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Ann Coulter Slams Jews, Says They Need to Be "Perfected"

One of the Republican Party's leading pundits kicks off her fall television book tour and the 2008 election season with a little old fashioned bigotry and anti-semitism.

On CNBC's The Big Idea, right-wing harpy Ann Coulter continues this week's verbal grenade assault, this time targeting Jews: The country would be better off if everyone were Christian and Jews "were perfected." The comments were made to an incredulous host, Donny Deutsch, who is Jewish, although Coulter insisted he was "not" practicing his religion. "Would you like to come to church with me, Donny?"

Video and transcript at Media Matters. The money quotes are after Deutsch asks Coulter to explain her concept of a perfect society.

COULTER: Well, OK, take the Republican National Convention. People were happy. They're Christian. They're tolerant. They defend America, they --

DEUTSCH: Christian -- so we should be Christian? It would be better if we were all Christian?

COULTER: Yes.

DEUTSCH: We should all be Christian?

COULTER: Yes. Would you like to come to church with me, Donny?

DEUTSCH: So I should not be a Jew, I should be a Christian, and this would be a better place?

COULTER: Well, you could be a practicing Jew, but you're not.

DEUTSCH: I actually am. That's not true. I really am.

Coulter's subscribes to a unique logic where she values a Normal Rockwell-esque society of "tolerant", "Christian" Republicans who want to convert Jews. That's explained later where the pundit insisted "we just want Jews to be perfected, as they say." Not sure who "they" are, but the script follows the talking points illustrated by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

America is for Christians. Convert Jews. Yeah, let's add "anti-semite" to the many, proud badges worn by Ann Coulter.

More Ann Coulter here and at Media Matters.

On CNBC's The Big Idea, Coulter Said ... [Media Matters]

Some Background ...
Fourth Newspaper Dumps Coulter [R20]
Sixth Paper Drops Coulter [R20]
News Blackout After Ann Coulter Calls John Edwards a "Faggot" [R20]
News: Ann Coulter's Jockstrap [R20]
Elizabeth Edwards on Gays and Ann Coulter [R20]
Christians to Coulter: You're Godless [R20]

National Enquirer Claims John Edwards in Extra-Marital Affair

The National Enquirer leads with an "exclusive" that alleges a "PRESIDENTIAL CHEATING SCANDAL" in 50 point Helvetica Condensed Bold. The report isn't much of a presidential scandal—the man in question is Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards and the alleged "mistress" is a totally anonymous staffer.

The details are silly and almost fan girlish. The Enquirer does not claim to have met the woman, but, says "she confessed to having" an 18-month affair with the presidential candidate "in phone calls and emails." "When they met at a bar," a friend says the woman confessed to her. "Sparks flew immediately.” Well. That settles that.

Not surprisingly, the John Edwards campaign has comment. On the other hand, right-wing harpy Ann Coulter—who has been quite busy lately—is peddling this trash to anyone who will listen. On last night's Tucker, it was no coincidence the conservative pundit knew the ridiculous details even before the Enquirer's website published the story. (Video here) Last spring, Coulter grabbed headlines by infamously calling Edwards a "faggot" and now she claims the former senator is having a long-term affair with another woman. Not very logical, but then again, Ann Coulter is obsessed with John Edwards so it's entirely likely she is the woman having a delusional affair with Edwards in her own head.

More John Edwards here.
More Ann Coulter here and at Media Matters.

Presidential Cheating Scandal [National Enquirer]

Some Background ...
Fourth Newspaper Dumps Coulter [R20]
Sixth Paper Drops Coulter [R20]
News Blackout After Ann Coulter Calls John Edwards a "Faggot" [R20]
News: Ann Coulter's Jockstrap [R20]
Elizabeth Edwards on Gays and Ann Coulter [R20]
Christians to Coulter: You're Godless [R20]
News: Hillary Clinton Leads, Ann Coulter [R20]
Edwards Campaign Launches 12-City Poverty Tour [R20]
John Edwards "Unaware of Wife's Position [R20]
Elizabeth Edwards: "Comfortable with Gay Marriage" [R20]
Democratic Debate Addresses Homopohobia, Race [R20]
SCOTUS Rejects School Diversity [R20]
Clinton, Edwards Oppose Surgeon General Nominee [R20]
Behind the Gay-Friendly Faces [Advocate]

