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Has Ann Coulter Hit Her Tipping Point?
AP ^

Posted on 03/11/2007 9:08:10 AM PDT by doesnt suffer fools gladly

Has Ann Coulter Hit Her Tipping Point?

By DAVID BAUDER

NEW YORK (AP) - Ann Coulter has been a reliable name for years among people who plan television news shows - an attractive, articulate blonde conservative who's made a living lobbing verbal bombs.

Following her use of a gay slur about Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards this month during remarks to the Conservative Political Action Conference, some on TV are wondering whether her shelf life is expiring.

Many were angered by her use of the "f-word". Coulter later said she considered it a "schoolyard taunt." She said it was a joke about "Grey's Anatomy" actor Isaiah Washington saying he would seek counseling after using the word to refer to a fellow actor.

At least four daily newspapers have dropped Coulter as a columnist, citing her comment about Edwards.

Head-turning remarks are hardly anything new for the author of "Godless: The Church of Liberalism" and "How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must)." In "Godless" last year, she wrote of World Trade Center widows: "I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much."

"It's a world of 'are you talking about me? are you talking about me?'" said Steve Friedman, executive producer of "The Early Show" on CBS. "And eventually you have to get more and more outrageous to be talked about. One day you cross the line and become persona non grata. I think she's getting close. I think Bill Maher is getting close."

Friedman has no plans to book Coulter on his show, but said he had no plans even before her Edwards comment.

Some people on NBC's "Today" show didn't want to see Coulter before she was booked to talk about "Godless" last summer, said Jim Bell, the show's executive producer.

He overruled them. Having only certain points of view would make for a bland program, he said. Since Coulter is a best-selling author, clearly there's an audience that responds to her. Coulter also appeared on a "Today" segment this Feb. 8, debating a University of Pennsylvania professor.

Bell said last week that Coulter's legitimate points of view are beginning to get lost in the noise of being outlandish.

"She sometimes goes out of her way to push some buttons and tends to generate more heat than light," he said. "We love a lively debate, but we would tend to get people who would generate more light."

Said Tom Rosenstiel, director of the Project for Excellence in Journalism: "You do wonder whether she's destined for 'Dancing With the Stars' at some point."

Several conservatives criticized Coulter for her Edwards remarks. Fellow columnist Michelle Malkin lamented that Coulter had tarred the work of people at the Washington conference. She called Coulter's humor "tired old shtick." Tim Graham, director of media analysis at the Media Research Center, said some conservatives envy the attention she gets and dislike how she distracts from legitimate arguments.

"If you got the sense that she was saying things you thought she believed, it would help," he said.

Still, Graham said it would be "outrageous" if Coulter is blacklisted by networks but Maher isn't. The HBO comic angered some by recent remarks suggesting more people would live if an assassination attempt against Vice President Dick Cheney had been successful.

The liberal organization Media Matters for America, which has long campaigned against Coulter, hopes this is a "defining moment" that causes TV networks to turn their backs on her, said spokesman Karl Frisch.

MSNBC once fired Coulter as a regular contributor after a remark she made to a Vietnam veteran. But Coulter has appeared there as a guest on shows and the network has no policy against her.

The remarks "won't stop conservatives from buying her books and her ability to sell books is what drives her bookings on TV," said MSNBC's "Hardball" host Chris Matthews.

CNN had scheduled Coulter to appear with Paula Zahn last Monday. The network said Coulter canceled her appearance.

"We have and will continue to interview provocative guests and ask them tough questions," CNN spokeswoman Christa Robinson said. "We don't have overall bans about anyone. We will book them when we think it is appropriate to do so, on a case by case basis."

The changing nature of cable news may limit Coulter's ability to speak to those who don't already agree with her. Cable talk shows used to be built upon fiery debate, while now there are more shows that take a point of view and depict world events through that prism. Think Lou Dobbs, Keith Olbermann and Glenn Beck.

A spokeswoman for Coulter did not return a call for comment. Coulter, however, did appear on Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes" three days after the Edwards remark and belittled the idea that it would do lasting damage to her. It's a cycle, she said: she says something, the same people become hysterical, and that's the end of it.

It's about her 17th allegedly career-ending moment, she said.

"It happens about every six months," Coulter said, "and you're always there to put me on TV, Sean."


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: coulter
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To: Sam Hill
>>But what a great tactic, bring up the honored dead to "prove" that they would never act like Coulter. <<

What a great tactic, to liken fellow FReepers who disagree with you to murdering terrorists (from your post #120):

Sorry, your moral highhorse died a few miles back.

141 posted on 03/11/2007 12:42:15 PM PDT by SerpentDove
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To: SerpentDove

"I suppose we can throw Bill Bennett in..."

