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?

[jocko12]

Ann must have got a copy of the DNC play book and tryed out some of it.

[Sunsong]

I'm thinking she won't be speaking at the convention.

No, I don't recall her speaking in '04 either. But CPAC and other conservative venues need to let her go as well.

[Mark was here]

Anyone who attempts to shield people from the obvious by changing the focus from the truth to the messenger is part of the repression of the freedom of political speech.

... and this is what Political Correctness is all about. Well said.

[SJackson]

I for one don't care who gets offended. If the truth is being spoken it is the most basic of rights to point out the obvious. Anyone who attempts to shield people from the obvious by changing the focus from the truth to the messager is part of the repression of the freedom of political speech.

OK, you obviously feel Edwards is a faggot.

Do you think Justice Stevens should be poisoned?

Is it repression of freedom of political speech to suggest that's a really stupid comment too?

[SJackson]

06 was her raghead comment, talks tough, raghead faces consequences. I don't recall where she made the lets poison Justice Stevens comment. But a serious political group doesn't need this.

[o_zarkman44]

I know Ann would win a slapfest against Nancy Pelousey.

The Rats are great at name calling, but when they are backed in a corner by the truth, they whine.......ohhhh I was callleddddd a nammmeeeee and I want to cryyyyyyyy wahhhhhhhhhhhhhh no fair waaaaaaaaaaaa.
And Bush has been silent while being called a lot of vile and dispicable names. It has to hurt. But you don't hear him whining! He just kicks islamofacists
(and Kerry/Gore's) ass!!!

[bluecollarman]

"raghead comment, talks tough, raghead faces consequences"

Good Lord...what's wrong with that one?

[cinives]

She didn't call Edwards a faggot. Please read her entire remark before commenting.

If you don't get that she was talking about people who say politically incorrect things being shamed into rehab these days, then your reading comprehension skills need work.

[Sunsong]

06 was her raghead comment, talks tough, raghead faces consequences. I don't recall where she made the lets poison Justice Stevens comment. But a serious political group doesn't need this.

No they don't. If she wants to go on Bill Mahers show and go tit for tat - that's a whole different thing. Just like the sponsoring group said - this event was about the representation of conservatives and the speakers are sysmbols of who conservatives are. Now people (not Ann she doesn't apologize) are having to apologize and distance themselves from her poor judgment.

[cinives]

Do you really think the MSM was going to cover anything on the conservative agenda at CPAC ? Get real. The MSM loves this - they can say they covered the event and bash conservatives at the same time.

[SJackson]

Good Lord...what's wrong with that one?

The venue, it's not a comedy club or TV.

[cinives]

Yep.

[bluecollarman]

"Which faggot?"

All faggots. Why do they get any say? Why are we afraid of them? How did they get to be an Ethnic Group? Did you let them become one?

[SJackson]

Unscientific, but CPAC gets 443 google news hits, CPAC + Coulter 185. So it was covered. The 185 at least, negative.

[cinives]

Did you ever think that maybe the press doesn't want to get it - don't you see all the conservatives jumping on the "bash Ann" wagon based on the MSM coverage ?

The media got conservatives to throw bombs at one of their own - they are thrilled.

[LtKerst]

Ann Coulter is the Greatest!!!

God Bless Her!!!

You Gutless Whimps!!!

You are playing right into their hands!!!

How can you be so STUPID???

They...Say it is too bad Cheyney was not killed.
They get a pass

They...say the Lives of our troops were wasted.
They get a pass

They can say any filthy and despicable think they want
They..get a pass.

Ann does not call Edwards a "Faggot", she Implies that She would have to go to "Rehab" if She did.
and You IDIOTS! trash Her.

You are not Conservatives.
You are "Castrated" "Pussys"...You make me Sick.
Go Vote For Arnold again...Because He Has "Republican" in front of his name.

What Political Geniuses you are!!!

Ann Coulter is so Far above you, You all look like "Retards".

Did I use too many "hatefull" words???

Boo! Hoo!

Get ready to Loose in 2008.

[cinives]

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

[ml/nj]

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.

Like the coverage is so great when it focuses on those goal and principles. Wake up! We all have those same goals and principles, Lady Coulter included. Ann really knows what she is doing.

ML/NJ

[bluecollarman]

The venue, it's not a comedy club or TV.

So what? I guess you are just a little too sophisticated for me. I see nothing wrong with this statement. I doubt you'd ever see it on TV or at a comedy club though. I think that was the point Ann was making. We have gone P.C. crazy.

[SJackson]

Did you ever think that maybe the press doesn't want to get it - don't you see all the conservatives jumping on the "bash Ann" wagon based on the MSM coverage ?... The media got conservatives to throw bombs at one of their own - they are thrilled.

Yes, and they'd be more thrilled if Romney thanked Ann for her support and said, sure, Edwards is a faggot.

Yes, the press is hostile and hungry, but that's no reason for Republicans to feed them.