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Tag(s): Edwards John; Media Network NBC; Media Shills; Media Television; Pop Culture; Right Wing Spin; Right Wingers Endangering America
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June 28, 2007 at 14:52:34

Does Ann Coulter Get Away With It Because She's A Woman?

by CD Rodgers Page 1 of 1 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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Ann Coulter

As everyone has heard by now, Ann Coulter was a guest on Chris Matthews’ Hardball on Tuesday the 26th, and as you’d expect, she was obnoxious. However, there was a surprise that put Coulter on the defensive even more than she normally is. As she was randomly spewing forth with her usual venom, Matthews informed her that Elizabeth Edwards had called the show and said that she would like to talk to her.

Twitching in her seat, Coulter nevertheless put on her “bring it” front. Edwards told Coulter that she’d welcome her input on the issues, but that she needed to stop the personal attacks on her husband, and she also needed to quit talking about her deceased son. In the recent past, Coulter called John Edwards a "fag" and remarked that he was so shallow and so willing to advance his presidential candidacy that he had placed a bumper sticker on the back of his car that read, “[a]sk me about my dead son”.

Coulter came back with the feeble argument that the attacks were ultimately justified as the Edwards campaign was now using Coulter’s prior statements about Edwards as a fundraising prompt. What better to compel the generosity of the left than Ann Coulter? A Coulter sycophant lurking in Hardball’s “special outdoor audience” that was gathered to get a glimpse of their queen asked, “[w]hy isn’t John Edwards making this call?” Elizabeth Edwards responded that it was she who was the mother of the boy who died, and that defending her husband and her child’s memory was basically on her. This is a concept that Coulter probably does not grasp at all.

That the wife of a public figure, a candidate for president, could act spontaneously and independent of her husband or his handlers is possible, as Coulter has no point of reference. Every move she makes is for effect, and she is lucratively rewarded for her undeniable abilities as a provocateur who considers no one and no ramifications. No longer confined to outlets like Fox, her mean spirtedness is on display as a one-woman itinerant freak show that the mainstream media built.

It was on Harball last year that she called Al Gore a “total faggot” in the context of a conversation about a previous statement she made in which she remarked that “Bill Clinton is gay”, and if there is any doubt at all folks, to Ann Coulter it appears that being gay is the absolute worst insult she can inflict. She seems to be fixated on the sexuality of others in a way that seems pathological, and her undoubtedly homophobic admirers eat it up. Others too seem to be unable to turn away from this bad girl, no holds barred act hoping that if she makes news she’ll do it on their shows.

Throughout Coulter’s appearance on Hardball, Matthews transparently feigned a combination of fear and regret at having her as his guest for a second time, as she might “get him into trouble”, even though everyone knows she would not have been there if he hadn’t wanted her to be.

Coulter’s TV appearances can’t help but to compel arm chair psychologists, me included where Coulter is concerned, to consider just what component of human development is missing in this woman’s make-up. I admit that I have a small portion of my web site devoted to pointing out the outrageousness of Ann Coulter via a daily “Media Matters” feed, as her statements are so appalling to me that I have a strong desire to share them as a kind of “strange news” point of interest. But why is Coulter given a forum in mainstream broadcast venues?

Is it because she is a woman, kind of, that mainstream TV shows repeatedly have her on as a guest even though she perpetually, and at the very least, engages in slander and homophobic hate speech? This sexism and patriarchy demonstrated by the mainstream media intimates that if Coulter denegrates public figures or entire political parties, or just merely individuals, it will ultimatelly be OK because after all she’s just a woman and how seriously could anyone take her “political analysis” anyway? And just consider those ratings!

Coulter’s appearances on MSNBC seem particularly ironic as immediately after the Imus firing, the network made a short-lived attempt at a “public conversation” that was on the surface about race, but underlying that topic the dialogue was billed as one that was meant to examine what was in general, acceptable content for public consumption. Examining the confusion of defamation and free speech via government regulated airwaves should be an equal opportunity pursuit.

www.cafeleft.com

CD Rodgers lives in West Virginia where she works for a national poverty-focused charity. She also publishes a web site, CafeLeft.com.

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9 comments

CD Rodgers lives in West Virginia where she works for a national poverty-focused charity. She also publishes a web site, CafeLeft.com.
CD RodgersCD Rodgers lives in West Virginia where she works for a national poverty-focused charity. She also publishes a web site, CafeLeft.com.

