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bitchslap ted rall ann coulter day

So Rall endorses Dean. Dean is pleased. Yes, it's been blogged to death today.

This is not good for Dean. It won't be but a minute before people will be dragging out old Rall strips and columns, shoving them in Dean's face and saying so this is your buddy? This is the kind of person you are glad to have endorse you?

No, I'm not going to be one of them. I told you I'm done with Rall. Today, instead, I am going to lace into Ann Coulter for her treatment of Dean and the other Dem candidates. Relax, I'm not switching teams. I just think Coulter is a) a hypocrite and b) completely crude and tasteless.

As you probably know by now, Dean's brother Charlie was murdered by Communist insurgents in North Vietnam in 1974. They believe they finally found his remains. I don't care if you are a Republican, Democrat or any othe party. If you have some human decency, you see the poignancy in this story. You feel for Dean, you feel for his family.

Not Ann Coulter. Instead, she says this:

Howard Dean talks about his brother Charlie's murder at the hands of North Vietnamese communists. Bizarrely, after working on the failed George McGovern campaign, Charlie Dean went to Indochina in 1974 to witness the ravages of the war he had opposed. Not long after he arrived, the apparently ungrateful communists captured and killed him. Hey fellas! I'm on your s-- CLUNK!

I'm sorry, but that's just crass. She says:

But the Democrats have discovered a surprise campaign issue: It turns out that several of them have had a death in the family.

She then goes on to write in mocking tones about each candidate's family death. There's nothing wrong with tallking about those things and it's certainly nothing new. One would think it obvious that part of campaigning is to make yourself personable, let the potential voters know that you too, are just human. If the death of a loved one is a driving force in that candidate's life, if it shaped who they have become, they have every right to talk about. And let's face it, even if it has nothing to do with why they are running, a campaign is all about getting the public to like you. P.R. isn't necessarily P.C. You use whatever works.

Apparently, Coulter thinks it's beneath contempt for politicians to "use" their personal tragedies while campaigning. Obviously she doesn't think it's beneath contempt for her to get a column out of those same tragedies. Who's using who, Ann?

Coulter - and most of her fans - thinks she is cleverly funny, with a biting sardonic wit. Unfortunately, she more often than not comes off cold, unfeeling and just plain mean.

I'm sorry, but no matter how I feel about Dean, I just cannot find anything remotely funny about a man receiving his brother's remains almost 30 years after his death.

I guess Coulter isn't one of those compassionate conservatives you hear so much about.

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Comments

She's called everyone to the left of Genghis Khan traitors; expressing any actual sympathy for such persons is a violation of her Sacred Oath, or some such folderol. Most of the right-wing types I know are nowhere near her level of crassness.

And, well, we all know what Ted Rall would say if it happened to, say, Trent Lott.

"Cold, unfeeling, and just plain mean?"

Not to mention uneducated in history or much of anything else except primping and pandering to the worst excesses of the radical right.

I agree with you Michelle. I absolutely abhor
making jokes out of other people's tragedies.
It's contemptible. I am no longer her fan. I
stopped listening to Rush Limbaugh for the same reason.

They say that comedy = tragedy plus time. How, then, can it not be OK to to poke a little fun at a communist sympathizer who, 29 years ago, was done in by the very commies he fervently supported, while at the same time it is OK to gloat over a would-be Klansman nearly (?) getting killed in an initiation ritual a mere two days ago? Don't get me wrong; I have no problem with anyone gloating over the Klan wannabe. I just fail to see why we should be any nicer to communist sympathizers.

Thank you Michele for being a voice of sensible sanity. People on 'either' side of the political fence who use that kind of venom to boost their own sad little egos - are contemptible in my book. It makes me ill.

For the record, I haven't heard any of the Democrats try to use the death of a loved one as crassly as Al Gore did with his sister (i.e., as a club against Big Tibacky).

Coulter has become a completely putrid parody of herself ... Andrew Dice Clay with tits, i.e., not funny, and no point but crudeness for shock value. I've seen crack whores emit less sleaze and more sense.

This line from her piece is notable: "And that, boys and girls, is how the Jews survived thousands of years of persecution: by being susceptible to pandering."

But what I really want to know is, how exactly does she know that Al Sharpton is circumcised?

I've said it many times - Ann Coulter is the Michael Moore of the right. They're both getting rich pandering to the fringes and they'll go right on doing it for as long as the money keeps rolling in.

