Coulter Ups Violent Rhetoric on Obama

Although Ann Coulter originally achieved fame as a right-wing pundit by talking about President Clinton's penis on national TV, since 9/11 she has turned most of her attention to framing Democrats as terrorists.

During one TV spot in 2003, Coulter said, "Liberals...want there to be lots of 9/11s" (see Outright Barbarous, 74-75), followed by an entire book (Treason) in which she argued that the goal of Liberalism is the destruction of American civil society -- the violent idea that frames most of Coulter's writing since 2002.

Lately, Coulter has focused her violent rhetoric at Sen. Barack Obama, in particular on spreading the defamatory idea that the sitting Senator and leading candidate for president is a terrorist. Coulter kicked this rhetoric into high-gear in her Apr 23 column which includes the line:

"Obama pals around with terrorists."

Coulter's Violent Framing of Obama: First Hitler, Then Terrorism
Ever since Sen. Obama became the likely 2008 nominee for the Democratic Party, Coulter has been trying to define him in the minds of her listeners as a Muslim terrorist.  She has done this by referring to him as "B. Hussein Obama" and by making endless jokes suggesting that he is in fact a terrorist, in addition to equating Sen. Obama with Hitler.

In her Apr 3, 2008 appearance on FOX's Hannity and Co., Coulter cited Sen. Obama's autobiography Dreams of My Father as evidence that he will become as dangerous as Adolf Hitler:

COULTER: Because -- the topic we were supposed to be talking about in this segment, Sean, my column this week. I'm the only person in America who has read Obama's biography.

COLMES: As a matter of fact...

COULTER: He has a racial hair-trigger, a complete loon. All he talks about is constantly being offended. And Mr. Unity attacks Sean Hannity and me.

COLMES: You said in your piece...

(CROSSTALK)

COLMES: We only have a second left. You said, if only -- you might want to take a peek at Obama when he writes, if only people had read "Mein Kampf." So in other words he would be as dangerous as Hitler?

COULTER: No. He's a dime store "Mein Kampf."

COLMES: Oh, he's a two-bit Hitler?

COULTER: Yes. It is absolute racialist. If you read "Mein Kampf."

COLMES: I see.

COULTER: It's all about his Germanic heritage. And this is -- OK, go read it if you don't believe me. Read the Cliff Notes version in my column.

COLMES: We should have be as wary of Obama as they should have been of Hitler in Nazi Germany?

COULTER: If only people had read "Mein Kampf." (LexisNexis)

Coulter also published her accusation that Obama will become the next Hitler in her syndicated column of Apr 3.

Taken together, Coulter's column and her appearance on FOX broadcast to millions of voters the blatantly false idea that Sen. Obama's writing shared something in common with Hitler's and that his autobiography suggested that Sn. Obama would behave like Hitler if elected President -- meaning that he would launch a genocidal program against non-African Americans.

Just to be clear, Coulter's Apr 3 column and FOX appearance (1) equated Sen. Obama with the most notorious genocidal dictator of modern history, (2) this accusation went out to millions of Americans, (3) there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever for Coulter's assertions, and (4) it was never redressed by any watchdog group as being in violation of broadcast standards.

More recently, Coulter has turned to defining Sen. Obama as a  terrorist by dropping the end of his first name and referring to him as "B. Hussein Obama."  In addition to the Hitler smear, this framing also implies that Obama has a violent agenda that he will unleash on the American people.

Yesterday's column by Coulter opens up a second level in the 'terrorist' frame by equating Sen. Obama with the violent tactics of the 1970s group The Weathermen.  In addition to publishing the lie that Obama is 'pals' with The Weathermen --  Coulter also included the flagrant and defamatory lie that Obama specifically makes political alliances with people because they have committed acts of violence against the American government:

If he had only said he bombed the building in Oklahoma City to protest American "imperialism," McVeigh, too, could be teaching at Northwestern University, sitting on a board with and holding fundraisers for presidential candidate B. Hussein Obama.

The "he" in this case refers to Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma  City bomber.

