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March 2, 2007
Father Mulcahy and the Connecticut Screech
"I was going to talk about John Edwards but these days, you have to go into rehab if you say the word 'faggot,'" - Ann Coulter, at CPAC today. (hat tip: Andrew Sullivan).
I don't know why I found this shocking. It came out of the mouth of Ann Coulter; she hasn't been reasonable or polite since... hmmm.... And maybe I'm just naive and sheltered when it comes to the modern state of conservatives. I don't know many. I know a fair amount of libertarians, people who may come down hard on taxes and size of government issues. But I can't think of a single person in my life who would ever make a statement like this. I don't know many people who even use that word anymore, except in England, where it means something else.
All polls indicate that the GOP is going to lose ground on the gay issue the older our generation gets. We are signifigantly more tolerant of gays than our elders. Most in the conservative mainstream that you hear from on a regular basis (Sullivan (obvious) Will, Brooks, Krauthammer (sp?), Kristol, Barnes, Instapundit, K-Lo, J-Pod, et, al) don't use words like that, ever. Even if they're against gay marriage.
Yes, I know, it's ANN COULTER. She's to the right what the sad, pathetic fools at HuffPo who were lamenting Dick Cheney not being blown up are to me and my reasonable lefties. Many in my above list (including Sullivan and Brooks) are on record with their profound dislike for the woman. (I think Brooks once said something like nothing creates more liberals in America than Ann Coulter.) But she was on the same stage as George Will (whom, when I was younger, I used to confuse with Father Mulcahy from M*A*S*H) and Rudi Guiliani. (Rudi, who lived with two gay men. Rudi, who has dressed in drag... and I support him 100% on those things. Have you ever lived with gay men? I highly recommend it. And I like wearing a suit and tie... well, off subject again.)
And she was endorsing Mitt Romney, who I believe in '94 said he'd be more of a friend to gays than Ted Kennedy. Which, short of actually coming out, I don't know how you accomplish.
The fact that CPAC had her sharing the stage with such people just shows what the GOP and conservative movement have become. Yes, there are smart, wonderful conservatives out there. But look what it's come to.
Andrew Sullivan (a conservative) says it best:
"When you see her in such a context, you realize that she truly represents the heart and soul of contemporary conservative activism, especially among the young. The standing ovation for Romney was nothing like the eruption of enthusiasm that greeted her. One young conservative male told her he was single and asked for her cell-phone number. Other young Republicans were almost overwhelmed in her presence. "When are you going to get your own show?" one asked, tremulously. Then there's her insistence on Christianism as the central message for Republicans: "There are more people voting on Christian moral values than on tax cuts." This from an unmarried woman who wears dresses that are close to bikinis on the morning news. Hey, it's Democrats who are Godless.
Her endorsement of Romney today - "probably the best candidate" - is a big deal, it seems to me. McCain is a non-starter. He is as loathed as Clinton in these parts. Giuliani is, in her words, "very, very liberal." One of his sins? He opposed the impeachment of Bill Clinton. That's the new standard. She is the new Republicanism. The sooner people recognize this, the better."
Posted by emily at March 2, 2007 5:06 PM