XRLQ: You totally missed the point. It's not that she was making light of Charlie Dean's death. She was making light of Howard Dean's grief, which, given the events of the past two days, is as fresh as it was 30 years ago.

I'm to the right of Ann Coulter, and I think that comment was low-class. She really doesn't deserve the fame she's gotten.

She gets lumped in with Laura Ingraham (prob'ly because they're both good looking blonds in their 30's) but Laura has class, sense, humor and is amiable to opposition guests on her show.

Coulter doesn't represent our side well. But that's exactly why she'll be on the air a lot: for the same reason Pat Buchanan is, and the same reason why newspapers generally run the worst-written editorial letters from conservatives, and not the most balanced or insightful. Because htey want us to look bad.

I never read much of Ann Coulter’s stuff until I saw that article. It’s odd to contrast her with Rall, because they’re really so much alike. Both blame Americans for the acts of terrorists (Rall blames the right, she blames the left) – both hate a certain breed of Americans even more than they hate the terrorists.

Both are cruel and have absolutely nothing useful to say. Tthey’re just a good example of the worst of both extremes.

I detest Coulter as much as I do Rall, and won't even bother to read this piece. Still, (and maybe I'm opening up a big can of "Dave's an Asshole" here), the timing of this whole thing sure seems convenient for Mr. Dean.

At least "dumb" Bush has enough sense not to talk about deaths in his family, while our soldiers are being killed in Iraq.

Dave: yes, you opened that can. But it's not as big as Pat's can. Really, Pat. Should Dean not talk about the fact that his brothers remains just came home after almost 30 years?

People never cease to amaze me.

Michelle, thank you. From the very bottom of my heart. As a Dean supporter, I shall bitch slap Ted Rall in loving memory.

There's virtually no depth to which people like Ann Coulter and Ted Rall won't stoop. They're utterly despicable, and it's shameful that their supporters seem to be so plentiful.

Probably the best way we could hurt both of them would be to simply ignore them, but of course that's easier said than done.

No offense against waitresses, but somewhere, there's a table in need of one, Ann oughta change careers.

Photodude

Coulter has tits?

Would someone tie her down and shove a porkchop or two down that gullet? I think the meaness and lack of common sense comes from endless months of starvation. Good god, she could slice cheese with that jawline....

"the timing of this whole thing sure seems convenient for Mr. Dean."

The Dean family was just notified by the government (D.O.D., I believe), this isn't some shit cooked up by Joe Trippi. And as far as his grief being fresh after thirty years, damn right. He's worn his brother's old belt every day since he disappeared. There are still POW / MIA flags all over the country, as there should be, people haven't forgotten about loved ones lost over there. The Coulters and Limbaughs would do well to remember that.

Coulter's biggest problem is that any reasonable message she might have winds up getting couched in the most vitriolic rhetoric imaginable. There's no excuse for it except that it gets her attention, which sells more books and puts her on TV more often.

I don't think anyone in his/her right mind would deny Howard Dean his grief, and I'm not excusing Coulter's lack of sensitivity. There's a difference, however, between making yourself seem more human and using grief as a vehicle for votes. Where you draw the line is pretty subjective.

Sorry, David. I stand by my accusations against Coulter and my defense of Dean. It's not like he picked this moment for his brother to be found.

here here Michele, good point.

So - simply because the kkk (in their mind) endorses GOP - does that mean anything? NO us Dems are not the attack dogs that the GOP is.

NO us Dems are not the attack dogs that the GOP is.

Now THAT might just be the most absolutely ridiculous statement of the year. The venom and outright hatred coming from the Democrats for the last few years has outweighed tenfold anything coming from the GOP. And no, I'm not a Republican.

Yes, Ann lost me when she had her picture taken at Joe McCarthy's grave.

Ann, this is 2003, and the Cold War ended 10 years ago. Lighten up. She probably doesn't like NewsMax because it's a 'pinko rag.

At least Laura Ingraham laughs occasionally.

WG

She gets lumped in with Laura Ingraham (prob'ly because they're both good looking blonds in their 30's)

Actually, Ann is already over forty years old. Her own life is a lie, so why should anyone take her seriously regarding other issues?

Speaking as a Dean opponent, Michele, thanks. You've got class Coulter couldn't hope to understand, much less emulate.

