[laurav]

Coulter's view on the drug war matters not at all to me. I dislike her columns because she's given more to making smarmy wisecracks than cogent arguments. I first read one of her columns about 2 years ago. I thought it was decent. Then I read another ... and noticed she was a one-trick pony. Especially now that's she's made media bias her beat. Anyone who refers to "The media" as some kind of organized conspiracy has obviously never been near a newsroom. People may have their biases but they're too disorganized to be getting marching orders from anyone.

And the crack about Kerry was really out of place. You can tell that Coulter just felt she needed to work it in to her column this week. It has nothing to do with anything about Scott Ritter or the Columbia.

By refusing to do actual reporting (instead of just surfing Lexis-Nexis) and cracking smart-alecky one-liners instead of doing deep analysis (which can be tinged with humor!) Coulter has managed to get herself dropped from mainstream news outlets where she could convince people. Now she writes almost entirely for conservative news outlets where everyone already agrees with her. The function of op-ed writing is to convey ideas and persuade, not make the writer look clever.

[Kip Lange]

Now she writes almost entirely for conservative news outlets where everyone already agrees with her. The function of op-ed writing is to convey ideas and persuade, not make the writer look clever.

This is my problem. I agree with her. I especially agree with her on culture war issues. Unfortunately, sometimes her style actually *makes me want to disagree* just because it's so...annoying, I'm sorry.

I get worried that she'll turn into a Dowd for the libs to kick around. That would stink. That would be absolutely rotten. She needs to go to Rush Limbaugh Affability School. I've replaced her with Michelle Malkin, myself. ROWR! ;-)

Fitting that we talk about communicating views on the birthday of the Great Communicator, eh? God Bless Ya, Ron...

[He Rides A White Horse]

And the crack about Kerry was really out of place.

Yes laurav, it was. I'm sitting here wondering what on earth it had to do with anything.

[OneLoyalAmerican]

Greetings laurav, FReepers, et al:

People may have their biases but they're too disorganized to be getting marching orders from anyone.

LOL! "Marching orders" are NOT dictated from the pulpit of an editor's spike? What a hoot! Biased liberals deny they are.

[JCEccles]

Coulter has managed to get herself dropped from mainstream news outlets where she could convince people.

Acceptability to mainstream news outlets is hardly a virtue in the truth-seeking or declaring business.

Now she writes almost entirely for conservative news outlets where everyone already agrees with her.

There is nothing wrong with that. And believe me, her enemies seek her out even in the conservative fora where she is found. They may rage about her, but they cannot ignore her.

The function of op-ed writing is to convey ideas and persuade, not make the writer look clever.

Op-ed writing exists for many reasons. One is to serve as a lightning rod for disaffection that has little or nothing to do with persuading--especially persuading the unpersuadable. The Op-ed page may properly serve as a platform from which to blow a clarion call to battle--and to hell with those disagree.

And clever, clear writing can do much to make the call sharp and bright.