Coulter's strategy for framing Obama in violent terms takes on a new depth in her latest column.  And as tends to be Coulter's pattern, the violent rhetoric she unfolds in her syndicated column will likely be broadcast to exponentially more viewers through an appearance on FOX.

Important To Shine A Light on This Problem
Many Americans are quick to dismiss this kind of language from Coulter as insignificant and not worth even noting.

To skeptics, I would simply point to the fact that Ann Coulter is one of the most dominant voices in American political media.  Coulter currently has multiple best-selling books on the Amazon.com ranking page, appears regularly on broadcast TV, and has the backing of a massive right-wing publishing and PR machine that promotes her work as part of a larger strategy to control political debate.

It is absolutely crucial for Americans to shine a light on this problem.  When a major figure in print and broadcast media repeatedly accuses a U.S. senator of being a genocidal dictator and a terrorist, the American people have a right to protest.

Cross posted in Frameshop.

Comments

[drblack]

Anyone can say insane things. Let us reverse this .....

Ann Coulter is actually paid by the Chinese government to bring down American democracy, I once saw a copy of Mao's little Red book ...people should read this.
Coulter is an android constructed by scientologists working for their alien overlord masters who want to bring down the USA through propaganda.

What is sad is that anyone actually listens to this creature.
Coulter IS an entertainer and not a scholar or journalist. Though she is far from entertaining.

[Elkanah]

The more Coulter attacks Obama, the more we know that this is the man who must run for President and is likely to beat John McCain.

She wouldn't give him the time of day if she didn't think that he was a threat to the Republican candidate Senator McCain.

She also wants to help stir up the hornet's nest so that the prospective nominees continue to fight each other as long as possible.

So take heed Americans of the Democratic persuasion, vote for Barack Obama and make him your nominee to run for President.

[Countess]

Coulter and Clinton must be on the phone to each other everyday planning their next smear against Obama. Hillary looks more and more like her each day.

[VosVos]

Is there a reason someone is uttering the name Coulter? This loon spends her time thinking of outrageous stuff to say so she gets noticed. All she believes in is making $$$. Every 1.2 months she launches the most inane crap and you fall for it. Someone points out something like she called a widow a harpie, articles fly, appearances get booked, she sells her soul, people buy and then 1.2 months of calm until the next mindless crazy act. Don't be a fool, ignore the woman. She and Hannity live by the notion that if they are talking about you you are not dead. So they say crazy shyte which gets them noticed. If I walked into the middle of main street, dropped my pants, and crapped during rush hour, I would make the news. So? C'mon...stop taking the bait. There is nothing there!

[londongal]

It's madness to take Coulter's words seriously. She's a flame-thrower. We can all think for ourselves, right? What she spews out of her mouth is both sensationalistic and incendiary . Period. The best way to show our disdain is to send protest letters to Coulter and any organization that uses her "talents".

I'm an Obama supporter now, tomorrow and going forward to the GE. Coulter's nonesense won't change that.

[Tommygun264]

Why am I not surprised to find out that Ann Coulter is familiar with the text of "Mein Kampf" to a point that she considers herself an authority on the subject?

[kuulray]

Good one, Tommygun. The short, sweet comments that deliver a clean jab are always the best.

[Badenia]

The right or wrong lines are blurred in this country. Since Hitler has been mentioned I would like to add this:
The only way fascists can come to power is through propaganda (Himmler). Through repetition we put information into permanent memory. Eventually, we believe what we hear. If the media isn't stopped, this country is heading towards fascism! Free speach is about ideas, believes, not insults and misinformation!
I am concerned about the hateful remarks against Hilary Clinton. The fact she can withstand the onslaught of insults and threats makes her a great candidate for me. What other woman in this country would be willing to subjact herself to such abuse?

I am concerned about the mental state of this country. I used to think Americans are kind and helpful people who are concerned about the wellbeing of the whole planet! The hateful comments on this blog and everywhere else are frightening. Do you want to great each other with "Hail President" one day?

