Media personality Ann Coulter appeared on Bill O'Reilly's television program this week to discuss the murder of late-term abortion provider Dr. George Tiller. Never one to shy away from controversy, Coulter offered the following ethical assessment of the crime:
"I don't really like to think of it as a murder. It was terminating Tiller in the 203rd trimester."
When pressed by O'Reilly on this statement, Coulter replied,
"I am personally opposed to shooting abortionists, but I don't want to impose my moral values on others."
Here's the clip in context. The salient portion occurs at the 3:35 mark.
Get the new PD toolbar!Setting aside Coulter's tongue-in-cheek, rhetorical gamesmanship, the likening of Tiller's murder to a late-term abortion is an interesting tact. Her point seems to be: What really distinguishes the killing of a fetus from an out-of-the-womb homicide? Shouldn't we view them as one and the same?
That seems like a fair enough argument for those who would deny moral shades of gray. Either you're for a "culture of death" or you're against it. But, as O'Reilly points out, that metaphor seems to fall flat when Coulter playfully claims that she doesn't want to lay an ethical guilt trip on those who would shoot abortion providers (even while celebrating the idea of a "Hooray-George-Tiller-is-dead party").
The point is, of course Coulter wants to impose her values on America. She, like O'Reilly, has made a nice career out of doing just that. And that career is built upon headline-grabbing remarks like the one above, for better or for worse.
all she cares about is being on tv. It's a disgusting comment and she should be banned from tv. However, she is a conservitive and no one cares what they say. If a liberal says something even slightly offensive, he dogs come out.
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lcppalm
12:24PM Jun 24th 2009
Moron, maybe your last sentence should read, "If a (far left) liberal (or a far right conservative) says something even slightly offensive, the dogs come out." To be quite honest, that's the way it should be. We have too many of these "far out commentators" pretending they represent a majority of Americans.
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Armando J. Cruz
2:14PM Jun 24th 2009
Amen lcppalm. Amen. I couldn't have said better myself.
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Joe
2:48PM Jun 24th 2009
Mr. Knowles, you were making sense until you tried to lump Coulter and O'Reilly in the same basket, as many critics do. For the record, O'Reilly has very little in common with Coulter, and it should have been obvious from that video. You can put Coulter, Limbaugh, Hannity, and a few others in the same basket. All they do is criticize liberals and Democrats. If you watch O'Reilly regulary, which most of his critics DO NOT DO, you will learn that he very rarely uses the words "liberals" or "Democrats". He holds no animosity for either group. O'Reilly's issues are with extremists, so he uses terms like "far left", "far right", or "kooks."
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homes4pandas
3:07PM Jun 24th 2009
MORON- - should be banned from TV . - - By whom ? Are you a suitable choice for the position of 'Head Censor ' ? If not you , can I choose who gets censored ?
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MICHELLE
3:13PM Jun 24th 2009
You must live in Bizarro World - where everything is opposite of this world!
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wndees
4:04PM Jun 24th 2009
moron-you are aptly named.
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BMAZDA83
4:19PM Jun 24th 2009
you gotta love a moron.....and they get to vote too!!
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Merrily
4:36PM Jun 24th 2009
Isn't that the truth. I never thought of it before but it is really the way it is. Palin slandered Obama during the campaign but couldn't take a little comedy shot from Letterman. Or, she just loved being in the media again - just like Coulter.
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Tommy
4:34PM Jun 24th 2009
Was gonna comment on your typical ignorant liberal comment, but I noticed your name. Enough said.
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lcl729
5:34PM Jun 24th 2009
WHY DO LIBERALS WANT HEALTH CARE FOR EVERYONE? THEY WANT ABORTIONS AND MERCY KILLING LEGAL, HELL THEY BLAME MANKIND FOR EVERYTHING THE LESS OF US THE MORE HAPPY THEY SHOULD BE. LIBERALS ARE NEVER HAPPY AND ONLY WANT TO MAKE EVERYONE AS UNHAPPY AS THEY ARE.
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Bridget
5:38PM Jun 24th 2009
liberals ALWAYS say/do something offensive.
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jflu1961
5:48PM Jun 24th 2009
moron said ! 12:10PM Jun 24th 2009 all she cares about is being on tv. It's a disgusting comment and she should be banned from tv. However, she is a conservitive and no one cares what they say. If a liberal says something even slightly offensive, he dogs come out...........That is absolute Bullcrap Liberals call conservatives nasty names all day long everyday of the week on all of the major networks and its never given a moments notice. the only network not in the tank for the Liberals is FOX and by the way. (im a democrat but im not a Liberal)
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bren888
5:49PM Jun 24th 2009
Are you kidding me??? The media is full of liberals..and talk about sending the dogs out, that's a liberal tactic. Just ask Sarah Palen can they just leave her alone already!
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THE AUJ
6:03PM Jun 24th 2009
To moron (and it's obvious that's what you are!)
Apparently you have no idea what you're talking about! As usual, you liberals only want free speech if it's one of your own kind doing the talking. For you, it's not even an issue whether or not Ann Coulter's words were justified or not. You sir, are making it into a free speech issue. On that front, believe it or not, she has the right to say anything she wants and to broadcast it if she so has the means. Our new socialist-minded LIBERAL government hasn't taken that away from this nation...yet. You think I am wrong? Well please take into consideration the fact that one of your own, PEREZ HILTON, recently became the pot calling the kettle black when he called Will.i.am a "f*ggot". I don't hear any of your own kind calling for him to be removed from the air nor do I hear you saying what a fame wh*re he is. Nope, they just want a simple apology from him, yet you'll call for Ann Coulter's head. Sounds like you need to make up your mind about what you want because from where I'm sitting, you're not calling for "freedom for all", you're merely calling for "freedom for me".
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debi
6:31PM Jun 24th 2009
have you even read or watched ann coulter? seems not since you don't get sarcasm!!!!! idiot...
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daswampbabe
6:59PM Jun 24th 2009
She is garbage. What possibly could have happened to make this woman so full of hate? To make a joke and speak sarcastically about a murder is just one more example of the bible bearing,cross wearing,anti swearing, gay glaring, HYPOCRISY of the religious right! The hate has to stop. Does anyone think Ms. C. asked WWJD (what would Jesus do?)before making such a remark?
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mickysolo
7:11PM Jun 24th 2009
Get a life. It was a joke and a pretty good one at that.
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Lefty longs
7:38PM Jun 24th 2009
Of course "she" would say that. Same goes for "her" if someone kills "her" h0e-a$$. ...lolll
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Loren
7:51PM Jun 24th 2009
Did you also demand that Air America remove Randi Rhodes from the air when she said Pres. Bush should be assasinated?