Posted on 06/26/2002 8:39:35 AM PDT by Carl/NewsMax
NBC "Today Show" host Katie Couric wasted no time slandering author Ann Coulter during a Wednesday morning interview about her new book, "Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right," by introducing the renowned conservative legal scholar as a "right-wing tele-bimbo."
"You've been called everything from a pundit extraordinaire to a right-wing tele-bimbo," began Couric, setting the stage for the contentious encounter.
Within the first few sentences of their exchange, Couric broached the topic of Coulter's recent comparison of her to Hitler's Nazi paramour.
COURIC: I have to bring up a section of the book where you talk specifically about me. And this is not where you call me the "Eva Braun of liberalism," which I'll ask you about.
COULTER: The "affable" (Eva Braun of liberalism).
COURIC: Thanks, that makes me feel so much better. (End of Excerpt)
The encounter grew heated when Couric accused Coulter of taking her description of President Reagan as "an airhead" out of context, saying she was merely quoting Reagan biographer Edmund Morris.
COURIC: You used me as an example of liberal bias against Ronald Reagan and I'm just curious as to why you took it so out of context?
COULTER: Well, I don't think I did. You're taking it out of context.
COURIC: No.....
COULTER: What I said, was - which is true - that the "Today Show" opened, I believe that it was three days in a row, with the announcement, "Ronald Reagan was an airhead. That's the conclusion of this newbook by Edmund Morris." When Edmund Morris came on with you he described that as a grossly unfair characterization of his point. (End of Excerpt)
Couric proceeded to read the direct quote from Morris' book, which Coulter then put in context, explaining that the observation was made after Morris' initial encounter with Reagan "and that the entire course of the rest of his book was contradicting that."
The exchange grew heated once again:
COULTER: So for the "Today Show" to be opening three days in a row (with) "Ronald Reagan was an airhead," I'm sorry, that's dishonest.
COURIC: And also, just for your information, it was just one day.
COULTER: No, you said it one day. Matt Lauer said it another day.
COURIC: No, it was just one day and we'll get the transcript for you. But anyway....
COULTER: ...By the way, my book is not only solely not about this quote. It is not solely about the "Today Show."
COURIC: Well, Let's move on then.
COULTER: Over Ronald Reagan's (Crosstalk)......
COURIC: Let's just talk about the religious right, actually, since I'm conducting this interview. (End of Excerpt)
The "Today Show" diva turned to topics like Rev. Jerry Falwell's controversial comments in the wake of 9-11, and made repeated references to Coulter getting "fired" from NationalReviewOnline for her own controversial 9-11 commentary.
"That also isn't quite true," Coulter fired back. "I mean, I write a syndicated column. I write for Human Events. That's the newspaper that hired me. People buy the syndicated column. (NRO) dropped the column."
At the end of the showdown, both the perpetually smiling Couric and the irrepressible Coulter were still standing.
"Well, Ann Coulter, it's always interesting to talk to you to say the least," Couric concluded.
You GO GIRL!
Me
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