Ann Coulter at CPAC

National Center for Public Policy Research ^ | 2-4-07 | Amy Ridenour

[SJackson]

Ann Coulter at CPAC

I'm sorry to see that Ann Coulter once again made certain news coverage of CPAC would be focused upon her instead of upon the conservative movement's goals and principles.

The National Center for Public Policy Research is one of very many co-sponsors of CPAC, and has been for some years. After Ann Coulter's offensive speech last year, we telephoned the organizers and strongly suggested that Ann Coulter's behavior was harmful to, and unrepresentative of, the conservative movement. We said we were considering pulling out our co-sponsorship because of Ann Coulter's "raghead" comment, and asked them to not invite Ann Coulter to speak in CPAC 2007, or, at the very least, only invite her if she was told to can the offensive speech, and explicitly agreed to do so. I had 90 percent decided to stop our co-sponsorship for CPAC 2007, but the sponsor seemed to be taking our concerns about Coulter's 2006 remarks seriously and with what seemed to us to be appropriate sympathy, so the National Center co-sponsored CPAC again this year.

(I am, by the way. under no illusion that CPAC's main sponsors lose sleep over possibly losing the National Center's co-sponsorship. We do pay a fee to co-sponsor, and all the fees paid by all the co-sponsors together do add up to quite a tidy sum, but I'm sure any one co-sponsor is quite expendable.)

As has been widely reported, Ann Coulter not only once again went out of her way to use a nasty epithet, she pushed her offensiveness up a notch, using a word that is even more universally reviled than the derogatory term she hurled last year.

So, CPAC's sponsors either invited Coulter back without first getting her pledge that she would speak without using demeaning epithets, or they obtained her pledge, and she broke her word.

We'll ask.

It would be better, in my opinion, to not have a CPAC at all than to have one that presents conservatism as a hostile, people-hating ideology. We conservatives have enough trouble overcoming the false things that are said about us without paying for a platform upon which we shoot ourselves annually in the foot.

Some of my past commentary on Ann Coulter can be found here and here.

Here's a roundup of other conservative (and moderate) commentary on the Coulter situation:

"With Friends Like These... (re Ann Coulter)," JonQuixote

"CPAC is Shocked--Shocked!--by Ann Coulter's Remarks," Jon Swift

"Coulter Screams for Attention, Again - Losing Whatever Supporters She Still Had," Patterico

"Ann Coulter Doesn't Speak For Me," Wizbang

"Coulter Said What? (Bumped)," Captain's Quarters

"The Shame Of Ann Coulter," The Moderate Voice

"Ann Coulter at CPAC," Betsy's Page

"Ann Coulter calls John Edwards...," Right Thoughts

"Count Me Out," Lone Star Times

"Ann Coulter Calls John Edwards The 'F-word'," Gay Patriot

"Coulter Needs A Rehab," Riehl World View

"Apologizing for Ann Coulter," MyDD

"On Ann Coulter, John Edwards, and Civility," historymike

P.S. A hostile liberal blogger issues a challenge to conservatives:

Reality: [Ann Coulter] is your biggest star. The people you claim to speak for feel she speaks for them much, much more than you do -- and they're right. She is modern conservatism's id -- she's the one who says what the rest of you would say if you didn't feel it would cost you your standing as reasonable, responsible people.

Want to prove me wrong? You cut her off. You boycott the sponsors of TV shows that still invite her on as a guest. You show up at her book signings and campus appearances and hand out flyers quoting her nastiest bon mots. You boycott CPAC next year if she's invited, and demand that others do the same. Or if you have a problem with boycotts as a matter of principle, at the very least urge your fellow conservatives, on college campuses and elsewhere, to stop extending invitations to her, given the profound harm you say she does to your movement.

But you won't do that, will you? In that case, shut the hell up, hypocrites, and acknowledge that while Coulter may be the bad apple in the family, your door is always open to her.

Well?

[BerryDingle]

Yes, thats what amazes me, something about the CPAC actually was covered!

[bvw]

A "fag" was originally a single cigarette. The whole pack of cigarettes (circa 1900) was called a faggot.

As I understand, over time the term fag came to overlap with fatigue and referred to the used, damp, limp form of a cigarette. In that case it applies to both Clinton and Edwards.

And from that analogy it came to refer to the effeminate-type of homosexual. Pretty simple, really.