Can his name be mentioned?

Hasn't he discredited conservatism forever with his hypocritical behavior?

(Sorry, I forgot I wasn't talking to a rational person who might have some shame about inconsistency. I am talking to a Coulter stalker who won't let any facts or logic get in the way of his noble cause.)


142 posted on 03/11/2007 12:44:28 PM PDT by Sam Hill
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To: SerpentDove

You're so right Serpent. There is no parallel whatsoever to the outrage the Muslims ginned up over some cartoons and the outrage Coulter is now suffering over a joke about political correctness.

How dastardly of me to even bring that up.

< /sarc >

But you really remind me of the Monty Python skit about the man who wanted to have an argument. You don't even pretend to present valid arguments. Just contradiction.

Just hundreds of posts about how you don't like Ann Coulter.


143 posted on 03/11/2007 12:49:18 PM PDT by Sam Hill
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To: Sam Hill

You amuse me as well. If you have something of value to say, let me know.

Otherwise, I'm through wasting my time with a fool.


144 posted on 03/11/2007 12:51:14 PM PDT by SerpentDove
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To: SerpentDove

As the bard said: "You can't run away from yourself."


145 posted on 03/11/2007 12:53:42 PM PDT by Sam Hill
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To: Sam Hill
"Barbara Olson and her husband Ted used to fight over who would get the paper on Wednesdays, to decide who would get to read Coulter out-loud to the other one."

Yes, there was a time when she was fresh and not so shrill. It grew old a long time ago.

146 posted on 03/11/2007 12:55:48 PM PDT by CWOJackson
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To: najida

"You mean the nearly ANNorexic fighting machine."

What a perfect example of the hypocrisy of those who want to destroy Coulter because of a joke they claim was "name-calling."

Just perfect.

And you can find dozens of similar examples on any of the dozens of Coulter bashing threads.


147 posted on 03/11/2007 12:58:13 PM PDT by Sam Hill
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To: doesnt suffer fools gladly

Typical AP hit piece. Taking Ann's quotes out of context and naming unknown sources ("Many were outraged...")


148 posted on 03/11/2007 12:59:16 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Good night Chesty, wherever you are!)
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To: CWOJackson

"Yes, there was a time when she was fresh and not so shrill. It grew old a long time ago."

No there wasn't. She writes the same way now as she did then. She makes the same jokes.

She was fired by MSNBC in 1997 for speaking the unvarnished truth (to one of Kerry's VVAW henchmen).

She couldn't get work for years because of her unwillingness to speak PC.

You don't know what you are talking about.


149 posted on 03/11/2007 1:00:13 PM PDT by Sam Hill
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To: Tax-chick
For me, too.

For me, also. BTW, Homosexuals go after everyone who demeans them. They try to destroy people like Coulter, who dare speak the truth.

150 posted on 03/11/2007 1:02:12 PM PDT by savagesusie
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To: Sam Hill

There is a difference between being PC and being outrageous for reaction. It's just like comedians; you really don't have to use the (other) "F" word all the time to be funny. It's usually those who can't promote their real view/humor that have to resort to such antics.


151 posted on 03/11/2007 1:05:34 PM PDT by CWOJackson
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To: CWOJackson

"There is a difference between being PC and being outrageous for reaction. It's just like comedians; you really don't have to use the (other) "F" word all the time to be funny. It's usually those who can't promote their real view/humor that have to resort to such antics."

It's funny that you should mention comedians. Sarah silverman used the word "faggot" in EXACTLY the same way Coulter did on Comedy Central just a few nights before Coulter's speech.

In case you don't know, Silverman is the darling of the left -- for being so edgy and un-PC. Silverman is a hero to them.

But of course none of this has anything to do with what was said, but who said it.

And before you reply with the brilliant retort that Comedy Central isn't CPAC, please tell when CPAC became the new Vatican -- only far more sacrosanct?

CPAC is a private (non-GOP) gathering for the most conservative of the conservative. It is for a very informed, anti-PC audience. Half of Ann's audience were College Republicans. (You know, the folks who came up with the game "Catch The Illegal Alien.")

But Coulter is excoriated for doing as she has always done for the last ten years -- making an un-PC joke about political correctness at CPAC? If not there, where? If not then when?

And it is furthermore hilarious to see every leftwing lunatic let off the hook for the truly disgusting and slanderous things they have said about President Bush, our troops, and everyone on down -- because they didn't say it at CPAC.

The left has been trying for years to come up with a rule that allows them to say anything and us to say nothing. "Conservatives" have finally found that rule for them.

Congratulations!


152 posted on 03/11/2007 1:16:42 PM PDT by Sam Hill
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To: najida
I've found her behavior of the last year or so to be just mean and bratty. That's all, no more, no less.

