Coulter's Crudeness

Boston Globe ^ | 6/19/06 | Cathy Young

[pissant]

SEVERAL years ago, left-wing cartoonist Ted Rall published a cartoon mocking the ``terror widows" -- the bereaved of the Sept. 11 attacks as well as Marianne Pearl, the widow of kidnapped and slain journalist Daniel Pearl -- as a bunch of greedy and shallow attention-seekers. The outrage was universal. A number of press outlets, including The New York Times website, pulled the cartoon. Subsequently, when the Times and The Washington Post stopped carrying Rall's work, conservatives called it a victory for decency.

Now, the right has its own Ted Rall in the infamous Ann Coulter. In her new book, ``Godless: The Church of Liberalism," Coulter takes a whack at the ``Jersey Girls," four Sept. 11 widows who have been highly critical of the Bush administration. She refers to them as ``self-obsessed women" who ``believe the entire country was required to marinate in their exquisite personal agony," and then concludes with this zinger: ``These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by grief -arrazies. I have never seen people enjoying their husband's death so much."

A number of conservatives, including prominent Republican blogger and radio talk-show host Hugh Hewitt, have denounced Coulter's statement. Unfortunately, many others have rallied to her defense. Radio and Fox News talk-show host Sean Hannity has mildly suggested that she may have gone too far, but has avoided condemning her outright and has given her plenty of airtime on his show.

Bill O'Reilly, the host of the Fox News show ``The O'Reilly Factor," has been harshly critical of Coulter's comments. Yet several of his conservative guests vigorously defended her. Republican strategist Karen Hanretty opined,

[najida]

LOL!

Smiley faces are to say that I feel happy to express my opinion of Ann's book (yes, I've read it....amazing how quickly it appeared in the second hand book stores!)....

And how life is just too damn short to take fluff like Ann too seriously. Besides, I'm a better dancer.

[soccermom]

Look, all I can say is Coulter was asked about the words and she defended them. If you aren't going to believe what is available in the press, stop wasting time here. Buy the book. Read it and then come back and discuss it.

[TAdams8591]

"Or if she were a male. Mark Levin can be just as biting as Coulter, but who, other than a few here, know who Mark Levin is?"

Of all the pundits who came to fame during impeachment season, it was BOTH Coulter AND Levin I liked best. In fact I fell in love with each of them the FIRST time I saw them. I thought, "Where have they been all our conservative lives," and wished there were more like them. They are intelligent, funny, witty and they PUNCH BACK (for a change)!!!

[pgyanke]

There is an emotion there that she hasn't felt. She hasn't grieved.... not in the way that changes you.

Like any lib, you think you can look into someone's soul and determine whether they have suffered enough to be heard. You are the final arbiter of what qualifies for suffering to purify your politics. You are in Ann's crosshairs and I'll be it doesn't feel very good.

Again, I see right through you and you are showing yourself clearly to those who didn't before...

[TAdams8591]

I meant to also say, I can't believe I'm the only one who liked both Ann and Mark.

[najida]

Does climbing on your second story roof to hang Christmas lights at 8pm count as risking your life? (no, this was not after the tequila shooters).

But no one was around for miles!

How about breaking up a fight between a Dobie and a Golden with your bare hands?

There are other instances, but I prefer to forget them.

[ArGee]

Look, all I can say is Coulter was asked about the words and she defended them. If you aren't going to believe what is available in the press, stop wasting time here. Buy the book. Read it and then come back and discuss it.

Sorry, I think you missed my point. I was trying to say that if a reporter wants to take issue with Ann's wording, she should quote Ann.

Shalom.

[soccermom]

Ohhhhhhh I get it! So when I hypothetically brought up the idea of anyone calling Coulter a "harpy", you considered it "attacking the messenger." But when I point out that it was Coulter who called the "Jersey Girls" "harpies" -- not to mention calling them "witches", speculating their husbands would have divorced them and they want to be in Playboy -- that isn't attacking the messenger! I got it! Thanks for clearing that up! You are quite the talented contortionist to manage that kind of dancing on the head of a pin!

[CDB]

If this chick is "right of center" she must be in the David Gergen mold of the term.

"Right of Center" in Boston means pro-Che Guevara, but not pro-Stalin.

[najida]

OH MY GOD!

YOU'RE RIGHT!

I'M AN Emotional....

oh hell fella,
I'm just me.
Deal with it. A mix, a mutt, an....

GASP!
AN INDIVIDUAL!

I don't give a rat's azz about Ann and crosshairs. As far as people 'seeing me' for the first time... Hell, I've been here forever, and not one thing about me has changed. Folks know a lot about me....and nuthin's new, sorry....

No outting, no threats of being sent to DU without my supper.

And I'm a damn good shot, so she'd better think twice before aiming.
Note,
no smilie this time (I'm giving it up for June....19th)

[untrained skeptic]

I'm matching Ann petty for petty.

