Ann Coulter Spaced Out And Confused On Hannity & Colmes
Ann Coulter seemed high on something last night as she fumbled her way through an interview that was supposed to make her look like a free speech heroine martyred by liberal college students. Sure, she threw in some of her customary invective, including an incomprehensible accusation about students' "sexual fantasies." But the segment contained vague and perfunctory responses, along with a few embarrassingly long pauses. You know something has to be wrong with her if Sean Hannity has to keep pressing her to talk about what's wrong with liberals. But that's exactly what happened. UPDATE: Video link is not working. Please email us if you have one.
Sean Hannity introduced the discussion by explaining that Coulter had just finished a speech at the University of Connecticut that came under "intense scrutiny." In a dismissive tone, he said that some students complained her speaking fee was too high (but added "even though it was half priced") and that others "feared that she would only bring quote unquote hate speech to the university. Now, this isn't the first time that Ann has faced critics at the nation's colleges and universities... So are these institutions really advocating free speech and the free and open exchange of ideas or are they increasingly turning their backs on conservatives and free thought?"
Hannity and "fair and balanced" FOX News know full well that Coulter's outrageous proclamations, often advocating violence toward those with whom she disagrees, are no run-of-the-mill conservative "thought," as she was portrayed in that introduction. No examples of the kinds of things she says (expressing remorse that Timothy McVeigh didn't blow up the New York Times, e.g.) were provided to the audience nor was there any other guest to explain why so many students didn't want her at UConn.
In short, it was a dream set-up for Coulter. But she quickly turned it into a viewing nightmare. In response to Hannity's opening question about how it went, Coulter answered in an annoyed tone, "the usual screaming banshees."
In fact, Coulter had to cut her speech short because of heckling. But when Hannity asked her if "anything happened tonight, was there any incident?" she paused for a long time, then said, with somewhat slurred words, "Weren't your, weren't your cameramen there?" Then she laughed a little at her own wit before adding, "It was the same as all college campuses." Another pause. "Screaming banshees, sexual fantasies from impotent nosepickers among the liberal males - uh, you know, the usual."
Hannity then asked if she was aware that one student had talked about throwing rocks at her as part of an effort to "stifle free speech."
"Uh... I (pause) I give five billion college speeches a year so I'm familiar with the general tenor of college leftists (giggle) and the nuanced and intelligent argument fashion they have, yes (pause). Yes, it was the same old, the usual."
As Hannity pressed her for details, she rambled about George Orwell's 1984, then finally said she didn't get through the whole speech but turned it into a Q&A. Then, in an apparent effort to make that look deliberate, she said, "I had to come do your show anyway... But I enjoy having repartee with people who are much stupider than I am."
Colmes said he thought that kind of arrogance was "not nice," then asked, "stupider than you?"
Coulter stuttered before making this nonsensical statement. "If we're going to have this conversation, you'd better start playing the question and answer."
Colmes tried to start a discussion showing that there was resistance on campus to Cindy Sheehan's appearance, just as there was with Coulter's. Coulter fell silent for an embarrasingly long time, before she said, in a derisive tone, "Yeah... (more silence) Is there a question?"
After the break, Colmes asked why she didn't get a chance to finish her speech. "What happened? Did they interfere with you? Were they shouting you down? Did they not let you speak?"
Another long silence. "Um, yes, correct, all of the above. "
"Can you tell us what happened?"
"Boom box (fumbles for words, then stutters) Boombox."
"Boombox?" You could almost hear Colmes thinking, "uh-oh."
Hannity asked if the audience reaction wasn't proof that Coulter was "getting to" the students. "Um, no, that's right.... But I was paid to give a speech, and I didn't get to give it (laugh), so, um (long pause) I think there may be a class action lawsuit against the college Democrats."
by way of Newshounds - video link to original interview at their post.
