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Ann Coulter GMA Interview With Clueless Bob Woodruff(Analysis and Transcript)
Media Research Center ^ | July 16, 2002

Posted on 07/16/2002 10:53:56 AM PDT by PJ-Comix

Bob Woodruff, not the most politically astute bulb at ABC News? A little under three weeks ago Ann Coulter got into a bit of an argument with Katie Couric on the Today show over Coulter’s book, Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right. While Couric may have been inaccurate in saying that Coulter was wrong to assert that on three mornings Today picked up on the description of former President Reagan as an “airhead,” Couric clearly understood the conservative points Coulter otherwise made in the interview. For details about that June 26 Today interview: http://www.mediaresearch.org/cyberalerts/2002/cyb20020626.asp#4

     On Monday’s Good Morning America, however, MRC analyst Jessica Anderson noticed that Coulter was confronted with an interviewer who didn’t seem to grasp basic conservative polemical points. She was interviewed not about her book, but about the media-fueled scandals around Bush and Cheney, by Bob Woodruff, the anchor of World News Tonight/Saturday, who is filling in this week for Charles Gibson.

     When Coulter ran down a bunch of names of corporate figures involved in scandal who are big Democratic supporters, Woodruff seemed clueless to Martha Stewart’s political donation record as he seriously asked Coulter to explain her charge: “Let's talk about Martha Stewart for a second. That's a conspiracy against Martha Stewart?"

     At another point, in response to Woodruff’s assertion that Bush should release the Harken Energy records “if in fact there's nothing there,” Coulter quipped, "Well, I don't know, why doesn't the publisher of The New York Times release his SAT scores?” Missing the joke, Woodruff followed up with this non-sequitur: "You've never called on the editors of conservative publications to release any information when you're calling on Bill Clinton, for example, to release information about his past."

     In a moment of standard liberal reasoning, Woodruff declared as fact of Bush’s Harken stock sale: "This is very relevant for a President who is now trying to crack down on insider trading."

     The complete transcript of the in-studio interview which led the 7:30am half hour on July 15:

