With friends like this…
Coulter, who has publicly endorsed Romney and who will never say anything that can get her disinvited from CPAC or kicked off Fox News, now says that calling John Edwards a faggot was just a joke.
Mitt Romney, who mentioned Coulter fondly in his CPAC speech, has yet to publicly rebuke Coulter for her remarks. Instead Romney’s campaign issued this statement through a spokesperson:
“It was an offensive remark. Governor Romney believes all people should be treated with dignity and respect.”
Read Matt Stoller ay MYDD on why Romney’s statement is bullshit.
Which still leaves me wondering: Will the Rudy McRomney Express stop at Bob Jones University?
The guy is on a mission to prove how conservative he is. Maybe he’ll throw a molotov cocktail through the window of a planned parenthood office on the way to BJU.
I think I can. I think I can. I think I can…
It’s funny. I was just reading “The Little Engine that Could” to my three-year-old, and there are so many parallels to this situation. Lefty bloggers like Dr. Nick and Matt Stoller want so desperately to hang Sideshow Freak Ann Coulter arouond the necks of Romney and the other GOP candidates (see the MyDD comments), they disregard the truth.
Conveniently, Stoller and Nick forget to mention that Romney was joking about Ann Coulter in his speech, when he said:
“I’m happy to learn that after I speak you’re going to hear from Ann Coulter. That’s a good thing. I think it’s important to get the views of moderates.”
He was joking, because everyone knows she’s a whacko. That was sandwiched between two other jokes, one about the only two conservatives in Mass and one about his campaign outlasting the newspaper industry. So there’s no questioning that he was joking about Coulter.
His only ties to Coulter were that she was the next speaker on the schedule and that she endorsed him. His campaign issued a statement. And that’s all folks.
That said, the lefty bloggers will keep repeating, and repeating, and repeating, and repeating, ad nauseum, until it becomes “true.” It’s what you do.
That said, the lefty bloggers will keep repeating, and repeating, and repeating, and repeating, ad nauseum…
Yes. Until Romney rebukes Coulter instead of trying to have it both ways. In a way I don’t blame him. Allowing himself to be assciated with Coulter’s popularity worked. He won the CPAC straw poll.
But that decision is going to come with a price int he long run.
“It was an offensive remark.”
How much more does he have to repudiate what she said?
He won the straw poll based on his speech.
I understand the fear. I understand that since there’s nothing in Romney’s closet you have to cling desperately to anything you can grab on to, but this one’s over.
MoveOn.
There is fear in the air, you got that right. I think this is one of the first times Coulter’s insane remarks are sticking to someone (including Coulter herself) and that is not a paradigm you guys are comfortable with. Hence the Amanda Marcotte defense.
We both know that the right’s whole game plan is “base activation” through bigotry, hatred and narow wedge issues. That is a proven winner for you guys.
If that tool is not in the toolbox this time next year who knows what might happen? They might have to talk about the war.
Mitt knew what Ann was up to. Here is what she said at last year’s CPAC, Dave.
On Democrats: “Someday they will find a way to abort all future Boy Scouts.” College professors: “sissified, pussified.” Harvard: “the Soviet Union.” John Kerry: the other “dominant woman in Democratic politics.” Her post-9/11 motto: “Rag head talks tough, rag head faces consequences.” For good measure, she threw in a joke about having Muslims burn down the Supreme Court — with the liberal justices inside.
Then came questions. A young woman asked Coulter to describe the most difficult ethical decision she ever made. “There was one time I had a shot at Bill Clinton,” Coulter said.
from Digby
And this is Mitt and Ann yucking it up backstage at the CPAC. He has hung his cap on her pointy head.
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/012770.php
Plus, I read it that he referred to himself as the moderate, not as a joke but as a statement to separate himself from her.
Dave you left out the second part of his comment, tsk, tsk.