You're right, and what was the POINT of wasting valuable time in her speech inferring that Edwards is gay or feminine, when he's married with kids, and she could have been talking about his LIBERAL voting record... Now the gay activist groups are after her, and they're relentless. Also, why waste time talking about Edwards, who won't even get the nomination, when Hillary's LIBERAL Senate voting record needs to be exposed...

153 posted on 03/11/2007 1:27:34 PM PDT by Dr. Scarpetta
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To: youngjim

One shot. One Kill. You rock!


154 posted on 03/11/2007 1:28:44 PM PDT by Jo Nuvark (Those who bless Israel will be blessed, those who curse Israel will be cursed. Gen 12:3)
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To: SerpentDove
I appreciate your thoughtful post.

I think Coulter, in retrospect made only 1 mistake, she used the word "faggot" instead of "fag" or "gay".

She's the same age I am, and like me, thought the word "faggot" was nothing more than a schoolyard taunt, equivalent to "wuss" or "wimp". I have to admit that I didn't know "faggot" was a "disgusting, hate word" to paraphrase Malkin.

I guess I (and millions of others) haven't gotten the memo.

Coulter also underestimated the stupidity of the conservatives and dishonesty of her liberal critics.

90 percent of her conservatives critics (including Malkin) evidently know about the Hollywood incident she was satirizing. She used the word "faggot" because that word was required to satirize the Hollywood rehab incident and Edwards.

The liberals of course, knew exactly what she was trying to say. They ignored the truth, and attacked her for calling Edwards a "faggot" and being a homophobe - which is lie.

I think there are two major issues here.

1) We shouldn't let the left-wing pass Hate laws, PC Codes, etc, and decide what words should or shouldn't be used in public discourse.

2) Conservatives should stop attacking other conservatives for violating some Left-wing taboo and trying to win friends on the left. I'm not asking them to approve or praise Coulter's comments, just stop attacking her.
155 posted on 03/11/2007 1:29:02 PM PDT by pablo H (Remember '96- No more Doles!)
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To: SerpentDove
in addition to any other conservative who dares say anything.

Irony bump.

AC speaks for conservatives
Bill Bennett [Gambling Bill, LOL] et. al. speaks for conservatives
SerpentDove speaks for conservatives

So what's your problem? And how many books have you sold by the way?

BTW, Al Franken is also a NY Times bestseller. I guess that elevates him above those people as well?

And how many books vs the number that Coulter's sold? Not that you'd have any idea of that as evidenced by your uniformed opinion.

That you've repeated unaltered hundreds of times.

156 posted on 03/11/2007 1:29:55 PM PDT by youngjim (AC's satire is wasted on the stupid)
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To: doesnt suffer fools gladly

On still on Ann's side.

This is a mountain out of a ant hill.
However, my opinion of Malkin has dropped a few points.


157 posted on 03/11/2007 1:38:16 PM PDT by No Blue States
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To: pablo H

"We shouldn't let the left-wing pass Hate laws, PC Codes, etc, and decide what words should or shouldn't be used in public discourse."

They are doing so as we speak. Just a couple of examples:

FL Legislator Wants To Outlaw The Term "Illegal Alien" | Sweetness & Light
http://www.sweetness-light.com/archive/florida-legislator-wants-to-outlaw-the-term-illegal-alien

New York City Declares The ‘N-word’ Off Limits For All | Sweetness & Light
http://www.sweetness-light.com/archive/new-york-city-declares-the-n-word-verbotten

And, of course, that was the point of Coulter's joke.


158 posted on 03/11/2007 1:39:29 PM PDT by Sam Hill
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To: doesnt suffer fools gladly
Well, I think Ann is always a breath of fresh air in a whiny pc world. I bet she's laughing her head off about all the attention this has generated. Good for her!


159 posted on 03/11/2007 1:51:01 PM PDT by smoothsailing (http://www.gatheringofeagles.org/)
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To: Sam Hill
Agree completely. Look, the left never sleeps. They have a goal of reshaping society in their image. They -never- let up trying to achieve it.

Thats what makes so angry about "Captain Ed", Malkin, Hewitt, etc. for attacking Coulter. They are playing into the hands of the left-wing. And know it.

The whole "hate speech/PC Speech code" nonsense is just another way for the Left to control thought and public speech in this country.

That conservatives are buying into it, is truly "disgusting and Hateful".

There's a difference between private conduct, and public speech. I wouldn't invite a homophobe/racist to a dinner party, so he could pop off about "faggots" and "n-words".

But that doesn't mean we need a law or a college speech code to punish people for saying "bad" words.
160 posted on 03/11/2007 2:15:06 PM PDT by pablo H (Remember '96- No more Doles!)
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