Interesting Right/Left column: Ann Coulter helping Dems more than GOP?

[CatWoman]

Ann Coulter helping Dems more than GOP?

Maureen Downey, a left-leaning columnist, stands in for Diane Glass on the commentary this week and Shaunti Feldhahn, a right-leaning columnist, responds.

Commentary

By Maureen Downey

Early in her career, Ann Coulter discovered that she could sell more books and columns if she swore off thoughtful political analysis and just started calling Democrats “faggots.”

A cheap character assassin in black sheath and heels, Coulter has become the Paris Hilton of the right, admired as much for her blond good looks and her short skirts as her unapologetic viciousness against Democrats.

But now her shrill-and-kill approach to politic punditry is benefiting Democrats more than Republicans. She has crossed the line of decency so many times that smart conservatives turn their heads when they see her coming. Her comments have escalated from tasteless to hateful, and Democrats are rightfully capitalizing on the growing public revulsion.

Rebuttal

By Shaunti Feldhahn

I share many of Ann Coulter’s policy opinions, but I am the first to cringe at harsh and personal comments against those who don’t. Yes, we need more respectful dialogue - but there’s another key factor.

In trying to fire up the right, Coulter is actually a conservative version of political comedian Bill Maher, who is well known for his over-the-top comments on the left. But since most media gatekeepers share Maher’s ideology, he gets cast as an ironist and Coulter gets cast as a “character assassin.”

For example, after a terrorist attack missed Vice President Cheney on a February visit to Iraq, Bill Maher told his talk show guests - two congressmen - that “If did die, other people, more people would live. That’s a fact.” Despite suggesting that the assassination of the Vice President would be a good thing, there was almost no media outcry.

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/woman/

[hooraydems06]

1. It wouldn't surprise me...

... I think a lot of people on every side of the aisle and every political spectrum wish Ann Coulter would just go away... but since they know that in order to preserve the right to free speech, they must allow her to speak either, they steel themselves and learn to just tune her out... but since she continues to make the news it annoys people and makes them want to reject those that still court her... and since there are quite a few Republican presidential candidates (most recently Duncan Hunter) that continue to make excuses for her, all she (and they) is(/are) doing is tying herself more and more closely to the GOP (and they tying her to them as well), causing an eventual backlash against the entire Republican Party.

It sort of has the same effect Fred Phelps has had on the anti-gay movement over the years. I wouldn't be surprised if, ten years from now, all she'll be able to do is go around the country with pathetically incendiary signs w/no one giving her any media attention at all, and if she does get the occassional interview, only as a cautionary tale to remind them of what fringe elements look like, and that we must never let our country be run by these kinds of people ever again.

[thegreatcause2]

2. Ann Coulter is a mean-spirited bitch

she hurts repukes and helps dems by the force of her foul smell.

[Edweird]

3. I've been posting about this exact situation for quite some time.

Coulter is the poster child for conservatives. We need her on endless loop. Cram her down the throats of GOP'ers until they puke. Humans can only take so much negativity. Eventually they have to see it for what it is. Of course, there will always be a few truly mentally ill supporters that will never ever "get it", but they are a write-off anyway.

[BearSquirrel2]

4. I keep saying .. Anne Coulter is my FAVORITE conservative ...

Anne says what the rest of them think. Everyone else is smart enough to cloak their hateful, elitist facism in psuedo-populism. Anne puts her hate and bigotry right out there. I perk up when I see her column in my local paper because everyone can get a whiff of what REAL REPUBLICANISM is without sugar coating.

Go ANNE!!!! Hang your own party own slur at a time.

P.S. That thing about 9/11 widows ... GREAT STUFF!!! Keep up the good work!!!