ABC News Serenades Ann Coulter With "The Bitch Is Back"

ABC World News Now | June 28, 2007 | L.N. Smithee

[L.N. Smithee]

I was just about to flip off my TV set when I did a cursory spin around the channels to see if there was something happening I would want to TiVo for tomorrow when I came across ABC's World News Now broadcast, a hodgepodge of previously aired ABC News stories read by minor league anchors getting their first taste of national network exposure (Anderson Cooper began his career on this show).

The anchors had just finished a replay of Salon.com refugee Jake Tapper's story on the Coulter-Edwards kerfuffle, which contained Tapper's trademark leftward spin. After it was finished, the male anchor said to the female anchor (I'll fill in those details later if you care) something in the realm of "You know how we have a Paris Hilton blackout? Why don't we also have an Ann Coulter blackout?" As the female anchor proposed that Mrs. Edwards and Coulter somehow have it out on television, someone in the control room played in the background Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back." The song's volume rose as the show went to a commercial break.

Personally, I have soured on Coulter after she suddenly became needlessly strident and gratutitous in issuing insults. She's become a conservative enfant terrible, and doesn't seem to care that while she gets all the credit for stirring up outrage, it reflects badly on people who share her concerns but not her penchant for inflammatory rhetoric.

But this thread is not about what I think of her, it's about what is acceptable behavior for a news program. Essentially calling a best-selling author a "bitch" on a newscast? There is absolutely NO excuse for this.

While the BBC recently openly admitted that there is rampant leftist bias within its reports, there has been no similar self-reflection on the part of American news outlets. I propose a good place to start such a discussion would be right at this point: Who is it at ABC News who decided that it would be journalistically acceptable to play "The Bitch Is Back" after a story about Ann Coulter? Someone in that dark room with all the monitors, switches and levers set it up and said, "Do it." What was in his/her mind? What does David Westin have to say about it? Did the decision-maker figure Westin would be proud?

[YOUGOTIT]

They like 99.9% of reporters are anti-American left-wing pig faced Nazi haters of the United States.

So one should never talk to or listen to any of the al-Qaeda supporters on national TV so called news.

[AFreeBird]

I don’t know, Ann might actually take it as a badge of honor. After all; she is “stone cold sober and matter of fact”, when she’s going after the left.

[untrained skeptic]

But with the little verbal grenades she lobs, she is essentially the Right's version of Michael Moore.

The problem with your analogy is that Coulter presents what is essentially the truth in a caustic way. Moore on the other hand tells lie after lie.

Coulter at times sacrifices good taste to bring attention to important topics. Moore sacrifices the truth and good taste to advance his agenda that is not supported by the truth.

The similarities between Moore and Coulter are superficial at best.

[Use It Or Lose It]

Since when is it okay MSNBC and Chris Matthews become overt campaign staffers/fundraisers for Edwards?

[EQAndyBuzz]

You sure the song wasn’t for John Edwards?

[WilliamofCarmichael]

No mention of Maher and the point Ms Coulter was making? I did not see the ABS report.

As is the wont of the leftists they make Ms Coulter the "issue" ignoring her message. Phony "issues" are weapons.

[jude24]

The problem with your analogy is that Coulter presents what is essentially the truth in a caustic way. Moore on the other hand tells lie after lie.

Truth? No; her opinion and/or ideology. There's a difference.

Coulter at times sacrifices good taste to bring attention to important topics. Moore sacrifices the truth and good taste to advance his agenda that is not supported by the truth.

Moore uses innuendo and compromising "ambush journalism" to make ideological points. Coulter does pretty much the same thing.

[Laverne]

Hey, they are all democrats, of course its OK. All the mainstream media outlets act as fundraisers for the democrats — its SOP.

MSNBC is in bed with the DNC and specifically, the Edwards campaign. Just like they were in bed with the DNC and the Kerry campaign during the 04 election. Look at the involvement of NBCers/MSNBCers with the Libby case. FIVE of them...count them: Matthews, Russert, Mitchell, Gregory, and Schuster....all intimately involved with the set up of Libby.

Russert filed a false affidavit, Mitchell claimed on-air drunkenness when she said “everybody knew it; Gregory was a leak recipient and has remained silent, Matthews is a Chaney hater and makes no bones about that, and Schuster can’t get a story straight if his life depended on it.

So, is it OK for MSNBC/NBC to fund raise for the democrats? Apparnetly, by NBC standards its perfectly reasonable.

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Would you have found it amusing if they had done the same thing to Hillary? Just curious.

[jude24]

I've seen the same sort of jokes & attacks against Michael Moore and Helen Thomas on this very board.

