Coulter fallout begins

Time will only tell whether Ann Coulter's most recent Makaka moment will be enough to unseat her as the darling of American conservatism... but very early returns are starting to come in...

We are all aware by now of the good work done by many on dKos resulting in advertisers pulling their banners from anncoulter.com.  I even shot off a few e-mails in that effort myself, although I think compared to her book royalties, outrageous speaking fees, and column syndication, her website revenue probably amounts to pocket change.

The more important question is whether she will be perceived even among her base as the buffoon that she is, so that she, and her imitators, can no longer drag the public discourse down to the level she herself regards as "schoolyard taunts."  In short, can she be barred from the grownup's table.

As satisfying as it is to watch the premiere corporate ad banners on her website being replaced with those of second- and third- tier affiliate programs (and without wishing to diminish the importance of the efforts of those who have made this happen, I am even more encouraged by:

Traction seeming to be gained by those calling out the Republicans for repeatedly engaging in a cycle of giving her a prestigious platform, welcoming her to it enthusiastically, and then disingenously decrying what she says on the platform they keep giving her.  Check SilentPatriot's post on Crooks and Liars with Video of Rachel Maddow setting this out well on Countdown here.

Erosion of her conservative base as evidenced not only by the well reported red-blog backlash, but even by the partisan Republican MSM editors who carry her syndicated column.  Dave Astor's latest piece in Editor & Publisher is headlined Paper Drops Ann Coulter Column Over Her Use of Slur and includes surprising comments from the editor of the Lancaster New Era who decided to cancel the Coulter column.  (Disclosure: I tipped Mr. Astor when I found the paper's statement online last night.)

These are only early indications, but it is beginning to look like even the MSM and conservative Republicans (am I repeating myself?) are starting to get it.  She may be able to replace the income of web ads by selling memorobilia on E-bay, but it is harder to replace invitations to serious political events and weekly newspaper syndication contracts.  Prognosis: cautious optimism.

J-M

•  She will be in more demand...

  If this pans out - she will officially be a martyr and will be in even greater demand by the mouth breathers.  That little comment just made her millions.

  by RichM on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 11:44:22 AM PDT

  •  But it restricts her market

    to the loons. It takes away any air of "respectability" that she's ever had among the non-batshit-crazy American population.

    I don't really care how much money she drains from the pockets of wingnuts -- we can't do anything about that. But she needs to stop being considered a worthy voice in American politics.

    by Spit on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 11:55:31 AM PDT

  •  Nah

    she's gone too far this time.

    You can't say that shit on the same podium as Republican Presidential candidates.  She overstepped the line, and is rightly going under the wingnut bus as a result.  

    Wingnuts know they can't complain about "left wing haters" if their favourite Aryan is out there saying "faggot" about Presidential candidates on a serious political podium; this was not one of her appearances at a college campus or on Faux News.  This was a serious conservative conference.  I can only imagine how truly offended many conservatives have been by this incredibly unseemly antic of hers.

    Nope.  Coulter's done.  Stick a fork in her and let's hope to god this is the last time we ever have entire days of Ann Coulter diaries on Daily Kos.  She's shown her true colours even to her wingnut acolytes -- she cannot be trusted to keep her yap shut when necessary, and that means she cannot properly serve them any more.  So they have no use for her any more.

    She is done done done done done.

    by Loquatrix on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 12:53:51 PM PDT

    •  From your lips to God's ears. n/t

      by oibme on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 02:12:14 PM PDT

    •  Disagree...

      Look at how many times 'Big Pharma' has been fired from main-stream media gigs (ESPN being the latest) because of racists outburst.  Yet he is still in high demand for these events.  Sorry, maybe for the next six months she will be on ice, but after this dies down, she will be the darling again.

      by RichM on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 03:38:44 PM PDT

      •  Well, let's both hope you're wrong

        and I'm right.  :grin:  Truly, I think the fact that she said what she said on a Presidential podium will prove the difference.  Yes, she will naturally retain that proportion of her following that is mouthbreathers, but I hope your (not unreasonably!) pessimistic outlook about her chances of resurgence in the mainstream ends up not panning out.  :)

        by Loquatrix on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 04:49:40 PM PDT

        •  Here's to hoping! n/t

          by RichM on Wed Mar 07, 2007 at 07:26:04 AM PDT

  •  she doesn't matter

    let her get the money (although she might have to end up subsidizing more of her own website). Let's tar all her publican buddies with her words. Ignore her, concentrate on the pub creepy-crawlers. mitten is on fox on the o'really factor along with coulter? mitten must agree with her because he won't shun her. No denunciation is good enough. If he's there with her, he agrees with her. He can't have it both ways. If he refuses to share a podium or tv show with him, it's possible he's telling the truth. If he doesn't refuse, then he agrees with her and is there to capitalize on her fame.

    by dougymi on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 01:02:54 PM PDT

    •  sorry but I mistyped

      no dissrespect to anyone is intended with the mistake I made. I apologize if anyone is offended. It wasn't intentional.

      by dougymi on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 01:07:19 PM PDT

  •  I doubt it -

    did macaca do good things for george allen?

    nope.

    right wingers are loaded with hate, but they don't like to be blatantly reminded of that and personified.

    by we be jamming on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 02:43:25 PM PDT

    •  Coulter doesn't hold...

