G.O.P. Candidates Criticize Slur by Conservative Author [Ann Coulter]

The New York Times ^ | 3/4/07 | ADAM NAGOURNEY

[XR7]

WASHINGTON, March 3 — Three of the leading Republican presidential candidates on Saturday denounced one of their party’s best-known conservative commentators for using an antigay epithet when discussing a Democratic presidential contender at a gathering of conservatives here.

The remarks by Ann Coulter, an author who regularly speaks at conservative events, were sharply denounced by the candidates, Senator John McCain of Arizona, Rudolph W. Giuliani of New York and Mitt Romney of Massachusetts. Their statements came after Democrats, gay rights groups and bloggers raised a storm of protest over the remarks.

Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference before an overflow crowd on Friday, Ms. Coulter said, “I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word ‘faggot,’ so I — so kind of an impasse, can’t really talk about Edwards.”

Mr. Edwards’s aides responded with an e-mail message that attacked Ms. Coulter and urged supporters to donate to Mr. Edwards’s campaign. “John was singled out for a personal attack because the Republican establishment knows he poses the greatest threat to their power,” said his campaign manager, David E. Bonior. “Since they have nothing real to use against him, Coulter’s resorting to the classic right-wing strategy of riling up hate to smear a progressive champion.”

Ms. Coulter, asked for a reaction to the Republican criticism, said in an e-mail message: “C’mon, it was a joke. I would never insult gays by suggesting that they are like John Edwards. That would be mean.”

[XR7]

The remarks...were sharply denounced by the candidates, Senator John McCain of Arizona, Rudolph W. Giuliani of New York and Mitt Romney of Massachusetts.

RINOS all.

[TYVets]

3 wimps.

[XR7]

[BonnieJ]

Ann has a caustic, quick sense of humor. I some times do wish she would use her intelligence in a more consistently beneficial way but she does crave attention it seems. Her words aren't always helpful to the causes and candidates she supports. But she does get the headlines.

[Jim Robinson]

Woo hoo!! Go Annie!!

[narses]

“C’mon, it was a joke. I would never insult gays by suggesting that they are like John Edwards. That would be mean.”

Ouch!

RINOS all.

Ouch!

Rudy Guiliani has marched in lockstep with liberals on affirmative action, gay rights, gay marriage, gun control, school prayer, tuition tax credits, liberal immigration policies, and he's reinforced it, time and time again. Just about everytime Rudy opens his mouth, offensive liberal words come pouring out. As Mayor, Rudy put liberals in high-paid city jobs, an indication what a Rudy WH would look like. Here then is Rudy in his own words:

--The New York State Liberal Party on its endorsement of Rudy Giuliani for Mayor: "When the Liberal Party Policy Committee reviewed a list of key social issues of deep concern to progressive New Yorkers, we found that Rudy Giuliani agreed with the Liberal Party's stance on a majority of such issues. He agreed with the Liberal Party's views on affirmative action, gay rights, gun control, school prayer and tuition tax credits. As Mayor, Rudy Giuliani would uphold the Constitutional and legal rights to abortion." N.Y.S. Liberal Party Endorsement Statement of Candidate Giuliani for Mayor of New York City April 8, 1989

--On the Republican Party: "Mr. Rockefeller represented 'a tradition in the Republican Party' I've worked hard to re-kindle - the Rockefeller, Javits, Lefkowitz tradition." Rudy Giuliani told the New York Times July 9, 1992

--Village Voice Interview with Guiliani: He was asked: "What kind of Republican Is [Giuliani]? A Reagan Republican?" Giuliani pauses before answering: "I'm a Republican." Village Voice January 24, 1989

--On Attending 1996 Republican Convention: Rudy expressed his pleasure when he wasn't invited to the Republican National Convention in San Diego. "If I take three or four days off from city business, I want to do it for a substantive purpose. It didn't seem to me any substantive purpose could be served by going to the Republican convention." said Rudy. Rudy! An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, Page 459, by Wayne Barrett

--On Barry Goldwater: Giuliani described John Kennedy as "great and brilliant. Barry Goldwater as an "incompetent, confused and sometimes idiotic man." New York Daily News, May 13, 1997

--On President Bill Clinton: Shortly before his last-minute endorsement of Bob Dole in the 1996 presidential election, Giuliani told the Post's Jack Newfield that "most of Clinton's policies are very similar to most of mine." Rudy! An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, Wayne Barrett.

--The Daily News quoted Giuliani as saying March 1996: "Whether you talk about President Clinon, Senator Dole.... The country would be in very good hands in the hands of any of that group." An Investigative Biography of Rudolph Giuliani, Wayne Barrett.

[word_warrior_bob]

Ms. Coulter, asked for a reaction to the Republican criticism, said in an e-mail message: “C’mon, it was a joke. I would never insult gays by suggesting that they are like John Edwards. That would be mean.”

[weegee]

Tell me, did the NYet Times ever slam Edwards in a headline for the bigoted Christian-bashing his campaign staffers wrote on his blog?

The double standard of this fishwrap stinks.

[Tamar1973]

“C’mon, it was a joke. I would never insult gays by suggesting that they are like John Edwards. That would be mean.”
Ouch!
RINOS all.

My thoughts exactly.

[Screamname]

How about the part where he is licking his lips over and over? I couldn`t even watch the rest, that enough got me nauseous.

[Nextrush]

I have a term for what happens when someone says something that the liberals use to try to destroy them.

"Brownshirting."

They want to silence Ann just like those Nazi thugs did on the streets of Germany years ago.

But instead of using a mob like the Nazis did the
liberals use their media and politicians to do the job.

Rush Limbaugh's ESPN comments were a perfect example of coordinated liberal media Bownshirting.

And as much as I don't like him on other issues, Trent Lott's Strom Thurmond comments involved "Brownshirting" that cost him his job.

And the White House followed along, not defending Lott.

Republicans should have no part of this campaign against Ann.

[XR7]

Here she is!

Ann Coulter comments on "Pretty Boy" Edwards
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AE847UXu3Q

[NickatNite2003]

Cowards....hypocrites...

[television is just wrong]

faggot: a small bundle of firewood

Dems are the party of minorities, gays and lesbians. Why is it an insult to refer a candidate as a faggot?

[television is just wrong]

faggot: a small bundle of firewood

Dems are the party of minorities, gays and lesbians. Why is it an insult to refer a candidate as a faggot?

[L.N. Smithee]

RINOS all.

In the words of Gen. Honore, "Don't get stuck on stupid!" Being a Republican has nothing to do with agreement with such a ridiculous remark.

Maybe next year you'd like David Duke to speak at CPAC. He knows how to upset the RINOs too, and that's all you really want, isn't it?

[XR7]

Maybe next year you'd like David Duke to speak at CPAC.

Your point being?

[BlueSky194]

I guess his point being, if you want over the top comments invite David Duke to CPAC.

[Cowboy Bob]

What's interesting to note out of this whole episode is that it highlights the differences between Democrats and Republicans

Already, several Republicans have publicly repudiated Ann and her remarks. If she were a Democrat, the whole party would be rallying to her support.

Cases in point: Kerry and his "botched" joke about the military, Biden and his "clean Black" comment, etc.

On the other hand, the Republicans couldn't run fast enough to throw Trent Lott under the bus after his praise of Strom Thurmond...

And the Republican leadership wonders why it got its Butt kicked back in November...

[XR7]

I guess his point being, if you want over the top comments invite David Duke to CPAC.

Thanks for jumping in to answer for someone else.
Comparing Ann Coulter to David Duke is idiotic.