ABC News Serenades Ann Coulter With "The Bitch Is Back"

ABC World News Now | June 28, 2007 | L.N. Smithee

[L.N. Smithee]

I was just about to flip off my TV set when I did a cursory spin around the channels to see if there was something happening I would want to TiVo for tomorrow when I came across ABC's World News Now broadcast, a hodgepodge of previously aired ABC News stories read by minor league anchors getting their first taste of national network exposure (Anderson Cooper began his career on this show).

The anchors had just finished a replay of Salon.com refugee Jake Tapper's story on the Coulter-Edwards kerfuffle, which contained Tapper's trademark leftward spin. After it was finished, the male anchor said to the female anchor (I'll fill in those details later if you care) something in the realm of "You know how we have a Paris Hilton blackout? Why don't we also have an Ann Coulter blackout?" As the female anchor proposed that Mrs. Edwards and Coulter somehow have it out on television, someone in the control room played in the background Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back." The song's volume rose as the show went to a commercial break.

Personally, I have soured on Coulter after she suddenly became needlessly strident and gratutitous in issuing insults. She's become a conservative enfant terrible, and doesn't seem to care that while she gets all the credit for stirring up outrage, it reflects badly on people who share her concerns but not her penchant for inflammatory rhetoric.

But this thread is not about what I think of her, it's about what is acceptable behavior for a news program. Essentially calling a best-selling author a "bitch" on a newscast? There is absolutely NO excuse for this.

While the BBC recently openly admitted that there is rampant leftist bias within its reports, there has been no similar self-reflection on the part of American news outlets. I propose a good place to start such a discussion would be right at this point: Who is it at ABC News who decided that it would be journalistically acceptable to play "The Bitch Is Back" after a story about Ann Coulter? Someone in that dark room with all the monitors, switches and levers set it up and said, "Do it." What was in his/her mind? What does David Westin have to say about it? Did the decision-maker figure Westin would be proud?

[DocH]

Elton John... Always thought he sucked.

He DOES, and in more ways than one.

[rsflynn]

...Wimps to the Right...

[ZULU]

I agree.

If she ever needs a bodyguard, I volunteer.

[ZULU]

You suffer from acute political myopia. Ann Coulter is our Joan of Arc and I’m not about to let a bunch of left-wing apologist hypocrits burn her at the stake.

I pray for the troops. And I pray Jorge El Segundo does as little further damage as possible to Republican chances in 2008 - and that’s as far as I’m willing to go with HIM.

[PISANO]

But it is ok to viciously attack Ann and ANY OTHER "NAZI" Republican because well that's what they are....BUT....if Ann or any other Republican becomes 'strident', well then it is beyond the pale, and an affront to all of the civilized world!!

By the way anyone notice how Ann's "WORDS" proved true once again by the fact that Edwards' wife [an UNTOUCHABLE victim] AND in full VICTIM MODE, attacks ANN incessantly, but when Ann slaps back, it is pointed out that Edwards' wife is suffering from CANCER.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

That should be Hillary’s song, if not “Man Eater”!

[RonDog]

From www.anncoulter.com :

June 18, 2007, 1:02 PM

PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE NOW — - ANN COULTER'S NEW BOOK, IN STORES OCTOBER 2:

If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd Be Republicans

ALSO: GODLESS IN PAPERBACK, OUT JUNE 26TH:

Godless: The Church of Liberalism (Paperback)

-- snip --

Note how Ann's image has SHIFTED TO THE RIGHT -- her right, that is,
from the ORIGINAL version (top) -- which reads "If Dem RATS" --
currently posted on Amazon
to the FINAL version (bottom) -- which reads "HAD BRAINS" --
as currently posted on her publishers website.

[MayflowerMadam]

“...she takes it too far with her grenade throwing.”

No; she doesn’t. She’s mild compared to the libs’ spokescritters. They just can’t take it.