      Nor is she running for office.  She is a GOP spokes-thing and is not constrained by having to meet a cross-section of constituents.   She will be back, in one Friedman unit.

      by RichM on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 03:40:47 PM PDT

•  Read Andrew Sullivan

  I don't normally link to Sullivan, but this is very good.

  http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.co...

  by geordie on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 11:59:37 AM PDT

  •  You're right

    brought me back to a time when I wasn't disgusted with him. I wish he could be this sensitive and thoughtful about things that don't affect him personally.

    by MattK D1 on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 12:50:26 PM PDT

  •  You're right.

    Thanks for the link.

    by slksfca on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 01:14:11 PM PDT

•  My LtoE

  I'm hammering the Times Union to cease running her column. My letter follows:

  I strongly recommend that you discontinue publishing Ann Coulter's columns. Her use of the word, "faggot" at the CPAC conference was a low moment in conservative politics. Her brand of hate speech does not further a national dialogue or illuminate the matters of the day. It's simply incendiary language meant to wound and shock the conscience.

  I'm sure you can find better spokespersons for the conservative point of view.

  Currently, I'm taking advantage of an introductory subscription to the T-U that expires in a few weeks, at which time I'll have to make a decision regarding whether or not to extend it. The action you take with respect to Ann Coulter will play a very large part in the decision I make.

  I suggest that everyone hit their local papers with a similar demand, if they carry Coulter's weekly screeds.

  by The Raven on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 11:59:56 AM PDT

  •  1 down -- 99 to go

    United Press Syndicate claims that "about" 100 papers carry her weekly screed... er... column.  Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a list.  She does not appear in my local or regional papers.

    Kudos on the trial subscription angle.  Nice play.

    J-M

    by jgilhousen on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 12:14:24 PM PDT

    •  A true pleasure

      Actually, the trial subscription thing is true.

      In any event, when the SS Coulter is foundering and taking on water, I'm only too happy to fire off a torpedo. The harpy is going down.

      by The Raven on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 01:28:04 PM PDT

•  she's the face

  I think it needs to be pounded home again and again that she is the face of modern conservatism rather than the exception/comedian.  

  by Nellcote on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 12:04:06 PM PDT

  •  Yes, exactly !

    Everytime one encounters a Conservative or Republician it's an opportunity to remind them - so Ann Coulter speaks for you.

    by prettyobvious on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 12:45:27 PM PDT

•  She will continue to flourish...

  ...with the Kool-Aid Community.

  by jack rance on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 12:11:47 PM PDT

•  Speaking of fallout,

  here's just the thing to keep the hypocrisy of the right wing media, hate-mongers and Bible-thumpers in perspective...borderline safe for work, I warn you.

  The Ann pal and CPAC Superstar You Missed:

  http://www.towleroad.com/...

  by skiddlybop on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 12:14:11 PM PDT

  •  And get this:

    He's given an interview to Joe.My.God and offered to do one at Towleroad. I, for one, plan on tuning in to see what he has to say. For once a potential Republican with gay connections who doesn't seem to think the first line of defense is "deny-distort-go-to-rehab."

    by musing85 on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 12:27:07 PM PDT

•  For those of us who care

  and I know that's alot of us....
  I just got this email reply :

  Thank you for bringing your concern to our attention.  Any TaxACT
  advertisement which may have appeared on Ann Coulter's Web site, would have
  been purchased as remnant ad space - placed by one of the advertising
  networks for which we have a relationship with.  To be clear, we do not have
  a direct relationship with AnnCoulter's.com. Likewise, we do not support the
  views or opinions of any commentary, columnist, journalist, political
  personality, etc.

  Again, thank you for taking the time to express your concern.  In the
  meantime, we at 2nd Story will evaluate what (if any) TaxACT ads may run on
  this site in the future.
  Stephanie Behrends
  Public Relations / Business Development Manager
  2nd Story Software, Inc. - Makers of TaxACT
  5925 Dry Creek Lane NE
  Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
  Phone: [phone]
  www.taxact.com
  www.taxactonline.com
  TaxACT Media Kit: http://www.taxact.com/...

  I think we need to help them evaluate what, if any, TAXact ads may run on Coulter's website. 101 fighting keyboards, keep the pressure on!

  by Lisa Lockwood on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 12:19:03 PM PDT

•  Annie's "Free Speech"

  I'm amused by the wingnut screams of "FREE SPEECH!!" in relation to Coulter's public spewage.

  In the wingnut mind, they not only have the right to speak freely, but the expectation that they get to say any damn thing they please, without rebuttal.

  They delude themselves into believing that complaints and protests infringe on their "rights."

  We heard this same whining during the KSFO-Melanie Morgan fiasco.

  Apparently the wingnut right to free speech is accompanied by a requirement that all in range of their voices shut up and eat shit.

  by SFOrange on Tue Mar 06, 2007 at 02:07:06 PM PDT