Pundit Ann Coulter lets loose in Napa

Outspoken conservative commentator Ann Coulter let the one-liners and partisan zingers fly in her Napa speech Monday night, finding a receptive audience at the Silverado Country Club & Resort Ballroom.

Coulter, whose most recent book, "Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism" is a number one New York Times best seller, had the nearly 400 attendees laughing at her quick-witted statements throughout much of her 45-minute lecture. When she reached the podium to give her speech at a fundraiser for the Napa Valley Boys & Girls Club, Coulter announced, "I thought I'd talk about liberals and their contribution to terrorism."

She said liberal complaints about the execution of the "war on terrorism" are little more than their "fascinating discovery that life is hard."

Coulter writes a syndicated column for Universal Press Syndicate. She is also a frequent guest on many TV shows, including "Politically Incorrect," "Larry King Live," "The O'Reilly Factor," "Crossfire" and "Good Morning America."

Her appearance in Napa was part of a new lecture series, "The Forum of Napa Valley" sponsored by the Napa Rotary Club, with proceeds going toward local charities.

Coulter was far more willing to spar with the public than diplomat Jeane Kirkpatrick, who kicked off the series earlier this year. Coulter chided liberals on the war on terror throughout her talk. She lampooned the logic of those with reservations about counter-terrorist efforts. "If you upset those who seek our destruction, they might get mad and seek our destruction," she said. This comment brought laughter from the audience, which seemed an even mix of men and women. She noted many of the Democratic officials who were in favor of the war on Iraq are now attacking the war.

Among controversial topics she discussed at the lecture was racial profiling of Middle Eastern looking people. "When there's a 100 percent chance (that a terrorist suspect will look Arabic), it's not racial profiling, it's called 'description of the suspect,'" she said.

She also said America's support for President George W. Bush continues to be evident. "I've never seen so many people leave the Democratic party than after 9/11," she said.

Coulter did have one positive comment about Democrats. "When the Democratic party has success it's with domestic issues," she said. But she followed by criticizing Democrats for encouraging big government and the welfare state. She said it would be a mistake for Republicans to say, "'We'll give you free stuff.' Our argument has to be 'it's not free.'"

Before Coulter stepped down from the stage, Jim Alexander -- an Edward Jones investment representative and the person spearheading the event for the Rotary Club of Napa -- opened the floor up for questions from the audience.

One woman asked if Coulter felt New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton would run for president. "I think Hillary wants to run. I think she's waiting for an opening," Coulter said.

Another woman asked about whether or not the number of recent U.S. casualties in Iraq are indication that the war is not yet over. "The major combat is over," Coulter quickly responded. President Bush said it would be a long drawn out (battle). She said it is a misconception that we're still in war. "The press hasn't covered much of what Bush has said after 9/11. They have distorted (things) to make it sound more serious or like we're still in war."

Coulter responded to a question about Gov.-elect Armold Schwarzenegger, saying "He better be good" and "It's going to be very embarrassing for me if he becomes another Michael Bloomberg."

Bloomberg is New York's mayor, a millionaire media tycoon and what Coulter classifies is a liberal Republican.

Before Coulter had taken the stage, Alexander said, "I know people who love her or hate her. I'm well on the love side." Alexander had picked Coulter up at the airport prior to her lecture and described her as "a real sweetheart."

While the majority of the audience appeared to be supportive of Coulter, not all attendees were fans. Napan Zach Skigen, a junior at Vintage High School with an eye towards entering politics, said he does not share Coulter's political views. "I think it's important to listen to both sides even if one is advocating the murder of the other," he said candidly. Prior to the lecture he said he was hoping to walk away with the event with "someone to point to when I need an example of Republican insanity."

Attendee Ken Rainin, who splits his time between homes in the East Bay and Calistoga, felt positive about Coulter's presentation. "I think she forces people to think and ask questions. She points out how we've been manipulated by intellectuals and the press."

Next on the agenda for "The Forum of the Napa Valley" will be Leon Panetta, former White House chief of staff, who will speak in February at Silverado.