     Woodruff: "We begin this half hour with a woman who is always provocative, always evocative, and we want to talk to this person who has the number one book in the country right now. We want to focus on the President and Vice President and their stock deals that they have made before coming to the White House with the administration. They are now calling for much tougher penalties for companies and executives who cook their books. And joining us this morning is the conservative political pundit and the author of Slander, Ann Coulter. Welcome to the broadcast."
     Coulter: "Thank you."
     Woodruff: "Let me just start quickly. Do you believe that this scandal that we are now seeing is politically motivated?"
     Coulter: "I think pretty much everything other than the media reporting floods and tornadoes is a political vendetta. All the other news is, so yeah, I mean, the Democrats are trying to use it that way. It plays off something that, I think, is one of the liberal lies about conservatives and that is that conservatives are the party of the powerful and Democrats are the party of the people -- au contraire! I mean, just look at the people involved in this, or the red states and the blue states, or the richest members of the United States Senate."
     Woodruff: "Now, in your book, let me just give a quote that you said: 'The New York Times gave up harping about Bush's handling of the war and gave its full attention to attacking Enron.'"
     Coulter: "Right."
     Woodruff: "At the time your book came out you hadn't seen what had happened afterwards. Given the events now, what we know about Enron and other companies, do you still believe that's the case?"
     Coulter: "Oh, yes. Now they're attacking, you know, all of these corporations as if it's the Republican Party that stands for these bigwigs. What, like Martha Stewart, Sam Waksal, you know, Global Crossing? No, I'm sorry. I mean, by and large, corporations-"
     Woodruff: "Let's talk about Martha Stewart for a second. That's a conspiracy against Martha Stewart?"
     Coulter: "Oh, no, no, no. What I'm saying is that despite, you know, 50 years of contrary evidence, people still seem to associate Republicans as the powerful and Democrats the party of the people. Well, Martha Stewart was one of Bill Clinton's biggest supporters. Corporations generally are whores, you know. They give equally to the Republicans and the Democrats, but I happen to notice that in these scandals, well, an awful lot of them are huge friends of Bill."
     Woodruff, displaying circular reasoning: "But see, these scandals have been focusing largely on what particular players in the administration have been doing. President Bush sold 200,000 shares, made $800,000 on stock he sold at Harken Energy."
     Coulter: "Right."
     Woodruff declared as fact: "This is very relevant for a President who is now trying to crack down on insider trading."
     Coulter: "I don't think so. I think it's another one of these phony media scandals, as I describe in my book, through liberals' childlike fascination with the law. They toss about these legal terms like proprietary interest, conflict of interest, but when you actually go to the trouble of figuring out what it's about, there's nothing there, there's nothing there at all. I mean, only liberals could slander through boredom. No one can follow this story, but when you look, there's nothing there. It's just, you know, Bush's name, it's exactly like I said about Enron and the power of repetition: it's just Harken, Harken, Harken, Harken -- it's all anyone knows."
     Woodruff: "If in fact there's nothing there, why doesn't he release the entire SEC file as so many, even Orrin Hatch has called on him to release the file."
     Coulter, trying to make a bit of a joke: "Well, I don't know, why doesn't the publisher of The New York Times release his SAT scores? There are a lot of things I'd like to see more than this idiotic -- I mean, we know what happened, but if I start describing it, we're going to lose half the viewers. That's what I say about how boring it is. He sells his stock-"
     Woodruff followed up with an impossible to comprehend question: "You've never called on the editors of conservative publications to release any information when you're calling on Bill Clinton, for example, to release information about his past."
     A befuddled Coulter: "Um, what?"
     Woodruff: "Well, I mean, this is the President of the United States."
     Coulter: "No, I wasn't."
     Woodruff: "He needs to reveal information to the people."
     Coulter, referring to Clinton: "We just wanted him to stop committing felonies!"
     Woodruff: "But you're saying that The New York Times should release information about what they did?"
     Since Woodruff wouldn’t let it go, Coulter took advantage to expound on the SAT point in a serious way: "Oh, right, about his SAT scores. Yeah, that's because I don't attack every political opponent for 50 years going back to, you know, Calvin Coolidge by saying, 'He's stupid, he's stupid, he's stupid.' I mean, if that's going to be The New York Times's primary argument against every Republican presidential candidate, I think we should see their SAT scores. As it turns out, you know, despite all of the media calling Bill Bradley 'cerebral, cerebral, cerebral' for 20 years, it seems like it was his first name. He got a 485 on the SAT scores -- that's cerebral for a Democrat? I mean, these are just terms to slander one side and promote the other. 'Bush is stupid': you know, he went to Yale, got an MBA from Harvard, but Bradley, 485 on the SATs, that's cerebral."
     Woodruff: "What about the Vice President, Dick Cheney? He has been completely silent about Halliburton and that is a company that's under investigation and he made a lot of money on the stock, too. Should he reveal the information about his activities with Halliburton?"
     Coulter: "What information? I think it's revealed and we are at war here. No, I think he should not comply with something that is just a synthetic media scandal and I think the American people are getting tired of it, just the power of repetition, over and over and over again. And like I said, if the viewers really care, go to the trouble and look it up and you'll see there's nothing to it."
     Woodruff: "Well, let me give you a quote from Newsweek here about Dick Cheney. It's from the current CEO of Halliburton David Lesar. He says that Dick Cheney was a hands-on leader and, quote, 'was aware of who owed us money and he helped us collect it.' Isn't that relevant?"
     Coulter: "Um, no. I mean, I don't know what that is supposed to prove. People run businesses."
     Woodruff: "Don't we want to know what he knew and when he knew it?"
     Coulter: "About who owed them money and collecting it? Isn't that just capitalism? Somebody owes you money and you -- there's nothing criminal in what you've described. I mean, this is what I mean about just-"
     Woodruff jumped in: "There are allegations of wrongdoing."
     Coulter: "Well, there are always allegations of wrongdoing -- they're Republicans! Of course there are allegations. A tone of voice, saying something, you know, and tossing about these legal terms doesn't, is not evidence of a criminal offense. It is not, technically, as yet, criminal to be a Republican in this country."
     Woodruff: "Alright, Ann Coulter, thank you very much for joining us. As always, it's good to have you here. Thank you very much."
     Coulter: "Thank you."


