Once upon a time, on this very site, I suggested that Ann Coulter was the right wing's answer to Michael Moore. At the time it was just a thought, an idea I was munching on. But the furor I got from both sides ("How DARE you compare Michael Moore to that BITCH!" "You can't possibly think Ann Coulter is like THAT anti-American asshole!") was so equally passionate and frequent from both sides of the spectrum that I became absolutely convinced that the comparison was, as they said in My Cousin Vinny, dead-on balls accurate.
Primarily what Michael Moore and Ann Coulter have in common is this: they each regard themselves as their primary cause.
Yes, I saw Ann's Today show appearance. Yes, I thought she was tasteless and classless and nasty. I usually do. But you know what else I thought? "Yup, it's true. She'll be as outrageous as she has to if it'll get her name back in the news."
It wasn't so long ago--a little more than a week, actually--that Coulter was yesterday's news, a shrill pundit who was shouting in favor of increasingly unpopular policies and issues. Not a good thing to be when you have a new book coming out. So if you want to sell your book, you generate publicity. A lot of publicity. And you do that by saying or doing something sensational. Doesn't much matter whether it's applauded or despised; there really is no such thing as bad publicity.
So Coulter did what she does. And the people who don't like her, be they liberal or conservative, fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker.
Why don't any of us learn? It really is true in the media: if we ignore something, it goes away. Middle America was just in an UPROAR about Marilyn Manson ten years ago. And the more they railed against him, the more his name appeared in the news and his video was played on "Is this man dangerous?" newsmagazine segments, the more albums he sold and money he made. When was the last time you heard about Marilyn Manson's newest hit CD or tour? Around the last time you heard anyone talking about him at all, wasn't it?
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - zingzing
christ... i knew from the headline this was your's mike... now, i'll go read it. as i probably will agree with it, this will probably be the last you hear from me on "the subject," that [deleted] [deleted] silly [deleted].
2 - Michael J. West
And did that have anything to do with the fact that my name appears immediately under the headline?
3 - Mark Saleski
the funniest thing i've seen about coulter in ages is this clip from Henry Rollins.
4 - zingzing
hey smartass... i read the headline and was totally unsurprised that it was yours. k? oi... i never look to see who is writing these things. if i did, i wouldn't read half the shit i do read here.
5 - Adam Allen
Ann Coulter is probably the most brilliant political thinker of our day,
if she can make thousands of dollars and infuriate liberals all while making extremly good points, kudos to her,
There is no reason to not pay attention to her works which present the normal everyday american with blatant truths about the left wing
6 - Michael J. West
Hey, editors, should this post be in the Politics category? Or should I drop that and leave it in Culture?
7 - Mark Saleski
for more coulter madness, and perhaps lots of verbal sparring, i see that she's going to be on the tonight show tonight...opposing viewpoints may be expressed by george carlin.
i'm not kidding.
8 - JOHN THOMAS GILLICK
Stop talking about A** C******.
Really. Stop altogether.
The best way of dealing with the phenomenon is silence and dismissal.
Don't buy her books, don't read her work, don't review it, don't discuss it, don't discuss her. If you happen to be a professional member of the chattering classes, don’t appear with her on talk shows, don't engage her in debate, dialogue, arguments, faces-offs or whatever. And when the subject of A** C****** comes up - disregard it. If asked about her, ignore the question calmly; wait patiently for the next question on another subject. Pressed for an opinion, yield none. Charged with being “afraid to engage” the issue, smile and wait. The best public statement on A** C****** is DEAD AIR.
Make some.
Then, move on - and leave her ranting to her choir.
More even than on the cheers of her sad supporters, the creature lives for and feeds on the outrage of the easily-baited.
And no productive purpose is served by feeding its need for that attention.
Don't be so weak as to succumb to her provocations. You have better uses for your time and energy.
We all do.
MOVE ON.
And when others raise the question of what to do about A** C****** ... say, “nothing.”
Or ... just say nothing at all.
9 - Arch Conservative
Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter,
Haha
Even though I don't approve of what she said recently she sure has pissed off a lot of liberals and I'm down for anything does that.
I can practically picture you lefties jamming away at you keyboards, forhead veins throbbing, beads of sweat rolling down your brow.......
Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter,
You can't think of anything else can you guys?
Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter,
10 - Matthew T. Sussman
You're right on the money, West. It's a paper theory I wish worked. Unfortunately ...
OMG ANN COULTER AND GEORGE CARLIN ARE ON LENO TONIGHT!!!!1!
11 - JustOneMan
Hey...JOHN THOMAS GILLICK...why dont you start a group called moveon.org....oh thats already taken by the looney left oh well....oh by the way...
Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter, Ann Coulter,
12 - Steve
Oh come on! This is getting ridiculous. Michael Moore is not comparable to Coulter on credentials and college alone. The left is being exposed, Ann is speaking their language and doing a better job. Another nasty element of their party has been exposed. The truth does not come out tasting like candy. It hits the losers on their nose and makes them cry. At this point, they're in the NUMB stage. Once this "shock" wears off, America will understand the underlying point and there will be dialogue about it.
If Ann would have stated the point in any other way (i.e. sweetly or boring), I guarantee liberals would not have understood it. They are unable to debate nicely or sweetly as they have been harping about evil conservatives and the oppressive Christian Right for years. Those same years the "Christian Right" and "conservatives" have been responding nicely and trying to have productive debate while being demonized by liberals and the MSM.
It was liberals who made it clear how they respond and how they engage in regard to conservatives.
As the title of Ann Coulter's 9/13/2001 column says: "This Is War".
Leftists need not be appalled at someone using the same structure that they set up in the first place.