Sometimes the message gets lost in the vitriol..

She was trying to point out that everyone's suddenly talking about a dead relative...in much the same way that the nominess 'discovered' forgotten Jewish ancestors..'Lokk, Jews, we love you, even though we support Arafat, see, look, we're even a bit joo-ish. Please.

Why is she nasty? Because for every Coulter out there you've got a Morford, and a Rall, and a Moore, and a Franken and a Tomorrow and on and on and on.

She's the purveyor of the Right's snarky nasty laughter.

But there is a difference between Annie and her opposites--and it's exemplified in that picture at MCarthy's grave.

The Verona decrypts showed that McCarthy was right...

Sorry, Coulter doesn't get a pass just because Rall exists in the same way that I would never give Morford a pass just because Coulter exists.

And, like many others, Jack, you are missing the point. So I reiterate once again: It's not about Coulter passing judgment on all the candidates using a family's death in their campaign. It's about her making light of Dean's grief.

That's the last time I'm saying it. Don't respond to my posts unless you could pass a reading comprehension test on the content if one were given.

I tend to shy away from radical side of any argument, but since my ENGL 102 students are tackling political rhetoric in 2004, I figure I have to dive headfirst into the chaos. Don't know if that's the right column to start with, however!

"Why is she nasty? Because for every Coulter out there you've got a Morford, and a Rall, and a Moore, and a Franken and a Tomorrow and on and on and on."

I'm sure you've heard it before, but two wrongs don't make a right, and one might certainly expect the cough good, upstanding, moral right-wing to take the high road in such a situation.

Sometimes, alas, we expect too much, eh?

Michele, I agree on the poor taste and tone of her commentary. Athough in general, I am a fan of her work but sometimes it is just better to be quiet.

Personally, I thing she is right about McCarthy. It shows just how far the left will go to destroy someone they hate. Look at what CBS tried to do to Reagan.

But, Coulter being a female verson of James Carville is just wrong. We never need to go there.

Michele: as long as we're splitting hairs, note that Coulter isn't making fun of the Dean family's grief, either. At one level, she pokes fun at Charlie Dean's death, which was every bit as Darwinian - and thus, every bit as worthy of ridicule - as the near-death of that idiot would-be Klansman last week. At another, she pokes fun at a group of Democrats, not just Dean, for what she sees as a pattern of politicians using personal tragedies to their political advantage. She doesn't make fun of the Deans for grieving privately; she makes fun of one Dean for not grieving privately, as any normal person in his situation would.

It's all well and good to disagree with Coulter's conclusion that Democrats have a bad habit of politicizing personal tragedies - though I happen to think she is right about that. Your post, though, almost suggests that this topic shouldn't be discussed at all. It's almost impossible to write on a topic like that without giving at least some mention to the guy who just happens to be the Democrat front-runner.

X, I'm going to disagree with you again. Dean's grief wasn't private because the story wasn't private. It was carried on every major news channel and reported in every major newspaper in the US. Of course he was going to speak about it publicly.

"Why is she nasty? Because for every Coulter out there you've got a Morford, and a Rall, and a Moore, and a Franken and a Tomorrow and on and on and on."

Yeah, Michael Moore is on cable news SO OFTEN, and you ALWAYS see Ted Rall spewing venom on CNN, and Morford is on MSNBC all the time, right? And that Tom Tomorrow is taking up all the best spots in the alt-weekly papers, otherwise Ann Coulter's cartoon would be running...

Ann Coulter is nasty because Ann Coulter is a sociopath. She says the things she says because other people are not real to her. They're objects to be manipulated to get what she wants, and it doesn't matter what other people think, because Ann's pathology prevents her from feeling empathy or pity for other people.

Look at the signs. Over 40 years old and never been married or engaged? Obviously, she is incapable of making close, emotional connections with other people. Let's go to the psychology text: "Sociopaths are very egocentric individuals that lack a sense of personal responsibility and morality. They may be impulsive, manipulative, reckless, quarrelsome, and consistent liars. Sociopaths are usually unable to sustain relationships and have a total lack of remorse for their actions. The sociopath may also be very prone to aggressive, hostile, and sometimes violent behavior. This aggression may or may not lead to criminal behavior and often takes the form of domestic violence. Despite these previous symptoms, the sociopath may be an excellent actor, always appearing charming, calm, and collected. They usually have a normal or above normal intelligence level and good verbal fluency. They are considered 'socially obnoxious' or hateful personalities, and every one of us knows of someone who fits the description. Corrupt and callous politicians, social or career fast climbers, authoritarian leaders, abusing and aggressive persons, etc., are among them. A common characteristic is that they engage systematically in deception and manipulation of others for personal gain. In fact, many successful and adapted non-violent sociopaths can be found in our society. An NIMH epidemiologic study reported that only 47% of those who met the SPD criteria had a significant arrest record. The most relevant events for these persons occur in the area of job problems, domestic violence, traffic offenses, and severe marital difficulties. (Sabbatini, 1998, p.2-3)"