[RonDog]

Of the DOZEN or so threads posted on this forum in the last few days about the Chris Matthews/Elizabeth Edwards "attempted sandbagging" of our Ann, here is the best SUMMARY thread, IMHO:

***YouTube video of ANN COULTER vs Lizzy Edwards [MRS. "Silky Pony"] from Hardball (6/26/07)***
	Posted by Syncro On News/Activism 06/27/2007 1:00:10 AM PDT · 252 replies · 5,132+ views THE INSTITUTE OF PHENOMONOLOGY ^ | June27, 2007 | Dr. Zoo

Of the DOZEN or so threads posted on this forum in the last few days about the Chris Matthews/Elizabeth Edwards "attempted sandbagging" of our Ann, here is the best SUMMARY thread, IMHO:

***YouTube video of ANN COULTER vs Lizzy Edwards [MRS. "Silky Pony"] from Hardball (6/26/07)***
	Posted by Syncro On News/Activism 06/27/2007 1:00:10 AM PDT · 252 replies · 5,132+ views THE INSTITUTE OF PHENOMONOLOGY ^ | June27, 2007 | Dr. Zoo

[iopscusa]

“We have enough jello spined conservatives and far too few Ann Coulters”...so true, so true!
Conservatives have been too willing to roll over in what currently is a propaganda war and have thus lost many voices that will fight to win and will get their principled arguments into the light. Why do you think the Fairness Doctrine is being brought up and the Attack on Talk Radio has become serious?

AC is a 1000watt bulb as opposed to the many jello-spined R’s & C’s who are so dim-bulbed they think we should play nice and maintain the veneer of PC...I think this is a War and the Left is on the BattleField...where is the Right?

[dfwgator]

I like Ann, although at times she can be somewhat over the top...

When Ann is "over the top," it usually is in response to some "over the top" thing a liberal pundit says. She just throws it right back in their face.

[RonDog]

They can’t do that!

That’s Hillary’s campain song!!!!! - G Larry

ping

[RonDog]

I think AC has done all of us a big favor.

Her style certainly tends to smoke out the spittle-flecked MSM/Socialist/Leftist and that is a good thing for all to see...

Bingo!

Ann certainly knows how to PROVOKE the Left into reacting...

...whether they WANT to or not -- even when they KNOW what she is doing!

They just can't help themselves. :o)

[iopscusa]

Amen Brother....that Spittle-Flected Left just can’t help themselves. I’m thinking 2008 looks like a great election that will tank the Leftist enemies...we need to nominate new Leaders in the WH and both houses of Congress because IMO ‘08 is going to go RIGHT!

The Base is motivated from the Amnesty battle and we are itching to fight on!

[Ron H.]

So, is it OK for MSNBC/NBC to fund raise for the democrats? Apparnetly, by NBC standards its perfectly reasonable.

Yes that would seem to be case but there is a positive side to this as I see it. The more money that can be raised for this minor failed candidate the less there will be for others in the race. Let Edwards sop up as much as he can. Personally I think Ann Coulter is a genius in this regard for a scheme to divert fundraising dollars to Edwards failed campaign but that seems to come natural for her.

[gerryk]

Last night I went to apply for membership at Ann Coulter chat and this was the response I received from the boardadmin@anncoulter.com

Registration is suspended for a few days. The volunteers who manage the site have decided to let the loons find another forum to wish cancer and
AIDS on Ann.

[caver]

“let the loons find another forum to wish cancer and
AIDS on Ann.”

I doubt you would find conservatives wishing cancer and AIDS on others.

[LexBaird]

I’ve been wondering if we should try the tack of making it clear that if the “ShutUpTheOppositionIfWeCan’tWinInTheCourtOfPublicOpinion” Doctrine passes, we WILL be demanding equal time for each and every slanted newscast that project the editorial bias and left-wiong propaganda the slimeballs at the MSM networks call “news”.

They've got that angle covered. See, radio is broadcast over "public airwaves", and therefore regulated under the FCC. Cable TV and satellite radio are not, being directly subscribed to. Therefore Howeird Stern can verbally masturbate and Chrissy Matthews can propagandize at will. Isn't that convenient?

[capebuffalo]

you’re so wrong. She’s exacltly who we need;Smart & fearless!

[RonDog]

For the most recent threads posted on FR about Ann, try HERE:

search Free Republic for threads with COULTER in the title

and/or

search Free Republic for threads marked with the keyword ANNCOULTER