Fair enough. :)

If she was a liberal with all those credentials and the tables were reversed, you'd be rippin' her a new one for being one of those 'egghead' libs.

Nah, liberals are easy to attack based on what they try to present as facts, and the inconsistencies in what they say.

I think it's funny.

I definitely agree. I don't always agree with how she says things, and sometimes I don't even agree with what she says. But watching others react to what she says is almost always funny.

She's a pit bull, but she's on our side, so we're going to pretend she's a yorkie.

I seems to me that it's gotten harder and harder to see distinct sides in most political debates. Maybe it's always been that way and I've just become more aware of it.

One of the things I really like about Coulter is that she grabs onto truly important issues that cut to the core of our society, shoves them into people's faces, and makes people talk about them rather than talk around them as politicians often do.

She pulls an issue into the spotlight, backs her point up with a lot of facts, and isn't afraid to defend her points publicly.

If even a 10% of the coverage and discussion covers the facts, it ends up being far more informative that most political discussions, and by simply seeing who is unwilling to debate the facts we learn a lot.

That doesn't even take into account the entertainment value. :)

[soccermom]

OK -- they have. Not only have they, but they have done so in Couler's presence, giving her the opportunity to respond. Try "google"! If you need a lead, try NBC and see if they have a transcript of the interview.

[najida]

True,
but to me,
I've seen a turning point where fewer folks are saying "Wow, at least she's got moxy!"

Now it's either love or hate. And believe me, I was Ann's biggest fan for the longest! Her debating skills are awesome! BUT
BUT


When I heard her call Harriet Meirs a cleaning lady-- that is when I was when I lost all respect for her. (and you can check my posting history)....

Then reading what she said in her book...
Hearing her most recent interviews...

I won't buy another book,
I won't read another article,
and I'm changing the chanel if she's on TV.

Again,
Politics or no,
I do not listen to bullies.
And once I see you as a bully, you have nothing of value I want.

[marron]

I'm with you. I admired Buckley in his day, for his way of never raising his voice, but smoothly making his opponent look silly. I loved watching him work.

Levin and Coulter and Horowitz are warriors of a different kind, answering rapier with rapier, blow for blow, and usually rocking their opponents back on their heels. They usually do this in hostile venues, often the "token" conservative, sometimes in front of a hostile crowd, Ann has been assaulted for example, Horowitz usually has to have a police escort, and yet they are fearless.

We preach to the choir, here. Its a lot of fun, its amazing how sharply divided opinions can be among people who generally agree on the big picture, but still, as sharp as the arguments can get, they are still among friends. Those three (Levin, Coulter, Horowitz) go into enemy territory and face the attacks head on. I've never seen anyone get the better of them.

[pgyanke]

Harpy 2) A predatory person.

Ann clearly lays out her argument that they are acting on behalf of the DNC in a concerted predatory manner with the help of the MSM. Her argument goes beyond the word. Yours doesn't.

I will agree, though, that Ann qualifies in this definition. She is definitely in a predatory posture toward liberalism and these women as they hold themselves up as untouchable symbols.

The rest is just Ann. She uses hyperbole to get attention... it works. However, no one has yet assailed her book on its merits. Therefore, she and her ideas get attention and the raging debate on her tone is exposing more to her substance than would have been otherwise.

Yes, I applaud her efforts.

If you would like to take on her ideas (with any amount of hyperbole you like), I'm ready to read what you've got...

[ArGee]

I'm with you. I admired Buckley in his day, for his way of never raising his voice, but smoothly making his opponent look silly. I loved watching him work.

Except that chances are you were probably one of the few in his audience who knew he had even made a point.

I know that when I saw Buckley and wanted to talk with the libs about what he had said they could only talk about his vocabulary, and how annoying it was.

Shalom.

[soccermom]

As far as I know, Horowitz has always been civil. As for Coulter and Levin, I think they were at their best during the impeachment hearings because they used their legal expertise and wit -- not personal attacks -- to make their case.

[marron]

Except that chances are you were probably one of the few in his audience who knew he had even made a point.

Funny, but true. Sometimes he was so subtle that no one is sure what he just said. No one ever has to wonder when they've been in a wrestling match with Coulter, Levin, or Horowitz.

[sinkspur]

I think she appeals to the mind, but you have an interesting theory that she appeals to masculinity. If you're right, it sorta separates the sheep from the goats, doesn't it?

It tells you how much of this cult-like behavior is inspired by blonde hair and short black skirts.

[soccermom]

I don't disagree with her ideas, generally. I disagree with her personal attacks. I can't wait to see how Playboy fits into her argument. Do tell! If that is "just Ann", that doesn't say much for Ann, IMO. Her merits, which are generally good, are lost because she winds up undermining her argument. She complains about how conservatives are portrayed as bullies for merely offering rebuttals to claims of "the victims". And the only way she can express that is by being a bully, thereby validating the liberal tactic? Brilliant!