The over-the-top rhetoric of Coulter's (and Moore's, and Thomas's) detractors does not vindicate Coulter (or Moore or Thomas).

The simple fact of the matter is that Coulter is a crass demagogue. Conservatives don't need someone like her - we don't need underhanded tactics like that if our ideas are truly superior.

[bray]

You don’t understand the difference between Invective humor and namecalling. All of Queen Ann’s jokes have a foundation of truth and that is what the commies hate about her.

PravdABDNC is using censorship to keep her off “their” airwaves since they know they fear her to their bones. But yeah, you can go ahead and hide behind your holier than thou attitude under the bed.

Pray for W and Our Troops

[Drawsing]

I cringe a little at some of Ann's comments. But then I think about her targets. These are public political figures with power. Some have a lot of power. They use their power to chip away at our freedoms while lining their pockets with cash and gaining more power. They hold our future and our children's future in their dirty hands.

Ann is using her sharp tongue and pen to expose their true character and undermine some of this power.

[MrB]

In the face of the increasingly “strident” and often outright THREATENING vitriol from the left,

it’s nice to have someone that doesn’t ascribe to the “New Tone” of just rolling over and taking it.

Fred Thompson for President! Ann Coulter for Press Secretary!

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

I agree with your comments about how the MSM treats liberals like Edwards in a more favorable light. Coulter’s choice of words, in my opinion, may energize some portion of the conservative base, but has the effect of setting herself up as a target for the MSM so that her influence outside that portion of the base is nil.

[lonestar]

Truth is an absolute defense. If Ann Coulter showed even a little class, she wouldn't be open to the charges of being a "bitch." But with the little verbal grenades she lobs, she is essentially the Right's version of Michael Moore.

More often than not, Ann's "bitchy" moments are simply her saying similar things that libs have said about conservatives without an uproar. If Bill Mahar wishes Cheny dead, no problem. If Ann wishes John Edwards dead, national crisis.

I'm with Ann and don't give a flip what Lizzy Edwards thinks. In fact, it proves Ann's point!

[MrB]

SHOW OF HANDS

Alright,

everyone that is a Constitutional Lawyer
and
a Best Selling Author,

raise your hands.

[jude24]

More often than not, Ann's "bitchy" moments are simply her saying similar things that libs have said about conservatives without an uproar. If Bill Mahar wishes Cheny dead, no problem. If Ann wishes John Edwards dead, national crisis.

"They did it too" is not a very compelling argument. It's wrong when Bill Maher says it; it's wrong when Coulter says it.

[G Larry]

They can’t do that!

That’s Hillary’s campain song!!!!!

[bray]

The difference between Micheal Mooreon and Ann only start at their weight.

Pray for W and Our Troops

[RGSpincich]

The bitch mentioned in the song isn’t a woman, per se. It’s Elton John himself as seen by his songwriter. ABC will have the real bitch to contend with if he finds out that ABC has assigned his song to Ann Coulter.

[bray]

The simple fact is that we need Queen Ann. We have enough of yous in the Republican Party.

You are the first one in line to throw every conservative under the bus that the Dims claim is dirty. We have enough jello spined conservatives and far too few Ann Coulters. Go find a Party that doesn’t upset your fair constipation.

Pray for W and Our Troops

[babyfreep]

I like Ann, too. Analogies, hyperbole, sarcasm...that's her thing. It flows well in her books and because of it, the left attempts to use her as ammunition. Well, Ann doesn't seem to mind, either. She turns it right back around on them.
Go, Ann!

[philetus]

A while back, I read about someone at DU gleefully bragging about being a longtime Freeper, who is trusted and listened to on FR.
I can’t imagine it being either of you because you’re just not that slick.

[MrB]

I don’t think Ann’s “justifying” her stridency by pointing out those on the left that say as much or worse.

What she’s doing is showing the comparative outrage of the “objective news broadcasters” between her statements and leftists’ statements.

She exposes the double standard, though it’s already obvious to most. She’s further grinding the left’s nose in their own bias.

[torchthemummy]

Unlike the author of this post, I don't believe Ann Coulter is unecessarily strident; I can understand why our drive by media doesn't admit its leftwing bias, however.

Coulter has become a net negative for conservatives within the last year. You don't need to call somebody a fag or wish somebody dead just because the libs use such rhetoric (yes, with relative impunity.)

Coulter is too smart to let her intelligent banter be sidelined by her unneccesary, go-for-the-jugular rhetoric.

[untrained skeptic]

Truth? No; her opinion and/or ideology. There's a difference.