Wow

Wow, "This article is nothing but bird cage floor quality." is a little discouraging, I have to admit.

But, not to the point that I won't attempt to share the following video.

First, the point about Maher though...Maher holds forth primarily on a premium channel as opposed to MSNBC in particular, which was a point I was making in light of their recent claims that they were attempting to elevate discourse.

Coulter Uncut : Calling John Edwards The "F" word.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=SCeqZLrhkvQ

For more video featuring right-wing media shills, visit
http://video.cafeleft.com

by CD Rodgers (6 articles, 1 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 88 comments) on Thursday, June 28, 2007 at 5:40:16 PM

a citizen
tim bristola citizen

now you see it .... now you don't

The comment that this reply referred to has disappeared.

So the phrase "bird cage ... quality" is apparently excessively harsh - but the subtle advocacy of the assassination of a public official (Why Not Assassinate?) is acceptable?

I don't get it.

by tim bristol (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 28 comments) on Monday, July 2, 2007 at 8:13:51 AM

Not a politician, for God's sake not a journalist, just your regular joe who's baffled with the mess this country is in. Only 4 democrat presidents since JKF and they still blame them for all this mess!I am an engineer, major league wannabe, Naturalized in 04 to vote against bush.
Frank grNot a politician, for God's sake not a journalist, just your regular joe who's baffled with the mess this country is in. Only 4 democrat presidents since JKF and they still blame them for all this mess!I am an engineer, major league wannabe, Naturalized in 04 to vote against bush.

Coultergeist !

This person, is not a woman as far as I'm concerned, and much less a Ms. anything.

But you're right let's leave the trash - ann coulter - in the dumpster.I Can't think of any person more vulgar than this person. like Keith Olberman calls her Coultergeist. Very appropriate! But why do we even bother talking about her.

Like Elizabeth Edwards said… we need to raise the quality of politics and discourse in this country. Cheney, Bush and Coulter have already decimated every smidgen of it.

by Frank gr (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 48 comments) on Thursday, June 28, 2007 at 11:00:26 PM

Walter Brasch is an award-winning journalist and university professor. His current books are America's Unpatriotic Acts: The Federal Government's Violation of Constitutional and Civil Rights, and 'Unacceptable': The Federal response to Hurricane Katrina, both available at amazon.com, borders.com and most major on-line bookstores.
BraschWalter Brasch is an award-winning journalist and university professor. His current books are America's Unpatriotic Acts: The Federal Government's Violation of Constitutional and Civil Rights, and 'Unacceptable': The Federal response to Hurricane Katrina, both available at amazon.com, borders.com and most major on-line bookstores.

response to a response

I found the article to be reasonable. Coulter has shown herself incapable of reasonable thought in a public forum, spewing hatred and homophobic rants. Two major networks dumped Imus for racist comments; what Coulter has said rises to the same levels. While I am a fierce defender of free speech, and believe in a wide latitude, I also worry that the media moguls have allowed Coulter, who is far below the levels of O'Reilly and Hannity, to continue to present her views of the world--and become a millionaire for it. To bring back the words of Murrow--have they no shame?

by Brasch (63 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 48 comments) on Friday, June 29, 2007 at 8:49:58 PM

a citizen
tim bristola citizen

McCarthy misquote

"Have you no sense of decency, sir?" were the words of Lawrence Welch, not Edward R. Murrow.

by tim bristol (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 28 comments) on Monday, July 2, 2007 at 10:58:12 AM

A certified master technician with 24 years experiance. Father of two and happily married.
scottA certified master technician with 24 years experiance. Father of two and happily married.

Elizabeth should be ashamed.

Here’s the rub, nobody seems to have figured this out. The WIFE of a prospective President of the United States took part in a sandbag, low life set-up with Chris to blind side Ann on national TV.
Everybody new that she was going to call in, - everybody except Ann.
I am not excusing Ann or defending her. I am speaking only about Elizabeth, she is the wife of a Presidential candidate, not Ann.
I expect that type of behavior down the street or in my auto shop.
I would expect that the wife of a presidential candidate is above that, and would have more self respect, integrity and dignity.

