Ann Coulter at CPAC 2011 - Q & A Session

[_krose]

Additionally, she says a lot of mean things.

Are those mean things false, or are they true?

Pretty consistently untrue, wildly exaggerated or skewed. But really, with her it's less about truth and lies, and more about attempts at humor that just come off as being mean-spirited without the redeeming value of actually being funny. Her main value is in being increasingly outrageous, like a circus act, which she admits she gets away with because of being a blonde.

I see her as the little devil on the conservative's shoulder, whispering things into his ear that he wouldn't dare say himself, but giggles when he hears them.

I am emboldened by my looks to say things Republican men wouldn't.

[_MrStakhanovite]

I don’t find her anymore annoying or ignorant than any leftist pundit in the media. I always get a kick out of internet-lefties who try a little too hard to act urbane and look down on people in the tea-party as a bunch of crazy gun nuts, and sigh wistfully about a lack of gun culture Europe.

When I ask them surely not these Europeans, I get lectured about how Kosovars are not really “European.”

[_moksha]

When I ask them surely not these Europeans, I get lectured about how Kosovars are not really “European.”

Those Kosovars would make excellent tea partiers. They would appreciate Ann Coulter, especially if she was wearing a veil.

[_EAllusion]

I don’t find her anymore annoying or ignorant than any leftist pundit in the media. I always get a kick out of internet-lefties who try a little too hard to act urbane and look down on people in the tea-party as a bunch of crazy gun nuts, and sigh wistfully about a lack of gun culture Europe.

So Ann Coulter is no worse than, say, Rachel Maddow? This despite her penchant for wild lies, intense mean-spiritedness, and generally adopting ridiculous positions in a quasi-trolling fashion? That's her schtick mind you, not out of character moments.

So what, in your view, is Maddow's equivalent of saying in response to 9/11 that we should invade Muslim countries, kill their leaders, and (forcibly) convert the population to Christianity?

[_EAllusion]

In fact, I don't understand how you can be so hard on Droopy on this board when Ann Coulter isn't that far off of what Droopy is as a poster. She just has national media exposure and the ability to write without coming off as desperately trying to sound learned.

[_MrStakhanovite]

So Ann Coulter is no worse than, say, Rachel Maddow?

On being annoying and ignorant? Yes, same level. Ann is more outlandish probably, but that appeals to her market. Rachel has to keep sponsors.

In fact, I don't understand how you can be so hard on Droopy on this board when Ann Coulter isn't that far off of what Droopy is as a poster. She just has national media exposure and the ability to write without coming off as desperately trying to sound learned.

Because Droopy is here, Ann isn't. If Ann posted here and interacted with me, I'd be just as mean to her as I am Droopy.

[_MrStakhanovite]

Those Kosovars would make excellent tea partiers. They would appreciate Ann Coulter, especially if she was wearing a veil.

I doubt any of those men's wives wear a veil.

[_krose]

I don’t find her anymore annoying or ignorant than any leftist pundit in the media.

Coulter is definitely annoying, but she is certainly not ignorant. Palin and Bachmann are a different matter. Ignorance is their "thing," and they seem to actually be proud of it.

She knows full well what she is saying and what effect it will have. She's not ignorant herself; rather, she deliberately caters to the ignorant and angry, who constitute much of the "tea party" crowd.

She knows perfectly will that Obama is not a Muslim, and that he was born in the US, but she regularly makes comments about both, to stir up the rabble. It's cynical and calculating. GOP leaders (Böhner, McConnell, etc.) do the same thing. When asked directly if their president is a Christian, they doggedly avoid a definitive "yes" answer ("I take him at his word" is their careful response), because they don't want to dissuade the idiot conspiracy believers.

[_Molok]

She knows perfectly will that Obama is not a Muslim, and that he was born in the US, but she regularly makes comments about both, to stir up the rabble. It's cynical and calculating. GOP leaders (Böhner, McConnell, etc.) do the same thing. When asked directly if their president is a Christian, they doggedly avoid a definitive "yes" answer ("I take him at his word" is their careful response), because they don't want to dissuade the idiot conspiracy believers.

That's politics, you know this. Neither side is less guilty of this than the other. Not that I'm attempting to excuse the behavior, mind you. I find it as sickening as you do.

[_krose]

That's politics, you know this. Neither side is less guilty of this than the other.

Certainly that could be, and perhaps it's my own bias that doesn't let me see anything quite like that on the other side (deliberately encouraging a false rumor to keep it alive).

If that's the case, you would have to point it out for me, because I don't see it.