Yep, I'd say that pretty much describes our Ann.

Hey, by that definition, does it mean that Gloria Steinem is a sociopath? I mean, she didn't get married until she was 66.

And Joan Austen never got married, either. I don't even think she got engaged. She died in her 40's. What a cool litmus test!

In 1802, Jane Austen accepted a proposal but later changed her mind. (That would make her 26.)

On a more serious note: Even as a left-liberal, I've found Ted Rall's opinions (esp on 9/11 and the Afghan War) to be extremely misguided and often in outrageously bad taste. I'll even concede they arise from a badly skewed perception of the United States. Even so, I don't think he's comparable to Coulter, because it's increasingly apparent that Coulter makes remarks motivated more by sadism than out of sincere but mistaken conviction.

To continue the tradeoffs, I'd pair Moore against Limbaugh because both are willing to play very fast and loose with facts for a laugh.

Why Al Franken is on the list is beyond me. Yes, he's very funny, and abrasive. I also think he's much better grounded in reality than the above-referenced.

Finally, I believe the location of Charlie Dean's remains had been roughly located several months ago, and the recovery is part of an ongoing project.

Ann Coulter is a rotting cunt with all the human feeling of a barracuda. I can't wait for her to stick her foot far enough in it to have a downfall as publicly humiliating and laughable as Rush Limbaugh's. I'll be having a huge party that day and you're all invited. I will make an effigy of her out of meat and turn pit bulls loose on it. Good times.

D

Very classy, David. I understand that Michele doesn't like Ann Coulter because she's mean. What is it, exactly, that you don't like about her?

"What a cool litmus test!"
cough>>dumbass<<cough

No, the marrying age isn't the litmus test, Dr. Von Braun. It's the egocentricity, lying, aggressive behavior and lack of empathy combined with above-average intellect and verbal fluency that mark her as a sociopath.

shrug I found most of her snarky comments at candidates grinding political mileage out of personal tragedies biter-edged funny - but I have a warped and extremly gallows oriented sense of humour anyway.

Ted Kennedy having several belts when he remembers his personal tragedies did get a guffaw out of me. ;]

Crude and tasteles are highly underrated qualities in this day and age.

I'm a compassionate libertarian. I just don't waste any compassion on modern politicians. They can hire people to have compassion for them. I save my compassion for people that aren't busily knifing each other in the back for a position they can pick our pockets from.

Unless he was some sort of CIA operative (unlikely), it WAS bizarre for Charles Dean to go sightseeing in Indochina in 1974. Just what was he doing there?

oh, you mean the same Laura Ingraham that outed homosexuals at Dartmouth when she was working for the Review in the early '80s? The same one who asked Ariel Sharon if Isreal was going to blow up arab countries after the TWA flight went down off of Long Island? The same Laura Ingraham who rails against the Hollywood elite but seems to have no problem with Charlton Heston, Dennis Miller, Charley Daniels, Ted Nugent and Arnold? Oh that one.

I grant the points made about the remains of Charles Dean being only recently repatriated, thus Ann Coulter is out of line to bring them up in a political context...

But returning them with full military honors, as detailed on the Drudge Report, is wrong.

It disgusts me to think of the politics behind this.

The military honors for returned American remains from Viet Nam and Cambodia is STANDARD, civilian or not. But for some reason, Drudge "forgot" to say that.

I want to marry and impregnate Ann Coulter sooooo bad. The NEW RIGHT WILL LIVE ON!

I retitled that column - Your Brother's Dead, Your Daughter's A Dyke And You're A Jew

If sean hannity and ann coulter had a child, it might be smart enough to make a lot of noise, pee in its own mouth and jack off with great vigor, I wouldn't expect much more......