaths to promote liberalism.
Based on statistics it is neither ignorant nor disgusting. What I said stands.
I would like to see a CPA account of her books from 9/12 until now. I want to know every penny of extortion she sucked out the gov't; every under the table undisclosed donation she stuffed in her 29-A bra, every donation to every dumb-ass DEMO group she's made, every political contribution, every slimy dollar she's made for TV and radio appearances, and how many guy's she's "dated" since hubby left. You've heard the expression, a fate worse than death? Living with K. Breitweiser..............!
If you're catching flak, it means you're over the target.
Steady as she goes, Ann!
This is actually a very fair piece. It reports Ann's main point, that the Jersey Girls are using their special status to score political points, without going overboard, and is balanced in all respects.
Perhaps this indicates that after the furor has died down, the recognition that the Donks have been using "untouchable" spokesmen as a substitute for political debate will remain part of the public common knowledge. This will be a remarkable achievement by Ann Coulter, and will cut the Gordian Knot that has been impossible for the Republicans to solve, even while it has cost the President a full 20 points in his approval rating.
Well played, Ann Coulter!
And what do they call themselves for trashing our country and our President?
I decided to buy your book......You are RIGHT!
This is from KB's 'blog' on hufpo
"She campaigned as a primary surrogate for the Kerry-Edwards Presidential Campaign in 2004."
I agree with that. Speculating on the state of the marriages of these women is not relevant. They were married to men who were killed, that is not contested. That is enough.
But Ann Coulter was quite right to take them to task over their actions since 9/11. They have been political pawns and have been used as "untouchable" spokesmen by the Moonbat Left. I don't see what the state of the marriages prior to their husbands' deaths has to do with that.
(Addressing the ladies, not the poster)
Anytime the truth is told about a Democrat, they call it slander.
This is no different.
I stand with Ann.
LEAD Insurgent for Congresss Michael Berg and Cindy Sheehan
Two more coffin jockey activists for the left capitalizing on death and using their victim status as a platform.
These people do not realize that every day we are the cocktail weenies of the world, while the democrats the Left, the Sheehans and the Media continue to hand out napkins and toothpicks to those who would devour us.
oh, Mother Sheehan! You never know when she'll show up! And let's not forget that HER HUSBAND IS DIVORCING HER - so Ann might be correct when she states, "Who knows {re the "Jersey girls"] if their husbands weren't planning on divorcing them".
I saw the clip of the murder of Nick Berg. it is horrifying and we must be reminded of what kind of enemy we are fighting. Berg's father is off his gourd: and I have never read a reasonable explanation of WHAT HIS SON WAS DOING IN IRAQ.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.