Giuliani Shuts Down Website, Takes Campaign to Ground Zero

On the sixth anniversary of the September 11 tragedy, single issue presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani shuts down his campaign website for the entire day. (Screen capture above fully expands.) The denial-of-service attempts to brand two concepts to voters: First, it reminds everyone that Giuliani's legacy is intrinsically connected to terror attacks. Second, it implies that the date is too important for politics ...

Which doesn't explain why the former New York City mayor attended this morning's memorial service near Ground Zero and insisted upon reading the names of victims. "His decision to speak at all on the stage where first responders read the 2,750 names of the dead infuriated critics. Some turned their backs on him as he spoke. Others left the park to visit Ground Zero. 'I walked away,' said Deputy Fire Chief Jim Riches, who lost a son and heads a firefighter union drive against Giuliani.' Riches adds, 'He's running for president of the United States on the back of my dead son.' "

Giulaini later attended a "Freedom Concert" with right-wing harpy Ann Coulter, who "has repeatedly bashed the 9/11 widows, calling them 'self-obsessed' and accusing them of 'enjoying their husband's deaths.' " From memorializing to victims to insulting their loved ones ...

Giuliani heckled, applauded at Ground Zero [Balto Sun]
Rudy Spends 9/11 Anniversary With Noted Basher of 9/11 Widows [TPM]

Elizabeth Edwards Talks About Gays, Marriage and Ann Coulter

Joan Walsh, who is one of our favorite writers and pundits, has an excellent interview with Elizabeth Edwards at Salon. The wife and chief strategist to Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards sheds some light on her recent appearances in the gay and lesbian community, and, her challenge to right-wing harpy Ann Coulter.

Why do you support gay marriage? Why not civil unions?
I remember hearing [former GOP Sen. Rick] Santorum ranting about how homosexual marriage threatens heterosexual marriage. I could be wrong, but I think heterosexual marriage is threatened more by heterosexuals. I don't know why gay marriage challenges my marriage in any way.

But your husband feels differently; he's a civil unions guy.
Well, I think it's a struggle for him, having grown up in a Southern Baptist church where it was pounded into him. I was raised a Methodist in military churches. Poverty was talked about; I don't remember homosexuality ever being mentioned... But in churches, in political season, there's plenty of ginning up this issue.

You came to San Francisco and gave a speech before the gay pride parade, but then you were criticized for not being on a float or marching in the parade ...
I don't care, it doesn't matter to me. People who are going to be critical about that probably aren't for my husband to begin with.[...]

Why did you bother to phone [Ann Coulter]?
Ignoring the fact that she exists doesn't make her go away. If it did, you wouldn't hear me utter her name. So I think maybe the better thing to do is simply confront people like her. Are you going to stop them? Under no circumstances will you stop them. But maybe you empower other people to stand up, and maybe that has an effect. When I travel, so many older people thank me for what I did. Because the vile kind of way Ann Coulter thinks and talks, that was not ever part of the public discourse until recently.

Elizabeth Edwards raises three important points. First: Politics is a dynamic and positions are fluid and can be moved. Second: Much of the needless criticism directed toward her and John Edwards, especially around LGBT outreach, is probably by people who will never cast a vote in their favor. Why placate them? The third point, regarding Coulter: Take a memo from the Bill and Hillary School of Hard Knocks. Always confront the opposition with a rapid response. Never allow them to define you. You go girl.

Moving onto the John Edwards campaign. Last week, you'll recall we chatted up his 8-state trip, stopping in 12 cities to raise awareness and increase news coverage on poverty issues. Last night on CNN, Anderson Cooper 360 devoted two segments to the campaign and the poverty tour. Very compelling because it's always exciting to witness Sen. Edwards talking about poverty, race and class, which are his strong suits. Cooper's video has not yet been posted but you can watch the Tom Foreman spot from the Situation Room HERE. AC 360 Transcripts are below.