ROMNEY: I’m happy to learn also that after you hear me, you’re going to from Ann Coulter. That is a good thing. Oh yeah! Now, I think it’s always very important to get the views of moderates. Now, I know there are a few here from the mainstream media, and they’re probably surprised that we’re here in these record numbers.
You can’t take your view of the first part of his statement (a joke) if you look at the whole quote, it doesn’t fit (ask your three-year old).
He next says WE ARE HERE IN RECORD NUMBERS he is talking about moderates being at the CPAC in record numbers and therefore the first part of his statement is the lead-in to that, that HE IS THE MODERATE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THEY GET THE VIEWS OF.
He did not make a joke about Ann Coulter, Dave.
He was clarifying that he is a moderate and that he thought that there were lots like him present at the event.
D’OH!!!
Frist State Politics writes in his blog that : “Ann Coulter attempt to ruin Mitt Romney’s strong performance at CPAC by insulting John Edwards is unacceptable”
FSP, can you clarify something for me?
In your view, what was unacceptable?
That Coulter “insulted” Edwards? That Coulter used the term “faggot”? Or that Coulter “ruined” Romney’s “performance”.
Assuming we all know she directed this as a homosexual slur directed at John Edwards, are you saying that calling someone a “faggot” is an insult because it would mean they are homosexual?
Do you believe the term “faggot” is offensive in itself? Or just using it about another candidate who is not homosexual is “offensive”?
I would hope you realize this is not about insulting John Edwards but it is about degrading a category of people just the same as if she called Obama a “nigger”.
Your man Mitt has more to disavow than insulting Edwards, bud. Otherwise he is as right-wing a loony tune as she is.
Ann Coulter is just the taut little white head on the festering boil that is the right wing.
“Mitt knew what Ann was up to. Here is what she said at last year’s CPAC, Dave.”
Mitt Romney and Ann Coulter have no affiliation. She was just the next speaker in line. So, she was backstage when he came off, and there were pictures taken. He made a joke about her in his speech.
“Plus, I read it that he referred to himself as the moderate, not as a joke but as a statement to separate himself from her.”
Right. After spending two years trying to convince conservatives that he’s one of them, he goes to the biggest conservative event of the year and declares that he’s a moderate. Get a clue, Nancy.
Nick — There is no “Marcotte defense.” What Marcotte shows is that we have our freaks and you have yours. I don’t really believe that John Edwards thinks what Amanda Marcotte thinks, just like Mitt Romney doesn’t think what Ann Coulter thinks.
And Curious — This isn’t about me, and I will not be refining my views to anonymous people by request.
Coulter is not running for President and Romney is. He has disavowed her statement in public and he did not call Edwards any names. Romney did what he should have done.
Edwards is not catching on with Dems based on who he is not what Coulter and others may say.
The story at CPAC isn’t Coulter but McCain getting spanked in the poll but Rudy doing rather well despite his social views.
Ms. Coulter, asked for a reaction to the Republican criticism, said in an e-mail message: “C’mon, it was a joke. I would never insult gays by suggesting that they are like John Edwards. That would be mean.”
Classy. Your Republican party.
Ann Coulter does not represent the Republican party anymore that Amanda Marcotte represents the Democratic Party.
Sheesh, you will have to do better than that, Dave!
Annual Key Note Entertainer at CPAC and high profile media spots are not in Amanda’s resume.
Amanda Marcotte was HIRED TO BE THE SPOKESPERSON for a Democratic Presidential candidate. How much more of a representative can you be?
Ann Coulter does not appear on behalf of the Republican Party. She appears on behalf of Ann Coulter.
And when was Ann Coulter the “Key Note Entertainer” at CPAC?
Sen. Jim DeMint gave the keynote address at CPAC this year.
keynote address vs, keynote ENTERTAINER…over many years of her slime…uh, I have a feeling that you get it…
may not want to admit it though.
Nancy, you can’t even understand a plainly written statement, so you have little grounds on which to judge if someone “gets it.” LOL …