Posted on 10/03/2001 11:35:13 AM PDT by BamaG
LAffaire Coulter
Goodbye to all that.
By Jonah Goldberg, NRO Editor
October 3, 2001 2:20 p.m.
ear Readers, Of course, we would explain our decision to Ann, but the reality is that she's called the shots from the get-go. It was Ann who decided to sever her ties with National Review not the other way around. This is what happened. In the wake of her invade-and-Christianize-them column, Coulter wrote a long, rambling rant of a response to her critics that was barely coherent. She's a smart and funny person, but this was Ann at her worst emoting rather than thinking, and badly needing editing and some self-censorship, or what is commonly referred to as "judgment." But this was not the point. It was NEVER the point. The problem with Ann's first column was its sloppiness of expression and thought. Ann didn't fail as a person as all her critics on the Left say she failed as WRITER, which for us is almost as bad. Rich wrote her another e-mail, engaging her on this point, and asking her in more diplomatic terms to approach the whole controversy not as a PR-hungry, free-swinging pundit on Geraldo, but as a careful writer. No response. Instead, she apparently proceeded to run around town bad-mouthing NR and its employees. Then she showed up on TV and, in an attempt to ingratiate herself with fellow martyr Bill Maher, said we were "censoring" her. By this point, it was clear she wasn't interested in continuing the relationship. What publication on earth would continue a relationship with a writer who would refuse to discuss her work with her editors? What publication would continue to publish a writer who attacked it on TV? What publication would continue to publish a writer who lied about it on TV and to a Washington Post reporter? And, finally, what CONSERVATIVE publication would continue to publish a writer who doesn't even know the meaning of the word "censorship"? So let me be clear: We did not "fire" Ann for what she wrote, even though it was poorly written and sloppy. We ended the relationship because she behaved with a total lack of professionalism, friendship, and loyalty. What's Ann's take on all this? Well, she told the Washington Post yesterday that she loves it, because she's gotten lots of great publicity. That pretty much sums Ann up. On the Sean Hannity show yesterday, however, apparently embarrassed by her admission to the Post, she actually tried to deny that she has sought publicity in this whole matter. Well, then, Ann, why did you complain of being "censored" on national TV? Why did you brag to the Post about all the PR? Listening to Ann legalistically dodge around trying to explain all this would have made Bill Clinton blush. Ann also told the Post that we only paid her $5 a month for her work (would that it were so!). Either this is a deliberate lie, or Ann needs to call her accountant because someone's been skimming her checks. Many readers have asked, why did we run the original column in which Ann declared we should "invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity" if we didn't like it? Well, to be honest, it was a mistake. It stemmed from the fact this was a supposedly pre-edited syndicated column, coming in when NRO was operating with one phone line and in general chaos. Our bad. Now as far as Ann's charges go, I must say it's hard to defend against them, because they either constitute publicity-minded name-calling, like calling us "girly-boys" or they're so much absurd bombast. For example:
Paul Johnson has criticized Islam as an imperial religion. William F. Buckley himself has called, essentially, for a holy war. Rich Lowry wants to bring back the Shah, and I've written that Western Civilization has every right to wave the giant foam "We're Number 1!" finger as high as it wants. To be honest, even though there's a lot more that could be said, I have no desire to get any deeper into this because, like with a Fellini movie, the deeper you get, the less sense Ann makes. We're delighted that FrontPageMagazine has, with remarkable bravery, picked up Ann's column, presumably for only $5 a month. They'll be getting more than what they're paying for, I'm sure. Jonah Goldberg |
HOROWITZ TO COULTER: I GOT YOU, BABE!! Taliban Publicity Hound Hires Disgraced Lunatic Wing-Nut Factions Solidify Horowitz Sheet Becomes Taliban Cave of Last Resort "Annie's Got a Gun," Coos New Boss
In a late-breaking development, American Taliban propagandist and publicity hound David Horowitz has given the disgraced Ann Coulter a new position on the staff of his little-read on-line magazine.
Coulter was recently fired by the National Review for her off-the-wall attacks on Muslims and other dark-complexioned Americans. This follows her dismissal by MSNBC for some earlier crackpot diatribes.
In making his hiring announcement, ex-Stalinist Horowitz had some choice words for National Review:
"What happened to Ann falls into a pattern that we... like to call 'PC McCarthyism,'" Horowitz observed.
The Scaife-funded Horowitz also praised Coulter's slurs and smears as "articulate, forceful - and cheeky."