13 - sr
We all know about michael fat man moore,s mini skirt collection. Hard as he may try he just cant get the figure of Ann Coulter. He is just the same old fat ass hairy leg putrid repunit dude. It takes all kinds to make a liberal. Well done michael fat ass moore.
14 - Michael J. West
Thank you, John Thomas Gillick...for basically repeating everything I said in the original article.
And I thank the comments that followed (except for Suss, always the clever one with the sense of humor) for being as childish as possible, all the while refusing to recognize how much like Michael Moore and his supporters you are acting.
15 - Jewels
#7 I guess you were sadly disappointed. Carlin sat there like a limp rag ready to wet his Depends at any given moment. granted he did his rap speak - it's on-line and the poor drug riddled bastard can probably say while in a coma; but he had NOTHING TO SAY regarding anything resembling intelligence once Ann came on.
I think he was dribbling while she spoke. What say ya'll?
16 - Jewels
OK let's get beyond the pathetic Carlin is OLD topic and on to ANN COULTER. Now that's an interesting topic ;) . I just love a gal with grit and chutspa.
All at the same time. I love a gal who can pull out the swords of ill-speak and show the sad sack Liberal their asses.
Enough of the Victim speak. Get some actual information and knowledge out on how to fix this situation or shut the ffffff' en up. Seriously.
17 - Arch Conservative
I was just thinking about the title of the post "reall get back at ann coulter?"
What exactly did Coulter do to you that you feel the need to "really get back at her" Mr. West? What did she do to other blog posters that they "really have to get back at her?"
18 - Michael J. West
Now, Bing, you're just being silly. As if agreeing with her makes it less obvious that she pissed people off. People want to get back at her because she pissed them off. Simple? Simple.
What did she do to me? Nothing. I don't much care what she says because it's not worth a second thought. In a roundabout way, that's my point.
19 - Arch Conservative
Well gee if i spent all of my time trying to "get back at" all the looney far left libs who have pissed me off I'd never have time to do anything else?
You don't care what she said because it's not worth a second thought? Obviously it is if you're writing posts about it huh?
What would make you happy Michael? Banning her books? Forbidding talk shows from having her on? Maybe having someone off her?
Would you be able to sleep better at night then?
20 - Michael J. West
Bing, you're so cute, trying to stir up trouble where there isn't any.
What would make you happy Michael? Banning her books? Forbidding talk shows from having her on? Maybe having someone off her?
Would you be able to sleep better at night then?
No. I think all of those things would be terrible tragedies. Every single one of them.
I will sleep better at night by not reading her books or watching her on talk shows. Much as I have done in the past.
21 - Michael J. West
Well gee if i spent all of my time trying to "get back at" all the looney far left libs who have pissed me off I'd never have time to do anything else?
You would if your method of "getting back at" them was to not give them any of your time whatsoever.
I understand, Bing. Logic isn't your best subject.
22 - Arch Conservative
I'm not trying to stir up trouble at all. I'm just amazed that despite the 6 or 7 anti coulter posts in the past week you felt the need to add another one. I thought you guys had gotten it out of your system by now....that's all.
I mean you say we should ignore coulter but then you go and write another post about her giving people more reason to keep talking about her. Is that logical Michael?
23 - Michael J. West
I mean you say we should ignore coulter but then you go and write another post about her giving people more reason to keep talking about her.
Actually, I didn't write it about that. I barely mentioned what she'd done. I did admit in the post, though, that I was sort of doing the very thing I advised against.
Which means I really should shut up about her, indeed. So I just won't comment here anymore. Good enough for you, Bingie?
I'm off for a ten-day business trip to Europe. Kiss kiss!
24 - vincent
I know everyone has their options about Ann but I haven't found anyone else who feels the way I do and I have looked at a lot of blogs lately. I see myself as socially liberal and fiscally conservative. The main problem I have with the Republican party is I think they put property rights over civil rights but this is off the subject. I tend too vote democratic and believe that my party should support freedom of speech. Every time I bring this up it gets shot down because I am told that Ann is using hate speech. I don't understand why people think freedom of speech means they have to shut their brains off. Just because Ann said something doesn't mean you have to agree so I am kind of pissed off that more people haven't been supporting freedom of speech, especially from my side. Also this idea of people using their tragedy for political gain is nothing new. I say both political parties use this and have almost since the birth of our country. Things that happen in your life do indeed reflex your out view including your political views. I seem to remember that three surviving family members of the 9-11 attacks joined Bush on stage during the 2004 Republican National Convention and no one seemed to be upset by that including me. I guess Ann only gets mad if the other side does it. Yes the women from New Jersey have used what has happed to them to raise their voices and they should expect to have to defend their point of view like the rest of us.
25 - t54
Her recent attacks at families of victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11 are done to somehow draw attention to government payouts to people. The fact is businesses received far more money than individuals. Should the airline industry have received a penny because of this? Well, no. But, notice that Ann doesn't address that nor does she address the continuing corporate welfare for the airline industry or many of the the others receiving huge payouts. The political parties stand for nothing and her being allowed to say this without being criticized by at least republicans is proof.
pass these facts along to ann and anyone who supports her, found on: findlaw.com
For example, here are the respective outputs: Of the $38 billion given to all victims, $8.7 billion went to the civilians killed or seriously injured; $1.9 billion, to the emergency responders killed or seriously injured; and $23.3 billion, to the businesses that suffered property or economic injury. (The figures in the Feinberg report differ slightly from the RAND figures.)
And here are the respective inputs: Overall, 42% of the $38 billion came from the government, 7% from charity and 51% from insurance.