Posted on 01/31/2003 5:52:04 PM PST by FreeTheHostages
As Libertina mentioned in the main CPAC Live thread, Ann Coulter stopped by the Free Republic booth at CPAC and graciously offered a block of 12 tickets to tonight's filming of CNN Crossfire with Paul Begala and Tucker Carlson, with guests Jerry Springer and Ann Coulter.
We eagerly took up this offer, and off we trouped to be in the filming audience, cheering on Tucker and Ann.
How kind of Ann to spare the tickets! We certainly didn't spare our enthusiasm for her points in return. There were several audience close-ups featuring Freepers. Basil had a lovely colloquy with Begala before the filming started: after Begala made some anti-gun comments, he discovered she lived near his hometown in Texas and suggested he could come over for dinner. Basil firmly indicated that wouldn't be desirable and noted her respect for gun rights!! I don't remember the exact words of the colloquy, but Basil (I hope I've got her Freeper name right!) was calm and respectful and pointed in her remarks. Tucker got a kick out of it.
Well, if you saw the show, you saw that they asked Springer about the check he wrote to a prostitute. You should know before the show Tucker asked if the audience had any questions for Springer, and someone in our group -- I think it was Doctor Raoul? -- asked about that check.
During the show, of course Springer was no match for Ann Coulter. It appears that Begala tried to even the odds by basically interrupting and filibustering Ann's answers. During a commercial break, I could hear (even sitting way back in the room) Ann politely take him to task for that, noting that he should first let her get her basic answer out and noting that Springer was permitted to run on.
Before the show started, the audience was prepped with info that the show's producers welcomed enthusiastic applause but please no boo-ing or chanting. This was emphasized repeatedly -- perhaps because Springer was on the show. We all behaved perfectly, and the audience in fact only applauded for their guy rather than booing for the other. During a commercial break, before Ann left the set, she waved cheerfully to our section of the audience and we waved back.
Honor roll: Xthe17th (thanks for getting me in, bud!), Libertina, Angelwood, Kristinn, Ned13, Doctor Raoul -- oh, he was definitely there, CNN had a good tight shot of him clapping enthusiastically, Tgsltakoma, Basil, and other Freepers whom I'm just meeting at CPAC. (So please, y'all that were there, please add the other names.)
Although I must boast that I personally received a report that my clapping was "too loud"! I clapped so enthusiastically for Ann Coulter's comments that a particular mean person in front of me who clapped with eager vigor for Jerry Springer's points told me that I was clapping "too loud"! LOL!! :) (Clearly, she was just annoyed that anyone was clapping for Ann at all. I don't even *know* how to clap too loud. I think the very sound of anyone clapping for Ann Coulter was painful for this lady and she subjectively experienced it as loud!! LOL.)
So, I guess the morale of this report is: if you've just watched CNN's Crossfire tonight and noticed that it wasn't the usual night and not just 'cause Jerry Springer and Ann Coulter weren't on -- if you noticed that for once there was good applause for Tucker and Ann's point of view too -- that was us!
Looking forward to seeing Freepers from all over the country at CPAC tomorrow again.
Double Damn! (I was at CPAC last year and couldn't make it this year)
I watched the show and remember little, if any, interaction between Springer and Coulter. I think Springer is likely to be a formidable candidate for Senate and a much needed voice outside the duopoly.
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