[sdskelton03]

Ayers is clearly a terrorist, (I'll cede that he isn't the post 9-11 Islamic type that the word has come to mean) and no-one denies it. Not even Ayers. Ayers is proud of his terrorism and only wishes he had accomplished more.

Ayers is clearly a pal of Obamas. I believe that one of Obama's earliest fundraisers was held at Ayer's house.

Why then, is it unfair to say that Obama hangs around with terrorists?

[JiminNC]

If Ayers IS clearly "a terrorist", why then is he not in jail or in Guantanamo? Followup: What part of "Hillary and McCain are losers" do you not understand?

[sdskelton03]

The Feds case against Ayers was thrown out because of improper police procedure. I understand fully your follow-up question, I just disagree with the premise.

[kanyingi]

Why would you give this nut job a commentary.

If Rev. Wright is so nasty then she must be very close to the anti Christ.

[Fairfax]

There are many in the media who claim that Ms Coulter is a like a performance artist and the vitriol is her schtik.

One of these days, Ms Coulter, her comments, and her ilk will cause a horrible incident and everyone will be wondering how such a thing could happen in the United States.

[adept2u]

Our media should be ashamed of itself. Every day I witness not just gross mischaracterizations, but outright lies allowed to pass unchallenged, even accepted as truth. It's no secret now why the fairness doctrine was eliminated. They did that so the media run by a few people could pick our leaders. Our airwaves are public. We don't have to grant them to corporations whose sole aim is to profit while fiddling over the death of honest discouse in our country.

[LewisR]

Well, if we really believe Obama's new politics of bringing the country together, then surely we'd want him to start with Ann. Where are the posts about that? Once he's brought his words into action and is reaching agreement with Ann, Rush, Sean, etc. then he will certianly have my vote. Please tell me that Obama is not all talk.

[U4IA]

Pathetic. Just come out and say you agree with her. You're like McCain, afraid to do the deed, but reaping the reward. At least he had the decency to feign as if he were appalled.

Coulter is as likely to come around to a reasonable position as you are to be intellectually honest.

[LewisR]

"Intellectually honest"? I'll give you intellectually honest: the rethuglicans have no plan to ever agree with a democrat; and any dem who tells you that he's gonna bring the country together without actually telling you how he's gonna do that is a LIAR.

At least Hillary doesn't pretend kumbayee and will fight Ann, Sean, Rush and the whole group any way she can. She'll cut deals that will piss off both sides and get the job done. That's the way Change Will Happen.

It's time that the majority middle stands up to both you wacko extremes. And quit mistaking anyone who disagrees with you as republican. It makes you look silly.

[oneviciouslife]

that's a pretty tall order. you want him to make kissy faces at coulter like pelosi did with gingrich in their new ad?

[M.S. Bellows, Jr. - Huffpost Blogger]

China claims the Dalai Lama is a terrorist, calls for him to make compromises and accusingly asks why Tibetans are so mad if they're really so peaceloving. It takes two to tango -- successfully; but one person can prevent the dance from happening. Obama would make peace with anyone, but if Coulter (or Limbaugh, or Clinton -- you know, any of the neocons) insists on making war, you can't blame him for the lack of peace there.

[w8aminute]

I honestly believe she is the "Number Two Terrorist" in our country. Why she can get away with so much I'll never understand. Yet the Right Wingers all love her and think the 15 sec. loop of Rev. Wright is proof we should fear him? I can't believe there are those that believe we are on the right path and politics in our country doesn't 'need to be changed'. It's disgusting how truly stupid some people are.

[bronceye]

The pig oinks, again. BFD

[RRH]

Ann Coulter is a lunatic who needs to eat a turkey. She has been on a mission to destroy all that is good. She criticized the 9/11 widows, likened Katy Couric to Eva Brawn and has Fox as an audience. All right wing websites has a photo of this skinny witch offering a free book. She has said if woman didn't have the right to vote, Hillary Clinton could not run for President. Someone should feed her, lock her up and throw away the key!