[ventana]

Who cares about the mainstream media? Their hour is about over. V's wife.

[bvw]

Yes, in that rule of public relations Ann's remark is worth billions of free marketing to CPAC, if played right. And playing it right would mean mean not being a fag in response. Actually the Dixie Chicks would be a good example here: "Not Ready to Play Nice"!

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Ann Coulter, Shield Maiden of the GOP...

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

PERFECT...

[Sunsong]

Speakers are representing themselves - not symbols. What a ridiculous comment.

Not ridiculous at all. Speakers at CPAC are symbols of who conservatives are. Just a fact.

[mbraynard]

Michelle isn't nearly as quick on her feet in a debate on an issue of the day as Ann is. I've seen Michelle get beaten up too often against a lefty on TV.

Ann is much better at framing arguments and going head to head with an oponent live. And she throws in a few cute lines, too.

However, I do like MM a lot and enjoy her work and her blog.

As far as the joke, I believe that Ann owes a big apology to all the homosexual men in this country for comparing John Edwards to them.

[berdie]

You are correct. their hour may be over..or not. The MSM still holds a tremendous sway over a large segment of the voting public. Not that Ann's comments will matter in the long run. Just look at their "elected" President Obama.

[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

Deputy Dawg has been called in on the case from Muskrat patrol. That should get to the bottom of it. She could be in serious trouble.

[Radix]

'Hello, read her remark. She did NOT call him a faggot."

I got it.

Ann does not say things stupidly, despite the contentions of certain FReepers, and others.

No problem. I'll call John Edwards a faggot, and I'll call him that to him right to his face while looking him in the eye, if I had the chance.

Do you honestly believe that faggot would seriously do anything about it?

This is all about a tempest in a teapot.

Edwards is a chump who because he was able to sway a few other bigger chumps that landed on juries to give millions of dollars to people who came upon tough times is now Presidential material?

I'll take my chances on the Last Day with my transgressions before me way before I'd ever join up with that freaking scumbag on anything.

Scumbag faggot, by the way.

[ShandaLear]

It was very funny and the follow-up even better. Anne continues to prove what she wrote in her last book to be true over and over again.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Ann knew exactly what she was doing and the rinos took the bait.The rinos are so easy.What a bunch of PC Pansies.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Never trust a man who takes more time in front of a mirror than a woman.

[TChad]

I think it is a sad day when we let faggots or the liberals tell us what we can an can't say. How did we get here?

To be effective, insults should be based on fact. John Edwards may be a vain metrosexual, but he is apparently not homosexual. Edwards and his wife of 30 years have had four kids. This isn't about "faggots or liberals" limiting anyone's speech. This is about Ann's failure to stick to the truth, so she could retain her credibility and continue to help conservatism.

Ann's comment apparently was provoked by Isaiah Washington's "faggot" reference to his co-star on the TV show "Grey's Anatomy." The co-star is, in fact, gay, but Washington capitulated to the PC hordes, checked himself into rehab, and backpedaled frantically to apologize. Pathetic, but it had nothing to do with Edwards.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Republicans in 2007 have no balls : )

[Publius6961]

Since I reject all labels, and will not be pounded into anybody's kool-aid party, I can simply tell the NCPPR to **** off?

I can agree or disagree with Ann's comments, it was funny.
If reacting to the left's hissy fit is the party line, have at it and have fun.
Anybody who thinks "playing nice" with the enemy is productive, be my guest.

Go Ann!

[Publius6961]

Posting links to what 13 or 1300 losers have to say about the isuue means nothing to me.
You could probably find tons of them at DU.

Or did you already visit?

[SJackson]

Since I reject all labels, and will not be pounded into anybody's kool-aid party, I can simply tell the NCPPR to **** off?

You can. Do you expect them to invite you to speak at CPAC next year?

Seems to me co-sponsors get to have their say.

[Publius6961]

Ann should apologize for the "faggot" comment just as soon as the leftwing moonbats apologize for their "Bush lied, people died, selected, not elected, no WMD . . . " and countless other far more offensive comments which get passed along and even rubber-stamped by our Kool-Aid drinking media whores.

All I have to do is remember this

EDWARDS EMPLOYEES 1

and this

EDWARDS EMPLOYEES 2

... and I just can't stop laughing.
If you think the crisis is OMG serious, I just feel sorry for you.

Did Ann start running for office or start working for somebody's campaign while I wasn't looking?