How would an NYT interview with Ann Coulter go?

posted at 5:20 pm on March 9, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Ever wonder what would happen if a New York Times reporter got an interview with Ann Coulter?  So did Gray Lady cultural reporter Dave Itzkoff, and he got more than he bargained when he sent his request for an e-mail interview.  Coulter replied to all of his questions — in her inimitable style.  Itzkoff asked Coulter about her debate tonight with Bill Maher, and Coulter used all-caps for her replies to set them apart from his questions:

Many thanks, in advance, for taking these questions — let alone opening an email from the New York Times.

I’LL HAVE YOU KNOW, I AM THE TREASON TIMES MOST LOYAL READER. I WAS HOPING YOUR EMAIL WAS A DISCOUNT SUBSCRIPTION OFFER.

I get those all the time, but mostly from the Strib.

Have the events of recent years put a strain on your relationship with Bill, or do you still regard him as a friend (politics notwithstanding)?

I LOVE BILL, BUT I HATE HIS RETARDED MOVEON.ORG AUDIENCE ALMOST AS MUCH AS HE DOES.

I used to like Politically Incorrect, but the new HBO show should be barred by Geneva Conventions.  If we’re making al-Qaeda detainees watch it, someone should get prosecuted.  Rarely does one see an aggregation of ignorance so profound and prolonged in one spot — except, perhaps, Academia.

Itzkoff then suggests that tonight’s debate might help foster a spirit of “bipartisanship”.  It’s at this point that Coulter makes clear that Itzkoff’s outgunned:

YOU SEEM TO BE UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT OF “DEBATE.” THE IDEA, SINCE AROUND THE TIME OF, OH SAY, ARISTOLE, IS TO DERIVE TRUTH. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE POINT OF THE LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATES, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS TO “FOSTER MORE BIPARTISANSHIP.”

How exactly does anyone conclude that a debate on policy fosters bipartisanship?  Unless one has a debate topic so pointless as to get everyone to agree — such as “Do you want world peace?” — the exercise exists to put opposing viewpoints to a rhetorical test.  You can almost hear Coulter rolling her eyeballs at this suggestion.

I’ll save her last blast at Itzkoff for you to click and read yourself.  I have to give Itzkoff and the Times credit for publishing it, although they probably knew that they had little choice — as Coulter would have published it herself and accused the Gray Lady of hiding it.

Addendum: I’ve been critical of a few of Ann’s statements in the past, but she can be hilarious at times.  She was one of our best guests on the NARN show a few years back.  This exchange shows why it’s best to be prepared when having a dialogue with her.

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