She definitely presents her opinion, but she also presents a great deal of well researched facts to support that opinion and which you can evaluate to form your own opinion.

Moore blatantly, intentionally distorts the facts and misleads people to push his agenda. You can't really even honestly say that Moore is presenting his opinions, because if you carefully examine his documentaries, it is obvious that he doesn't believe what he is saying is the truth, he believes what he presents will compel people to support his agenda.

Moore doesn't try and honestly portray things in his "documentaries". Ann might sensationalize things a bit with over the top, caustic humor, but what she presents is based on fact.

Moore uses innuendo and compromising "ambush journalism" to make ideological points.

You forgot the selective editing, the use of biased and non-credible sources (Castro's government), and interviewing people that hold minority views and presenting them as if they are widely held views.

Coulter is lacking in manners, but not in integrity.

Moore lacks both.

Manners aren't really critical to being a credible source of information, unless you're too hung up on political correctness to care about what the truth really is.

[jude24]

A while back, I read about someone at DU gleefully bragging about being a longtime Freeper, who is trusted and listened to on FR. I can’t imagine it being either of you because you’re just not that slick.

Never went to DU - and I've always been a what-you-see-is-what-you-get guy around here.

Since when did one's like or dislike of Coulter become a litmus test of one's political stances anyway?

[Raycpa]

Say anything you want about her, she has opened the field for others to discuss areas the liberals have created as taboo.

[philetus]

I’ve always been a what-you-see-is-what-you-get guy around here.”

“she is essentially the Right’s version of Michael Moore.”

IMHO, we-ain’t-getting-much.

Moore is a sleazy, lying, whore.

Ann Coulter tells it like it is.

Comparing her to Moore is disingenuous.

[DocH]

Personally, I have soured on Coulter after she suddenly became needlessly strident and gratutitous in issuing insults.

Then, you are apparently unable to discern sarcasm and biting wit, and the importance of it in our political discourse since the country was founded.

It's all about free speech, especially where the rough and tumble of politics is concerned.

Turning the other cheek is for WIMPS (and apparently, President Bush).

I say, fight the bastards tooth and nail.

Ann does that and doesn't back down.

MUCH of what Ann says is just demonstrating what liberals do on a daily basis, and WITHOUT getting the left-wing media's bowels in an uproar.

As usual, there's a double-standard.

Bill Maher says Cheney should die and there's hardly a protest from the left-wing media. Ann issues the same type of statement about Edwards, to help demonstrate the double-standard, and gets the expected, quick and extreme response from the same left-wing media that was virtually silent about Maher's comments.

We need MORE strong Conservative voices that can take it, and then dish it right back (a DOUBLE-DOSE of it, in Ann's case) with intelligence, force, humor, satire, sarcasm, etc.

Ann should be cloned.

[DocH]

Elton John... Always thought he sucked.

He DOES, and in more ways than one.

[rsflynn]

...Wimps to the Right...

[ZULU]

I agree.

If she ever needs a bodyguard, I volunteer.

[ZULU]

You suffer from acute political myopia. Ann Coulter is our Joan of Arc and I’m not about to let a bunch of left-wing apologist hypocrits burn her at the stake.

I pray for the troops. And I pray Jorge El Segundo does as little further damage as possible to Republican chances in 2008 - and that’s as far as I’m willing to go with HIM.

[PISANO]

But it is ok to viciously attack Ann and ANY OTHER "NAZI" Republican because well that's what they are....BUT....if Ann or any other Republican becomes 'strident', well then it is beyond the pale, and an affront to all of the civilized world!!

By the way anyone notice how Ann's "WORDS" proved true once again by the fact that Edwards' wife [an UNTOUCHABLE victim] AND in full VICTIM MODE, attacks ANN incessantly, but when Ann slaps back, it is pointed out that Edwards' wife is suffering from CANCER.

[johnthebaptistmoore]

That should be Hillary’s song, if not “Man Eater”!

[RonDog]

From www.anncoulter.com :

June 18, 2007, 1:02 PM

PRE-ORDERS AVAILABLE NOW — - ANN COULTER'S NEW BOOK, IN STORES OCTOBER 2:

If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd Be Republicans

ALSO: GODLESS IN PAPERBACK, OUT JUNE 26TH:

Godless: The Church of Liberalism (Paperback)

-- snip --

Note how Ann's image has SHIFTED TO THE RIGHT -- her right, that is,
from the ORIGINAL version (top) -- which reads "If Dem RATS" --
currently posted on Amazon
to the FINAL version (bottom) -- which reads "HAD BRAINS" --
as currently posted on her publishers website.

