Ann Coulter needs rehab

Performance artist Ann Coulter spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC):

“I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate, John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word ‘faggot–so…."

Crooks and Liars has the video.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney introduced Coulter. Her fag joke drew a warm reception from the crowd of conservative activists.

Coulter is in urgent need of rehab. If she doesn't get help soon, she'll shave her head and attack the press with umbrellas.

Comments

[Robin]

For those interested and so inclined:

Can you help us raise $100,000 in "Coulter Cash" this week to keep this campaign charging ahead and fight back against the politics of bigotry?

https://johnedwards.com:443/action/contribute/coulter

[Dennis Perrin]

Lindsay --

Glad to see at least one liberal not get too crazed over Coulter. My take:

"Libloggers have been piously milking Ann Coulter's use of 'faggot' to describe John Edwards at this year's Conservative Political Action Conference. What an absolute waste of time and energy, especially since Coulter and her fans lap up liberal outrage and push for more. If you're going to attack Coulter for saying 'faggot,' then simply point out that Coulter is a well-known social fag hag. I've seen her twice in person at private parties, and each time she had an openly gay man on her arm. And friends who've seen her elsewhere have told me the same thing -- Coulter likes the company of queer guys. Now, they may be reactionary, Roy Cohn-type queers, given Coulter's professed love for Joe McCarthy, but that's another topic. If liberals want to respond to Coulter, just ask what her gay male friends think about her use of 'faggot.' I'm guessing they don't mind. After all, they hang with the bitch."

[Cass]

At the risk of exposing my own antiantigay bigotry, I'd like to recommend the comments of Glenn Greenwald:

www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/03/02/cpac/index.htm

[mudkitty]

Let the sunshine brightly upon her. Sunshine is the best disinfectant.

[greensmile]

If the people who really like Anngry Coulter's shtick [and it is nothing more] all vote for Mitt, we are saved!

[Robert O'Brien]

I do not care for Coulter; I think she does a poor job of representing conservatives.

[janet]

At this point, my main reaction to Coulter's antics is puzzlement. I understand the role that she fulfills in the conservative movement -- she makes other people look reasonable by comparison. I understand the role that she fulfills as a tv personality -- she attracts viewers by being controversial and "outrageous." I just don't understand why there are apparently people in the conservative mainstream who are anything other than embarassed by her.

Sure, it's a schtick, it's performance art, but since she never ever breaks character, one has to assume that the performance has become, in some sense, real.

[Uncle Kvetch]

What an absolute waste of time and energy, especially since Coulter and her fans lap up liberal outrage and push for more.

Dennis, I'm curious: had Coulter instead referred to Barack Obama in her speech as, say, a "coon," or a "jigaboo," would you be equally sanguine? Would your first instinct be to point out that she's been known to hang out with black people, so in trying to sound like a racist she's just proving herself to be a hypocrite?

Just wondering.

[Dennis Perrin]

"Dennis, I'm curious: had Coulter instead referred to Barack Obama in her speech as, say, a 'coon,' or a 'jigaboo,' would you be equally sanguine? Would your first instinct be to point out that she's been known to hang out with black people, so in trying to sound like a racist she's just proving herself to be a hypocrite?"

It would depend on the context. But if she had a history of spouting anti-black cracks in an effort to push lib buttons, then no, I wouldn't get that bent out of shape about it. By going after her on *her* terms, she wins.

Coulter is a distraction, a dancing clown intended to avert our eyes and energies away from the larger corruption and carnage. She also tries, and largely succeeds, to establish false boundaries between Repubs and Dems, so that the system itself is free from scrutiny, since libs will usually chase her calculated remarks down various dead-end streets. Again, most libs play her game. No wonder she smiles so much.

BTW, I wouldn't say I was "sanguine" about Coulter, unless there's a meaning to that word I'm unfamiliar with.

[The Phantom]

Coulter's a pig. Case closed.

[swampcracker]

Quite right: The Counter-Coulter is worthy of condemnation, or at least rehab. But wingnuts will not go away no matter what we do. Money feeds their narcissism, and publicity of all types (praise or derision) rings their cash register. The Counter-Coulter acts like the coarsest drunk in the tavern while putting on a demure appearance; she seems more eccentric and pathetic than dangerous. While I do believe she has a disturbed personality, what would be the point of fixating on her behavior? I choose to ignore the beast, not feed it.

I am also looking at wingnut behavior from another perspective. The blogger at ThoughtCrimes
http://www.thoughtcrimes.org/s9/index.php?url=archives/1726-Of-bloggers-and-bigots.html#feedback
takes a position that the Left should treat the Right with the same invective as if those were indeed the rules of the game. I disagree. I prefer traveling the high ground. I would rather suffer an insult than step out of character and loose credibility. Otherwise I would become indistinguishable from them.

[Michael Hussey]

The Tampa area reaction from county Repubican chairmen.

Hillsborough County GOP Chairman David Storck: “If the gal from the Dixie Chicks can call the president names, I guess Coulter has a right to say what she wants.”

Pasco County Party Chairman Bill Bunting: “I have a lot of respect for her and I stand behind her. I wish she’d be the speaker at my dinner.”

[Doug]

Ann Coulter is like any fringe element that feeds on the coverage and outrage of others in order to foster the idea that they somehow represent a larger audience base. While Coulter's popularity with the right-wing minority of American politics is disturbing, too much coverage of her antics simply bolters her credibility. I believe it is far better to ignore the vain bluster of a mean spirited, essentially insecure and unbalanced individual who thinks that by spewing hate and inflamatory remarks, others will think her "smart". Let her continue her "act" and she will, I promise, self-destruct and likely bring down any politician or group stupid enough to associate with her.

[Kathy]

I can understand why liberals hate Coulter. She can be incredibly caustic and insulting. However, I suggest that you libs out there that hate her without ever having read one of her book-do so. Once you get past the insults, I defy you to to disprove any of the facts stated in her books. If you're incapable of that, then you are simply scared little mice, terrified of having your mindsets jolted in any way. And you all talk of conservative intolerance. Look hard in your mirrors for a change. Now I know that this will be greeted with taunts, name calling and general trashing of Coulter. A fully childish response on your part but that's to be expected. Disprove any of the facts in her books, I dare you to even consider the possibility that you're not as brilliant as you think.

[Kathy]

By the by, my name's not Doug, it's Kathy.

[Taken]

Read this, it is UNBELIEVABLE!

LOVE LETTERS FROM 1989 TO 2008:
http://loveletterstoannc.blogspot.com/

THE CASE AGAINST ANN COULTER:
http://anncoulterloves.blogspot.com/