Had she truly wanted to confront Ann, then when she was given the green light Ann should have been told that she would be calling in. What she did was wrong. What she did shows what a hypocrite she is. She admitted that her husband did not no she was calling in!

Can you believe that the wife of a presidential candidate would make such a rub on NATIONAL TELEVISION without her husband,- who happens to be running for president of the United States, the most powerful office in the world,-without him even aware that she is doing it?

Neither her nor him have any business leading this country.

by scott (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 47 comments) on Thursday, June 28, 2007 at 7:23:03 PM

Kathlyn Stone is a Minnesota-based writer covering science and medicine, health care and related policies. She publishes www.fleshandstone.net, a health and science news site.
Kathlyn StoneKathlyn Stone is a Minnesota-based writer covering science and medicine, health care and related policies. She publishes www.fleshandstone.net, a health and science news site.

Obviously EE had enough of Coulter's hurtful comments

which extend far beyond Edwards' own family to 9/11 widows, several ethnic populations, and anyone with whom she disagrees.

I think pundits who host Coulter do it to exploit her since she is universally disliked by rational and compassionate people. It must have been a gift to have Edwards call in. Nothing TV likes better than a good catfight.

by Kathlyn Stone (42 articles, 220 quicklinks, 26 diaries, 638 comments) on Friday, June 29, 2007 at 11:03:51 PM

I've been a farm boy, a bus boy, a millhand, a Marine, a low criminal, a high crazy, a computer technician, a mechanic, a long-haul trucker, a student, a journalist, a technical writer, a teacher. I earned bachelor's degrees in history and English and a master's in magazine journalism before discovering I was better off as an autodidact.
Jimmy MontagueI've been a farm boy, a bus boy, a millhand, a Marine, a low criminal, a high crazy, a computer technician, a mechanic, a long-haul trucker, a student, a journalist, a technical writer, a teacher. I earned bachelor's degrees in history and English and a master's in magazine journalism before discovering I was better off as an autodidact.

What makes you think Ann Coulter is effective?

How many Democrats has she persuaded to vote Republican? How many liberals has she converted to conservatism?

Ann Coulter will go away when people like you quit worrying about what she says and does. If nobody on the Left paid attention to her, who on the Right would pay the bitch to hang around?

You might take a long look at yourself in this case. Which of your buttons does Coulter actually push? Why are you so sensitive about that? I mean, rationally, you know that she's full of s--t -- so why does what she thinks matter to you?

It's a known fact that what we dislike most in others are the things we secretly dislike about our selves. So confront what's wrong inside your self. Deal with it. Then Coulter won't matter any more.

(Editor's note: In response to a reader objecting to this comment, the only thing that I find objectionable is the use of the word "bitch." Otherwise, I don't view the author of this comment committing any ad hominem or personal attack. The writer might be confrontational and challenging but that certainly is within individual rights. Furthermore, I don't find the challenge to be hostile. This is not to endorse the content of this comment but to say that I find the writer to be well within parameters of reasonable discourse with the exception of the word "bitch." RM

Brasch: I agree that the use of the derogatory word is unfortunate, but the writer, while not polished, does present a view that can lead to further discussion.

Language edited JRM

by Jimmy Montague (3 articles, 2 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 61 comments) on Friday, June 29, 2007 at 4:52:18 PM

teeem, a writer/researcher and activist recently transplanted to the Los Angeles area, is originally from Virginia and spent from 1989 to 2006 living in Upstate South Carolina (where she was able to observe the Religious Right mindset). She loves music, film, writing, art, books, ideas, and animals.
teeemteeem, a writer/researcher and activist recently transplanted to the Los Angeles area, is originally from Virginia and spent from 1989 to 2006 living in Upstate South Carolina (where she was able to observe the Religious Right mindset). She loves music, film, writing, art, books, ideas, and animals.

Why She Gets Away with It

She gets away with it because she's thin and leggy, with long blonde hair. That look, regardless of whether or not a woman is beautiful or feminine -- neither of which Coulter is -- seems to be the standard of beauty in our superficial society.

If she were a heavyset brunette, would she get nearly as much attention? Would she put herself on the covers of all her books wearing dominatrix outfits? Would she go on TV wearing black leather minidresses?

That, my friends, is the source of her "power", and a large factor in her attracting TV ratings and selling books.

by teeem (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 41 comments) on Saturday, June 30, 2007 at 1:22:42 AM