The Salon Interview: Elizabeth Edwards [Salon]
AC 360: Edwards Campaign and Poverty Tour [CNN]

Some Background ...

Christians to Coulter: You're Godless [R20]
Edwards Campaign Launches 12-City Poverty Tour [R20]
John Edwards "Unaware of Wife's Position [R20]
Elizabeth Edwards: "Comfortable with Gay Marriage" [R20]
Democratic Debate Addresses Homopohobia, Race [R20]
SCOTUS Rejects School Diversity [R20]
Clinton, Edwards Oppose Surgeon General Nominee [R20]
Behind the Gay-Friendly Faces [Advocate]

Christians to Ann Coulter: You're the One Who is Godless

Christians on both the left and right denounce right-wing harpy Ann Coulter and her hate speech that masquerades as "political commentary."

Last week, Coulter grabbed more headlines after revising her previous "faggot" remarks directed at Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards. "Bill Maher was not joking and saying he wished Dick Cheney had been killed in a terrorist attack. I'm gonna say anything about John Edwards in the future, I'll just wish he had been killed in a terrorist assassination plot." A few days later, Elizabeth Edwards challenged the author of Godless to a public debate. Coulter declined.

Christian blogger David Kuo—who once directed the Bush Administration's faith-based initiatives—says "conservative Christian activists need to publicly distance themselves from her for the sake of the Gospel. What most Christians do is to love God and their family and their neighbors. But so long as the conservative Christian activists are in bed (metaphorically speaking) with Ms. Coulter it sends a very different message."

Darrell Bock—editor-at-large of Christianity Today—was just as blunt: "The godless author needs to clean up her act. Making fun of the tragic death of a child, teasing about sexual orientation, or joking about wanting to see a terrorist at work against someone is wrong, whether it comes from the left or the right."

Dr. Bock is a professor of theology and one of the world's leading New Testament scholars. If you wanted to ask anyone "WWJD?", this would be the man.

More Ann Coulter HERE.

Darrell Bock takes on Ann Coulter [J Walking]
Christians and Ann Coulter, Part 2 [J Walking]

News: Wolfowitz Resignation, Falwell Funeral, Patti LaBelle

· Japanese and European finance ministers will not challenge Washington's traditional appointment of an American citizen to run the World Bank. The outgoing president, Paul Wolfowitz, was forced to resign after numerous clashes with staff and sponsor nations, most recently, arranging a promotion and hefty pay raise for his girlfriend. Formerly, Wolfowitz was the number two man at the Pentagon and one of the architects of the Iraq War.

· Thousands will attend the funeral of the late Rev. Jerry Falwell except for most prominent Republican politicians. GOP presidential hopefuls John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore will be no-shows and "the White House is sending Tim Goeglein, a mid-level aide, to represent President Bush."

· Right-wing harpy Ann Coulter on Falwell: "He exuded Christian love for all men, hating sin while loving sinners. This is as opposed to liberals, who just love sinners."

· Congress expands access to early anti-AIDS treatment for the low-income, HIV-positive.

· Patti LaBelle will perform at her first ever Black Gay Pride this Memorial Day in Washington DC. She explains her lasting appeal to the Washington Blade: "Maybe because I’m the original drag queen with the hair and the crazy costumes. Maybe it’s a way of people seeing that you can be yourself and be accepted. I’m sure not gay, but I’m out.”

News: Gonzales Won't Resign, Ann Coulter, Pharrell on Celebrity

More developments at the fast-moving scandal that is threatening to cripple the Justice Department. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales accepted the resignation of his chief of staff, accused of firing eight federal prosecutors who did not aggressively prosecute Democratic politicians. Gonzales sidestepped responsibility by admitting "mistakes" were made, but will not resign because he was not "aware" of "all decisions." Meanwhile, the electronic trail calling for the dismissal of dozens of U.S. Attorneys leads directly to White House counsel Harriet Miers—remember her?