TOPICS: Announcements; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: anncoulter; bobwoodruff
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To: elephantlips
During floor speaches in the senate today, I actually heard the dems express outrage over the fact that Bush wanted to appoint three dirty filthy accountants to the open seats at the SEC! I mean what's next? Pipefitters and Teamsters on the SEC? How about janitors making energy policy instead of those corrupt energy industry insiders? My auto mechanic said he wanted to head the NEA. I guess following dem logic, that would make sense.

Make the profession fit the crime. That makes a lot of sense.

21 posted on 07/16/2002 11:25:40 AM PDT by blackdog
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To: stlrocket
She DOES look Great!

Yeah, but I still prefer looking at those two hot Latina Chix on Primer Impacto. Not only do they look very sexy but you can also watch the news y mejorar su espanol al mismo vez. QUE COMBINACION!!!

22 posted on 07/16/2002 11:26:30 AM PDT by PJ-Comix
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To: PJ-Comix
Bob Woodruff has got to be the most clueless human being on the planet.
From http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/DailyNews/woodruff_notebook_020131.html:
Bob Woodruff
ABCNEWS' Bob Woodruff...

23 posted on 07/16/2002 11:27:05 AM PDT by RonDog
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To: PJ-Comix
That Bob Ruffwood really cracks me up. Thanks for the post PJ-Comix!

Go Ann!!!
24 posted on 07/16/2002 11:31:46 AM PDT by subterfuge
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To: PJ-Comix
Lost without a Teleprompter, On ABC Biggest Dolt you ever did see Bobby, Bobby, Woodruff King of the Clueless Ones

Bobby, Bobby, Woodruff
On Live thanks to ABC

25 posted on 07/16/2002 11:32:21 AM PDT by Semper Paratus
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To: RonDog
Wow! I was unprepared for the picture you posted! Ann Coulter always looks good, but this picture is truly outstanding!

Ann, if you're cruising this thread, Thanks! Thanks for being the spokesperson on so many issues dear to my heart! Thanks for having prepared yourself for the moment! Thanks for doing your homework! Thanks for revealing the opposition to even the most casual observer!

26 posted on 07/16/2002 11:34:19 AM PDT by GBA
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To: PJ-Comix
Maybe Woodward isn't so clueless. If he had asked intelligent and reasonable questions....Ann would have blown him off the set. He couldn't afford to allow her to speak the truth, so he more or less led her around the block till time was up.

On the other hand...maybe the DNC forgot to fax Bob his daily talking points.

27 posted on 07/16/2002 11:38:50 AM PDT by JessicaDragonet
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To: harpseal
"It is not, technically, as yet, criminal to be a Republican in this country."

A future hate crime.

28 posted on 07/16/2002 11:45:01 AM PDT by drc43
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To: PJ-Comix
he reads?
29 posted on 07/16/2002 11:49:09 AM PDT by Greeklawyer
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To: Semper Paratus
Every time I see Bob Schieffer...I feel like grabbing a rolled up newspaper and a can of Flit!
30 posted on 07/16/2002 11:49:14 AM PDT by JessicaDragonet
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To: JessicaDragonet
Maybe Woodward isn't so clueless. If he had asked intelligent and reasonable questions....Ann would have blown him off the set.

So Woodruff would prefer to appear clueless than defeated?