Here is an almost equally balanced review of Ann's Boulder speech that I attended. It was great and really stirred up the lefties.

Coulter riles Boulder
By ERIN WIGGINS and MEAGAN BALINK Colorado Daily Staff Writers

No matter what their beliefs, everyone who left CU's Macky Auditorium Thursday evening after political commentator Ann Coulter spoke had something to say and something to think about.

In a speech to nearly 2,000 people in a packed house, she spoke about what she sees as liberal faux pas in the country's "war on terror." Coulter wasted no time in qualifying her topic; she began immediately with criticism of liberal ideals.

"Democrats have been wrong on only two things, domestic policy and foreign policy," said Coulter, who conveyed her message with humorous sarcasm most of the evening.

She addressed an array of topics within foreign policy relating to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and subsequent war in Iraq. Coulter pointed out criticisms of the liberal left on the Bush administration's foreign policy, such as the perceived lack of evidence for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and the problems with reconstruction efforts in the country.

"We have essentially imposed a revolution on Iraq and they expect us to be done in six months," she said. "They are like little kids on a car trip saying, are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

Coulter claimed that Democrats offer no viable alternatives to the country's fight against terrorism, leaving Americans with two choices: live less free or live in risk.

"I have a little thing I come up with; it's called racial profiling," she said.

Coulter said she believes racial profiling within America, particularly in airports, is the practical way to weed out terrorist activity.

She silenced the audience when she methodically listed 14 incidents of Muslim extremist attacks on the United States in the last 25 years.

"In 20 years of threats by Muslim extremists, there has always been one or more Muslim extremist involved," said Coulter. "The refusal to make a connection between Muslim extremists and ongoing violence by Muslim extremists borders on psychopathological disturbance."

Cries that she was racist from many audience members stopped Coulter from speaking for a moment after she commented on government officials' enforcement of immigration laws.

She received nearly unified disapproval from the crowd when she attacked liberal accusations that the war in Iraq is about control of Middle East oil.

Though she said the underlying focus of the war is not on oil, she added pragmatically, "Why not go to war for just oil? We need oil."

In a community that prides itself on creating practical uses for renewable energy, she elicited a chorus of nearly unanimous boos.

"Of course we use most of the world's oil," she continued, defending the country's oil consumption. "We do most of the world's production."

However, she later told the Colorado Daily that she is in favor of renewable energy in forms such as nuclear power, but not those in more experimental stages.

Following the talk, Coulter answered questions from audience members on topics ranging from immigration to capital punishment, most of which she categorized as inarticulate and lacking substance.

"I could come up with ways to criticize me," she said sardonically of the heckling she received.

Coulter said the crowd in Boulder was similar to those of most college campuses she visited, though the heckling was on the "high side."

Following the speech, audience members had plenty to talk about.

"I think it's liberating for Boulder to hear Ann Coulter speak," said CU sophomore Meaghan McCarty, who was holding autographed copies of Coulter's books. "Even if you don't agree with her, it challenges your views and makes you think twice," she said.

Freshman Creyton Harris agreed, saying that the speech was "very entertaining. Coulter is intelligent and witty," he said. He added that was disappointed with all the yelling during Coulter's speech. "I don't want to be labeled as a Boulderite hippie."

However, Miriam Demark, CU senior, was completely opposed to most of Coulter's viewpoints. "We paid $20,000 for this?" she asked her friends in disbelief. She and the group of students she was with outside Macky auditorium all walked out during the speech.

They said they thought Coulter was crazy.

"She called us Sadaam Hussein-lovers just because we oppose the war," Denmark said, shaking her head.

"I don't see how she can stand up there and make a mockery of these issues," Junior Aba Arthur said, referring to Coulter's humorous approach to sensitive topics. "It's very insulting - she has no respect for anyone else's opinion."

No matter what view the students espoused, they were out of their dorm rooms ready to deliberate issues Coulter brought up.

"It's refreshing to hear something other than the leftist opinion here in Boulder," said CU freshman Tommy Gleason.

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