[MayflowerMadam]

“...she takes it too far with her grenade throwing.”

No; she doesn’t. She’s mild compared to the libs’ spokescritters. They just can’t take it.

[RonDog]

Of the DOZEN or so threads posted on this forum in the last few days about the Chris Matthews/Elizabeth Edwards "attempted sandbagging" of our Ann, here is the best SUMMARY thread, IMHO:

***YouTube video of ANN COULTER vs Lizzy Edwards [MRS. "Silky Pony"] from Hardball (6/26/07)***
	Posted by Syncro On News/Activism 06/27/2007 1:00:10 AM PDT · 252 replies · 5,132+ views THE INSTITUTE OF PHENOMONOLOGY ^ | June27, 2007 | Dr. Zoo

Of the DOZEN or so threads posted on this forum in the last few days about the Chris Matthews/Elizabeth Edwards "attempted sandbagging" of our Ann, here is the best SUMMARY thread, IMHO:

***YouTube video of ANN COULTER vs Lizzy Edwards [MRS. "Silky Pony"] from Hardball (6/26/07)***
	Posted by Syncro On News/Activism 06/27/2007 1:00:10 AM PDT · 252 replies · 5,132+ views THE INSTITUTE OF PHENOMONOLOGY ^ | June27, 2007 | Dr. Zoo

[iopscusa]

“We have enough jello spined conservatives and far too few Ann Coulters”...so true, so true!
Conservatives have been too willing to roll over in what currently is a propaganda war and have thus lost many voices that will fight to win and will get their principled arguments into the light. Why do you think the Fairness Doctrine is being brought up and the Attack on Talk Radio has become serious?

AC is a 1000watt bulb as opposed to the many jello-spined R’s & C’s who are so dim-bulbed they think we should play nice and maintain the veneer of PC...I think this is a War and the Left is on the BattleField...where is the Right?

[dfwgator]

I like Ann, although at times she can be somewhat over the top...

When Ann is "over the top," it usually is in response to some "over the top" thing a liberal pundit says. She just throws it right back in their face.

[RonDog]

They can’t do that!

That’s Hillary’s campain song!!!!! - G Larry

ping

[RonDog]

I think AC has done all of us a big favor.

Her style certainly tends to smoke out the spittle-flecked MSM/Socialist/Leftist and that is a good thing for all to see...

Bingo!

Ann certainly knows how to PROVOKE the Left into reacting...

...whether they WANT to or not -- even when they KNOW what she is doing!

They just can't help themselves. :o)

[iopscusa]

Amen Brother....that Spittle-Flected Left just can’t help themselves. I’m thinking 2008 looks like a great election that will tank the Leftist enemies...we need to nominate new Leaders in the WH and both houses of Congress because IMO ‘08 is going to go RIGHT!

The Base is motivated from the Amnesty battle and we are itching to fight on!

[Ron H.]

So, is it OK for MSNBC/NBC to fund raise for the democrats? Apparnetly, by NBC standards its perfectly reasonable.

Yes that would seem to be case but there is a positive side to this as I see it. The more money that can be raised for this minor failed candidate the less there will be for others in the race. Let Edwards sop up as much as he can. Personally I think Ann Coulter is a genius in this regard for a scheme to divert fundraising dollars to Edwards failed campaign but that seems to come natural for her.

[gerryk]

Last night I went to apply for membership at Ann Coulter chat and this was the response I received from the boardadmin@anncoulter.com

Registration is suspended for a few days. The volunteers who manage the site have decided to let the loons find another forum to wish cancer and
AIDS on Ann.

[caver]

“let the loons find another forum to wish cancer and
AIDS on Ann.”

I doubt you would find conservatives wishing cancer and AIDS on others.

[LexBaird]

I’ve been wondering if we should try the tack of making it clear that if the “ShutUpTheOppositionIfWeCan’tWinInTheCourtOfPublicOpinion” Doctrine passes, we WILL be demanding equal time for each and every slanted newscast that project the editorial bias and left-wiong propaganda the slimeballs at the MSM networks call “news”.

They've got that angle covered. See, radio is broadcast over "public airwaves", and therefore regulated under the FCC. Cable TV and satellite radio are not, being directly subscribed to. Therefore Howeird Stern can verbally masturbate and Chrissy Matthews can propagandize at will. Isn't that convenient?

[capebuffalo]

you’re so wrong. She’s exacltly who we need;Smart & fearless!

[RonDog]

For the most recent threads posted on FR about Ann, try HERE:

search Free Republic for threads with COULTER in the title

and/or

search Free Republic for threads marked with the keyword ANNCOULTER