31 posted on 07/16/2002 11:50:30 AM PDT by PJ-Comix
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To: PJ-Comix
When Coulter ran down a bunch of names of corporate figures involved in scandal who are big Democratic supporters, Woodruff seemed clueless to Martha Stewart’s political donation record as he seriously asked Coulter to explain her charge: “Let's talk about Martha Stewart for a second. That's a conspiracy against Martha Stewart?"
For "Clueless Bob" and others in MS/DNC denial, see:
Martha Stewart: Democrat Mega-Donor
NewsMax | 6/25/02 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

Posted on 06/25/2002 4:12 PM Pacific by NormsRevenge
Tuesday June 25, 2002; 5:29 p.m. EDT

Martha Stewart: Democrat Mega-Donor

Embattled doyenne of domesticity Martha Stewart has been a major Democratic Party donor for most of the 1990's, giving the legal maximum to the campaigns of Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and Al Gore, along with more than a hundred thousand dollars in additional cash to related Democratic causes.

Federal Election Commission records reviewed by NewsMax.com showed that Stewart has given nearly $170,000 to Democratic Party accounts since 1992, including $3,000 to Bill Clinton for his 1992 and 1996 presidential campaigns, $2,000 for Gore's 2000 White House bid and $1,000 for Hillary Clinton's New York Senate campaign.

Stewart's donations to combined Democratic accounts were much more generous, with her largest single contribution - $75,000 - funneled into the Democratic Party's "Unity" account in 2001. She gave another $25,000 in 2001 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

In September 2000, the lifestyle diva also kicked in $10,000 to the Democratic National Committee...more


32 posted on 07/16/2002 11:52:58 AM PDT by RonDog
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To: pt17
Whoops! I forgot the credit for that Martha Stewart parody:
"Image posted by pt17"

33 posted on 07/16/2002 11:55:42 AM PDT by RonDog
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To: JessicaDragonet
Every time I see Bob Schieffer...I feel like grabbing a rolled up newspaper and a can of Flit!

The most annoying people in America are Texas liberals.

Bob Scheiffer
Dan Rather
Ann Richards
Paul Begala
Bill Moyers
Lyndon Johnson.

34 posted on 07/16/2002 11:56:14 AM PDT by Semper Paratus
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To: Semper Paratus
Molly Ivins
Jim Hightower
35 posted on 07/16/2002 11:59:56 AM PDT by PJ-Comix
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To: harpseal
For instance they're seeking to criminalize capitalism by placing a bureaucrat in the boardroom of every business in America to basically second guess its decisions. And if you don't comply with very technical and confusing regulations, you'll go to prison. If you loved the IRS, you'll love the "corporate reform" now being rushed pell mell through Congress.
36 posted on 07/16/2002 12:07:49 PM PDT by goldstategop
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To: Semper Paratus
Lyndon Johnson

That one is still annoying even though dead for many years.

37 posted on 07/16/2002 12:09:26 PM PDT by RightWhale
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To: blackdog
All accountants are guilty by association of engaging in shady practices. By contrast, the politicians' motives are angelic and disinterested. If you thought Republicans had the backbone to stand up in the U.S Senate for our free market system, you didn't witness it this past week. Next thing you know the Rats will denounce Republicans as conservative crooks and demand they be severely punished. Don't say you weren't warned.
38 posted on 07/16/2002 12:11:37 PM PDT by goldstategop
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To: RightWhale
Lyndon Johnson had more than his share of thoughts but one thing in his favor: He loved to humiliate Robert STRANGE McNamara by having him give his reports to the President while LBJ was sitting stark nekkid on a toilet. I would have loved to have seen the look on that arrogant McNamara's face when he made those reports to the Pres on the potty.
39 posted on 07/16/2002 12:13:56 PM PDT by PJ-Comix
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To: RonDog

Complaints about the poor lighting should be sent to Hannity.

40 posted on 07/16/2002 12:40:38 PM PDT by SMEDLEYBUTLER
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