There is a third reason. Showing you're not afraid to defend yourself against those who hold their beliefs as strongly as you hold yours. Coulter doesn't want to defend her point of view. She wants to go on conservative talk shows with fawning hosts so she can spout her point of view without fear of contradiction. And she wants to go on puff-pieces like The Today Show so she can smack Lauer around and hawk her book. There is no hardship involved with that, no chance of failure or embarassment. Coulter is taking the easy road.
He would spend most of the night hating his age and Bush, then the rest of the time railing against pesticides that caused his dysfunction.
No, I think Coulter vs Carlin would be a pretty good show. Pity she won't do it.
It would be embarrassing for her. The audience is there to laugh. Carlin will score more on the laugh meter (for the typical Leno crowd), therefore, he will win. Coulter is probably well aware of this and chooses not to subject herself to it, any more than Carlin would dare go on a forum where he's scored on his grasp on reality.
You're wrong. Coulter doesn't want to defend her views? Come on. She wasn't physically attacked by the audience at the Heritage Foundation.
Anyone who's seen Coulter versus the numerous leftists she's debated knows that Carlin is simply a pathetic scare quote "rebel" whose "edginess" comes from questioning whatever leftists think should be questioned. Check out the debates between Ann and Peter Beinart in front left-leaning college crowds if you can still find the video-- she absolutely destroys him. True, Ann shows up on H&C a lot, but she hardly gets puff treatment from Colmes and she's usually on with a leftist to balance her.
The idea that the Today Show does puff pieces when it comes to conservatives shows you don't watch it that much. You know what--- I don't blame you. But the fact is, while Lauer is an annoying quasi-Stalinist with delusions of moderation, he is much better informed than, say, Carlin. Lauer is at about the same level or just below Steffie, Russert and Bob-- in other words, he's a knowledgable, partisan hack, just like they are-- but far above mere Carlin/Andy Rooney level.