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.

Follow Jeffrey Feldman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JeffreyFeldman

Comments

[Bluedog12]

Jeffrey Miss Pejorative doesn’t appreciate this ad hominen attack.

[MadamBlu]

Coulter is the book version of a shock-jock. I was appauled when I saw a friend of mine - and fellow Libertarian, for crying out loud - reading one of Coulter's books one day. She would read a few pages, and then throw the book down in disgust. "Why do you read that?" I asked her. "You know it's just going to piss you off."

"I know," my friend said, "but I want to see what she's going to say next."

This is why she continues to sell books, and continues to be on conservative news programs. Yes, her rhetoric is vile, beyond distasteful, and potentially libelous. But Obama is already being portrayed as a wimp. Can you imagine what the fallout would be if he said anything about Coulter's attacks?

Here is something to laugh about where Coulter is concerned. I promise, it's funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM7MR5_v47w

[Zogtastic]

Republicans have run the past few years on fear. She says that Democrats want more 9/11s but no one has cashed in on 9/11 more than Republicans (I'll say it first... don't be surprised if there's a 'terrorist attack' before November..­.). They ran campaigns on 'us or the terrorists' to force people into choosing patriotism or treason, I don't need to tell you which the Republicans want you to believe they are. They've been spreading their hate-filled fear mongering to the weak-minded and it has been working wonders to destroy the foreign image and intelligence of this country.

To believe that Democrats in any way are Nazis, yet to accuse them of also being unpatriotic is laughable. Apparently Ann forgets that Nationalism comes before Socialism. I don't see anything Nationalist about Obama... conservatives on the other hand...

[igmond50]

That Ann Coulter guy is a real dope.

[Zogtastic]

I think the country as a whole could agree to vote Obama or Hillary for the sole purpose of watching Hannity, Coulter, and Limbaugh squirm.

I look forward to Nov. 5th for that exact reason!

[truthsforsaken]

The hardest part about trying to disprove Ann Coulter is that she doesn't have any idea of how to hold a dialog. It's all about her and her points.

Here is a video clip of Ann Coulter vehemently ignoring Elizabeth Edwards request to stop slamming her family with Ad Hominem attacks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xYcUQiJ3sk

As you can see, nobody can get a word in edgewise when talking with her. I agree that she is a serious issue, but if anyone has any ideas on how to talk to someone who isn't listening, I'm all ears.

[mslindab]

I think Ann Coulter has a lot of fans in Pennsylvania.

[w8aminute]

She certainly has plenty in FL!

[julieeiluj]

Well, if Obama is a nazi, the Coulter is, without a doubt, a %**###%^^!!!

[nolalily]

This bitter, pustule of sinew and bone just oozes poison within the miasma of her personage.

Ewww.

[Janet Carter]

Is Coulter still drinking?

[Joeinloth]

Booze or drugs, who knows? This isn't the work product of a sound mind with more than six functional brain cells.

[cmeans29]

LOL

[JiminNC]

Of more concern are the many media faces seen as more centered that carry out her teachings in a more quiet manner. The Joe Scarboroughs of the world that continuously whine these lies, almost under their breath, are more dangerous than Coulter. They are seen as "journalists" in a media market that no longer has any journalists.

[shades3]

I agree that the "polite" people, like Joe Scarborough, are far more damaging than Coulter. Ann Coulter is obviously a misinformed attention-seeking shrew. She doesn't check her "facts" and when she is called on her pronouncements and presented with credible information she simply disregards it. She will insist that she is right, even when she is proven to be wrong, with evidence of her lies.
She has found her niche, her source of fame, the ignorant and deliberately closed minded minority and exploits it to boost the sales of her hate-filled books and ridiculous appearances on television.

Those who use FOX as their only source of news are brainwashed and should perhaps widen their view. Exploiting ignorance and prejudice for personal gain is certainly not new.
It's just tragic that so many have been sucked in by this purveyor of literary snake oil.

Ann Coulter is a real challenge to our precious freedom of speech rights. Of course she has every right to say what she thinks. But, unlike most news outlets, FOX feels no need to present the alternate side.
SAD.

[U4IA]

True, but this part: "when she is called on her pronouncements and presented with credible information she simply disregards it. She will insist that she is right, even when she is proven to be wrong, with evidence of her lies." the Clinton's are also guilty of. Not all of the Clinton manufactured truths, misspeaking and outright lies are being called out, however.

[elisunday]

Speaking of bitter...

Goddam, that troll will say anything. What a weak-ass assessment! I can't believe I used to get a kick outta her. The only way you could get what she did outta 'Dreams From My Father' is by reading it with the express purpose of misleading those that haven't read it for themselves. .

I'd say shame on her, but I that just gets her hot.

[deke33]

Wasn't it the kind considerate Coulter who suggested that certain people she disagreed with should be taken off the face of the Earth? Isn't that the epitome of Hitlerism?

[MizFlagPin]

"Many Americans are quick to dismiss this kind of language from Coulter as insignificant and not worth even noting."

AGREE

"To skeptics, I would simply point to the fact that Ann Coulter is one of the most dominant voices in American political media."

DISAGREE . . . she's the dominant voice in right-wing political lunacy.

[mamacat]

She should have her mouth washed out with soap.