· Pharrell Williams on narcissistic celebrities: "Self-glorification is a big turn-off, listening to somebody talking about themselves all damn day long. Yo! Go and live in a mirrored house."

· As of today, nine newspapers have dumped the column by right-wing harpy Ann Coulter after her "faggot" comments against Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards. The latest: The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin of Ontario, California.

· John Edwards will appear on CNN's The Situation Room.

· Coulter's pathetic hate speech and the applause it received—see HERE—dramatizes the apathy of most conservatives toward gay rights. Congressional Quarterly reports that as "the Bush administration continues to lose popular support and a Democratic Congress is in power", gay rights groups hope "to move two pieces of long-stalled legislation targeting hate crimes and workplace discrimination against gays and lesbians. Getting both bills enacted—a goal that leaders say is well within their reach—would mark the gay rights movement’s first substantial legislative victories in Washington this decade."

Sixth Paper Drops Coulter

Another shoe drops on the Coultergeist.

As a result of her "faggot" comments against Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards, Greg Sargent at Horse’s Mouth reports the North Carolina Sanford Herald will no longer run Ann Coulter’s nationally syndicated column in its Sunday paper. The editor says his paper, which has a circulation of 10,000 to 12,000, received 834 emails today asking for Coulter's removal. This becomes the sixth paper to drop the column as a result of the remarks.

Earlier today, Media Matters reported the American Press of Lake Charles, Louisiana dropped the right-wing harpy's column. Media Matters has a complete list of newspapers that carry Coulter’s column. Is the Coultergeist in your town?

Some Background ...

Fourth Newspaper Dumps Coulter [R20] News Blackout After Ann Coulter Calls John Edwards a "Faggot" [R20] News: Ann Coulter's Jockstrap [R20] Political Briefs: Only on Fox [R20] (Same) Sex Sells [R20] Coulter Calls Gore a "Fag" [R20] "You're Getting Testy with Me!" [R20] More in the Ann Coulter Index

Fourth Newspaper Dumps Coulter, Sponsors Pulling Ads

The Times of Shreveport, LA becomes the fourth newspaper this week to drop the column of right-wing harpy Ann Coulter after last weekend's disgusting attempt at "schoolyard humor." Most recently, it was her colorful descriptions of people of color—such as "rag-head" and "Halfrican American", that last name being one of her and Rish Limbaugh's favorite description of Sen. Barack Obama. And ...

It is her recent “joke” about John Edwards being considered a “faggot” that is the back-breaking straw for a decision we've openly discussed for some time. We had a dialogue with readers last year regarding whether Coulter was a responsible commentator and journalist.

Her repeated use of hyperbole in the call for the death of some journalists and politicians was beyond the pale. And while we all believe she was “just kidding,” her "shock-jock'' writing style is no different from Howard Stern's practical jokes and bathroom humor that aims to draw a school-yard snicker but falls well short of reasonable, thought-provoking journalism. Unlike the work of a Thomas Sowell or a Kathleen Parker, two thoughtful conservatives, does a Coulter column raise the level of discourse?

The answer: rarely.

Also saying goodbye this week to Coulter's bigotry and homophobia were the Lancaster (Pa.) New Era, The Oakland Press of Michigan, and The Mountain Press of Sevierville, Tenn.

Unfortunately, the largest independent newspaper syndicate in the world, Universal Press Syndicate, has no plans to stop offering the columns. The Human Rights Campaign has launched an action campaign against UPS which we all need to participate in. Yesterday afternoon, we had a long discussion with HRC President Joe Solmonese on several related topics and he said Coulter's demonizing and hateful rants are a "national disgrace." Here, here.

Meanwhile, sponsors are beginning to pull their ads from Coulter's shrewish column. Sallie Mae, Verizon and NetBank said they were unaware that their companies advertised on Townhall—home to other reactionary voices such as La Shawn Barber and Hugh Hewitt— until they received complaints from customers, CNN reported. Brand representatives confirmed these ads were placed through a third-party agency that sells ads for Web sites. Washington Mutual, AT&T/Cingular, and SmileTrain.org have also pulled ads.

