CPAC- Don't let Coulter tarnish the success of the event
CPAC offered conservatives from around the country the opportunity to come together and discuss and plan (and plot) strategies to revive the principles of the conservative movement.
Attendees heard, from speaker after speaker, ideas that will serve as the foundation of our struggle to regain the trust of the American people. This focus on ideas separates conservatives from many liberals, who tend to throw out comments and allegations with little fact or substance to support them. Hopefully, the many power players who attended the event paid attention to the dialogue and will begin their return to the Reagan conservatism embraced by the majority of the people I heard and with whom I spoke.
Anne Coulter, one of the most successful right wing commentators in the country, performed what amounted to a stand-up routine. Many of her comments generated sincere laughter and applause as the audience members reacted to some truly funny reflections. Her final joke, a reference to Democratic candidate John Edwards, provoked gasps and discomfort as most of those present looked at each other in shock and dismay.
Many of us immediately recognized the potential impact of this singular comment: Those in the media had been waiting for some extreme comment they could use to paint conservatives as irrational and hateful. Coulter handed it to them on a silver platter.
While Coulter is clearly not one to apologize for her commentary, this situation represents a fairly clear misstep on her part. Her comment, one sentence out of thousands, undermined the movement she claims to support.
I respect her right to say what she wants- just as I would defend the right of liberals, no matter how despicable, to refer to George Bush as a Nazi, call our military heroes baby-killers, hope for the death of Dick Cheney...
I hope in the future Ms. Coulter considers more carefully her audience and the possible repercussions of her commentary. She should aspire to be a part of the solution for conservatives, not a part of the problem.
CPAC offered conservatives from around the country the opportunity to come together and discuss and plan (and plot) strategies to revive the principles of the conservative movement.
Attendees heard, from speaker after speaker, ideas that will serve as the foundation of our struggle to regain the trust of the American people. This focus on ideas separates conservatives from many liberals, who tend to throw out comments and allegations with little fact or substance to support them. Hopefully, the many power players who attended the event paid attention to the dialogue and will begin their return to the Reagan conservatism embraced by the majority of the people I heard and with whom I spoke.
Anne Coulter, one of the most successful right wing commentators in the country, performed what amounted to a stand-up routine. Many of her comments generated sincere laughter and applause as the audience members reacted to some truly funny reflections. Her final joke, a reference to Democratic candidate John Edwards, provoked gasps and discomfort as most of those present looked at each other in shock and dismay.
Many of us immediately recognized the potential impact of this singular comment: Those in the media had been waiting for some extreme comment they could use to paint conservatives as irrational and hateful. Coulter handed it to them on a silver platter.
While Coulter is clearly not one to apologize for her commentary, this situation represents a fairly clear misstep on her part. Her comment, one sentence out of thousands, undermined the movement she claims to support.
I respect her right to say what she wants- just as I would defend the right of liberals, no matter how despicable, to refer to George Bush as a Nazi, call our military heroes baby-killers, hope for the death of Dick Cheney...
I hope in the future Ms. Coulter considers more carefully her audience and the possible repercussions of her commentary. She should aspire to be a part of the solution for conservatives, not a part of the problem.
Labels: Conservatives shined at CPAC
posted by Susan Shogren Smith at
3/08/2007 12:52:00 PM
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