The hiring is the latest development in the continuing crack-up of the American Taliban Right. According to intelligence experts, the thuggish, megalomaniacal Horowitz faction has now decided to challenge the Goldberg/Lowry NR forces for control of the Taliban's secondary tier of operations.
The primary tier remains under the firm control of Chief Ideologue William Kristol and the Weekly Taliban Standard. Intense speculation has arisen about whether, in the wake of Horowitz's power, grab, C.I. Kristol will try to reinforce his own position by hiring Andrew "Gap Model" Sullivan -- himself recently fired as TRB columnist at the New Republic. Like Coulter, Sullivan has a checkered employment history.
It would appear, according to one official who wishes to remain anonymous, that the internecine warfare between Horowitz and NR has distracted both sides from the American Taliban's major offensive, which has been to attack Secretary of State Colin Powell and President Bill Clinton.
Sullivan has yet to issue any reaction to Coulter's attack on NR's editors as "girly-boys." Taliban watchers are divided over whether "Gap Model" will construe the remarks, as Horowitz does, as merely irreverent and "cheeky," or whether he will take offense and deepen the factionalism.
In what may be a related development, NR and its on-line operation have yet to acknowledge that Coulter has been fired, or to explain to readers why.
Political commentators expressed little surprise at today's events.
"Horowitz and Coulter have long been making goo-goo eyes at each other," one source observed. "They have for years together defined the term, 'right-wing crackpot.' This just cinches the deal. David and Ann: Perfect Together!"
The only major open question seems to be whether Horowitz's actions represent an additional power move by his patron Richard Mellon Scaife. Scaife and Coulter have a long history of cooperation dating back to Coulter's links to the Scaife-funded Federalist Society and the conspiracy to remove President Bill Clinton. And Scaife is the chief funder of Horowitz's operations.
Logistics experts familiar with the movements of the American Taliban have had additional reactions to today's news.
"It appears that Horowitz will now provide the American Taliban with its cave of last resort, for the network's more demented crusaders," one official remarked.
David and Ann. All part of MWO's 'round-the-clock coverage in its continuing series, "The Right Fights Itself."
Ethridge?
Are you perhaps thinking of Susan Estrus?
If the article I just read (provided by your link) is the article that sissy boy was referring to then I have only one thing to say to nancy boy.
Liar, liar pants on fire.
ROTFL!! Oh lord that is funny.
Now AC, ......
To IMAGINE that she didn't see fit to answer such an objective, reasoned response...
Reminds me of what Ann wrote about 12 page letters that begin with "Ann, you slut..." Yeah, please, let me discuss this further with you. Rich revealed his contempt for Ann if he really wrote that to her. This article drips with Jonah's contempt.
Jonah Girlyberg goes further to suggest that, well, there's more he could go into, but he's choosing the high road instead. Aside from being a cheap shot, it's disingenuous. The high road would have been not to write this smackdown at all.
Ann's second column made a great deal of sense -- common sense of the kind we used to have when our nation and its citizens were threatened. Deportation would be prudent, if unpopular. And the last two exceptions have a twisted brilliance too -- no Muslim who is truly a threat to us would agree to spy; and any Senator who would vouch for someone by name could reveal a great deal about themselves and their loyalties, couldn't they?
"If you love wealth better than liberty, the tranquillity of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." -- Samuel Adams
Ann is in good company when she avoids pulling her verbal punches.
Except this one ;-)
She lost lots of credibility here. And NRO has Victor Davis Hanson, I'll keep reading.
"Is this Jonah Goldberg's idea of good "professional" writing?"
No, it's obviously his idea of tit for tat. Or vice-versa, as the case may be.
Coulter is a frequent commentator on cable news shows and rose to prominence during the Clinton impeachment scandal.
Now doesn't NR look like fools?
Is this world really big enough for two of them? :)
Don "I never quite figured out the mass-infatuation with A.C." Joe
No, that'd be the NY LP. I believe this LP was in Virginia or some such. State LP's are independent bodies. The national LP can disaffiliate them, but that just means they can't send delegates to national LP conventions.
At the time, the NY LP barely existed. All other state and the national LP looked on with disdain -- but not much to be done about their grab for the limelight.
In the Coulter incident, that state LP made the right call. Hats off to them.
Her columns are always a good read, but she looks like she's losing her grip a little bit on this one. Go Chiefs, CM
You sound like A+Bert. You're on this jag about this little dust-up hurting "the right."
Most of "the right" doesn't even know about it, and wouldn't care about if they did.
Ann and Jonah ain't Jeanne Kirkpatrick and George Will.
It doesn't look like anybody's going to apologize, so you may as well move on and hope Coulter doesn't vanish into the ether over at Frontpage.
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