When it rains it pours.

Shreveport Paper Becomes 4th This Week to Drop Ann Coulter [Editor & Publisher]

Firms Pull Ads from Coulter's Site [Gay.com]

Limbaugh on Obama: "Halfrican American" [Media Matters]

News Blackout After Ann Coulter Calls John Edwards a "Faggot"

There's been a marked lack of accountability after right-wing harpy Ann Coulter's hateful channeling of Isaiah Washington at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

The nation's largest and most prominent conservative summit was attended by 2008 Republican Presidential candidates Sen. Sam Brownback (KS), former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Reps. Duncan Hunter (CA) and Tom Tancredo (CO), former liberal pro-choice Gov. Mitt Romney (MA) as well as Vice President Dick Cheney. (Sen. John McCain did not attend, preferring to pander in private.) Ann Coulter suggested that Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards is a "faggot". Think Progress has video HERE.

Speaking to an overflow room of activists, Romney enthusiastically introduced the bigoted pundit: "I am happy to hear that after you hear from me, you will hear from Ann Coulter. That is a good thing. Oh yeah!"

The right-wing hack—wearing one of her trademark slinky black cocktail dresses—took the stage to spew her venom. “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 I—so kind of an impasse, can’t really talk about Edwards."

The crowd turned silent, then cheered and applauded Coulter's hate speech. If you listen to the video, numerous laughs from men and women are audible. There is nothing funny here—this is pathetic.

Unfortunately, it's not the first time Ann has gay-bashed to taunt progressives and Democrats.

March: Coulter implies George Clooney is gay and HIV positive. July: Al Gore is a "total fag" and Bill Clinton has the "whiff of a bath house" around him. August: Coulter implies Sen. Hillary Clinton is lesbian.

Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean immediately blasted Coulter and demanded she apologize, and, the GOP presidential candidates and VP Cheney rebuke her remarks. "The comments were wildly inappropriate,” said a spokesman for Senator John McCain—who did not attend the event—to "The Caucus", The New York Times' political blog. McCain has equivocated on almost everything from the Iraq War to choice and gay rights, but, at least he stood up to Coulter's hateful message. The Romney campaign also criticized Coulter for the "It was an offensive remark." The other Republican candidates and Cheney have remained silent. At the very least, you'd think that Mary Cheney could call up her dad and complain and ask him or Lynne to make a statement. That demonstrates her influence and the White House and Republican National Committee's priorities.

The Times blogger, Adam Nagourney, also used the opportunity to remark that Coulter "is about as popular in liberal Democratic circles as Hillary Rodham Clinton is in Republican circles." The analogy was ridiculous especially because Clinton is unpopular among many progressives—albeit for totally different reasons—and, to our knowledge, has never publicly called her critics a "faggot" or advocated executing editors and reporters at The New York Times.

The Times' blog post was even more troubling because Coulter's remarks were not reported in the main political pages of the Times, the Washington Post or the Associated Press. Democrats point out that lesbian Mary Cheney is a lesbian and all hell breaks lose. Ann Coulter calls straight boy John Edwards a fag and there is a news blackout. So much for the vast, left-wing media conspiracy.

UPI and FOX Cover Coulter, AP, WaPo and NYT Nowhere to Be Found (AmericaBlog)

Coulter: I Would Talk About Edwards But “You Have To Go Into Rehab If You Use The Word ‘Faggot’” (Video @ Think Progress)

Fallout Over Coulter’s Anti-Gay Remark (NYT Blog)

Some Background ...

News: Ann Coulter's Jockstrap (Rod 2.0) Political Briefs: Only on Fox (Rod 2.0) (Same) Sex Sells (Rod 2.0) Coulter Calls Gore a "Fag" (Rod 2.0) "You're Getting Testy with Me!" (Rod 2.0) More in the Ann Coulter Index