The Trouble with Treason (David Horowitz regarding Ann Coulter)

Frontpagemagazine.com ^ | 7/8/03 | David Horowitz

[johnb838]

I don't think Ann's right about McCarthy's tactics, which were morally flawed and politically indefensible

Did YOU read the book? She states that McCarthy's tactics were NOT morally flawed NOR politically indefensible. What they were were accurate. Did he put people into gulags? No. Did he prosecute people? No. Was he theatrical? Yes. Did he immobilize the liberals, causing the full brunt of their ire to be concentrated on him? Yes. Did he make it not "ok" to be a communist? Yes. The guy simply pointed out that communist agents, taking orders from Moscow, should not be in positions in the US government requiring security clearances. And asked why the army and the state dept. and other agencies wouldn't do anything about it. You know who he reminds me of right now? Tom Tancredo. The lone voice crying in the wilderness of the corruption that an overwhelming majority of patriotic americans can see, but that the government continues to ignore.

[David Isaac]

I would say quite possibly yes, Horowitz's assassment of Truman's anti-communism is not totally correct. Did you read the article I mentioned? I will send you a copy.

[johnb838]

Truman, having been told repeatedly by the FBI that Alger Hiss was a spy, not only didn't fire Hiss, but promoted him. Then he allowed him to take the lead in formulating that wonderful bastion of anti-Americanism, the United Nations.

As easy as we are to infiltrate, it's a miracle we keep functioning.

[hattend]

Bump for later reading

[alnick]

I watched the Chris Matthews interview. He was not his usual hard-charging self, but rather quiet

You didn't watch the same interview that I did because Matthews was more hyper than usual and he did not allow Coulter to even speak when he was firing one question after another. He repeatedly referred to her as an excellent propogandist and an excellent writer, as if to say, "Don't believe a word of the book, even though it is convincing."

[johnb838]

the liberal talking head takes this individual reference method and attacks the premise of the book which only states the obvious.

It's the same tactics they used with McCarthy -- make him name names. She won't rise to the bait. She knows what happened to Joe. The rats have no new tactics and very little talent.

[colorado tanker]

I do think we sometimes make the same mistake as liberals by stereotyping all liberals as alike. Conservatives aren't all alike, as this forum demonstrates, and there are different flavors of liberals, also.

IMHO, the Democrats did not become majority anti-anti-Communist and anti-American policy until the party split over Vietnam during 1968-1972, when the McGovern faction won and many cold war Democrats began to migrate to the Republican Party. The Dims have been in the minority on a national basis ever since.

[AnnaZ]

No, but when those non-communist anti-war folks attend anti-war protests organized by communists, they become useful idiots.

Dingdingding! We have a winner!

[Aquinasfan]

Yesterday I thought Coulter was a cynic with a lucrative schtick. Today, I think she's unstable.

[alnick]

A couple of weeks ago, I heard Ann suggest on TV that women shouldn't be allowed to vote. Am I supposed to believe that she really believes that?

I've heard about that one, but I haven't actually read her words in context. Knowing how she operates, I would bet that her words were taken out of context. She was probably being sarcastic, and I suspect that, in context, it would be obvious that she doesn't actually believe that women should not be allowed to vote.

[XJarhead]

To say that "Treason" targets only conservatives is incorrect. Hate to break it to you, but books that target conservatives rarely make it into the top ten nationwide.

I disagree with that, but I suppose that it depends upon your definition of "moderate" and "conservative". I suspect Limbaugh's books targeted primarily conservatives, and Hillary's targeted primarily liberals. Both made the top ten nationwide. Not to mention Al Franken's "Rush Limbaugh is a big fat idiot", which hit #1 on the NYT. Seems like nonfiction political books that cater to liberals or conservatives can do quite well.

Actually we jump all over Dems for taking comments out of context and using them to critize others. Are you going to tell us that she made this comment in seriousness, or do you think she was kidding to make a point? Remember now, this is Ann we are talking about. :)

I agree that she is kidding most of the time she says this stuff. The problem is that her delivery is so awful that she appears serious when she makes those statements. It would be simple for her to make the point in a manner making it obvious that its only for rhetorical effect. But she doesn't. She chooses to make her points with outrageous, over the top statements. I really think she does it just for fun. That makes it extremely easy to discredit her to the vast majority of the people who don't know her from Connie Chung.

The majority of people are not like us here. They are not newshounds who know the personalities of each and every political pundit. When you have to remind people "remember, this is Ann we're talking about", that means absolutely nothing to the vast majority of people who will hear her quotes. All they'll see is the text of what she said, and then they'll tune her out as a nut.

You must live in a rather small world. And you would have to have a rather small mind to think that if you have not experienced it, it hasn't happened. Perhaps it's just the people you choose to mingle with.

How condescending of you! I'm lucky that you deign to reply to my posts. Yeah, you're right, lots of fence-sitters who were torn between Gore and Bush have been converted by Ann's writing. That also explains all the glowing reviews she's received, and why folks like Horowitz and the WSJ criticise her style as well.

Let's face it, FR is not exactly the middle of the road on the American political spectrum, and yet you have a fair number of people here who think that her style is alienating. If it's only the self-appointed true believers on FR who defend her style, doesn't that suggest that her style may be part of the problem? I've seen her in tons of interviews, and cannot recall a single occasion in which I thought she was actually trying to convince someone of the wisdom of her position. It's more like she just enjoys the banter and does it for fun.

[johnb838]

Chicago Haymarket Riots. Somebody threw a bomb. 1883 IINM

[JusPasenThru]

bump for later read.

[Dianna]

Let's face it, FR is not exactly the middle of the road on the American political spectrum, and yet you have a fair number of people here who think that her style is alienating. If it's only the self-appointed true believers on FR who defend her style, doesn't that suggest that her style may be part of the problem? I've seen her in tons of interviews, and cannot recall a single occasion in which I thought she was actually trying to convince someone of the wisdom of her position. It's more like she just enjoys the banter and does it for fun.

Does every Conservative book writer/pundit/commentator HAVE to appeal to/convince/persuade the other side? Are we so shaky about our convictions that we demand that anyone who spouts a conservative viewpoint be perfect?

There are all kinds of personalities out there. Do you think the libs agonize over Maureen Dowd ?

[FreedomPoster]

>>Dingdingding! We have a winner!

Thank you, thank you. Thank you very much!

;-)

[Publius6961]

BUMP

[HISSKGB]

If Ho was such a nationalist, why do non-communist Vietnamese consider him Dracula?

[jammer]

We are talking about 20 years pre-war. Of course they would think that of him now. Hell, he killed, what?, a million of their people?

[DPB101]

Yesterday I thought Coulter was a cynic with a lucrative schtick. Today, I think she's unstable.

Now there is an informative, reasoned, insightful comment. What is the diagnosis, Professor Timoféeff? Sluggish advancing schizophrenia?

[murdoog]

those like Matthews who, unwittingly or not, supported the Clintons

Matthews was pretty tough on the Clintons. Probably tougher than any other TV journalist who didn't work for FOX.