Reply #50: The University Daily Kansan: A bashing good time

[paineinthearse]

This is too good not to post in full. Delete if you must, but I hope we can bend the rules this one time

http://www.kansan.com/stories/2005/mar/30/news_campus_coulter/


Ann Coulter, right-wing commentator, gestures during her speech last night at the Lied Center. Coulter spoke to a crowd of almost 2,000 people about “the world according to Ann Coulter.” At one point during her speech she threatened to stop because the crowd was out of control. After several people continued to haggle her during her speech last night in the Lied Center, Ann Coulter made a call for help. Photo Stephanie Farley

A bashing good time
Controversial speaker criticizes liberals amidst yelling from Lied Center crowd

By Jason Shaad Published: Wednesday, March 30, 2005

After several people continued to haggle her during her speech last night in the Lied Center, Ann Coulter made a call for help. “I’m not going to keep talking if people keep yelling,” said Coulter, a conservative political commentator and best-selling author. “If you see someone yelling, I want the College Republicans to get up and kick them out.”

:nopity:

A crowd of people in the front rows got up, walked up the aisles, and tried to get a few of the people yelling to leave. Lied Center personnel and security stepped in and told the students who were yelling that they needed to leave or quietly wait until the end of the speech to ask questions. About 1,800 people attended Coulter’s speech, which was part of the Vickers Memorial Lecture Series.

Coulter criticized Democrats and liberals throughout her speech, joking that Democrats exaggerated trivial matters. “I think the Democrats should make SpongeBob the mascot of their party,” Coulter said. “They were offended that a cartoon character was being slandered, while Bush was being criticized about the war.”

Coulter said Democrats complained too much about the presidential election, the war in Iraq and 9/11. “Liberals are always complaining about being repressed,” Coulter said. “I say let’s do it. Let’s repress them. We can burn their books and repress their ideas and damage the ozone at the same time,” she joked.

All night Coulter spoke over muffled yells from the audience. Sometimes the yells were stifled by applause from other members of the audience. Other times Coulter just spoke over the hagglers. One woman kept shouting questions from the back of the auditorium. After refusing to be quiet, a crowd official removed the person. The audience burst into applause at her removal.

Students had mixed responses to Coulter’s speech. “I thought she was catty and nitpicky,” said Marta Buechler, St. Louis sophomore. “And that is what she accuses liberals of doing anyway.” Bianca Babcock, Lawrence freshman, said she agreed with everything Coulter said.

“She was really good,” Babcock said. “She is not afraid to say anything and she has got the sharpest tongue ever.”

Coulter did not save her biting wit for her speech only. She criticized some people’s questions as much as she did Democrats.

When one student interrupted her speech with a question, “What about weapons of mass destruction?,” Coulter responded, “I’m Ann Coulter, not President Bush. You’re even stupider than I thought.”

Coulter’s comments drew laughs from much of the crowd, but they weren’t a hit with everyone. Even some people who respected her had mixed feelings.

Buechler said she didn’t have any preconceptions about Coulter before the speech because she didn’t know much about her. Buechler said people didn’t have to agree with someone to respect their opinions.

“But she was cutting people off,” Buechler said. “She wasn’t even letting people clarify their questions.”

Others thought the people shouting questions disrupted the event.

“If they were so distraught about what she was saying, they could get up and leave,” said Sara Garlick, Sanford, Maine, junior. “When she wasn’t interrupted, it was wonderful.”

At the end of her speech, Coulter received a standing ovation.

She received $25,000 for her appearance. The money came from the Vickers endowment fund, said Toni Dixon, director of communications for the School of Business. The Vickers family selected Coulter for the lecture.

What do you think of Ann Coulter?

“I love her. I think she is funny as hell. She tells it like it is and doesn’t hold anything back.”

-Heather Shinogle, Olathe senior

“I love Ann Coulter. I think she is one of the three most beautiful women in politics. I think she is gorgeous.”

-Tyler Robinson, North Platte, Neb., senior

“I disagree with almost all of her political beliefs. It is almost spiteful toward the other side. She is extremely antagonistic, even condescending. I’m prepared to be entertained more than anything.”

-Nick Yaghmour, Schaumburg, Ill., junior

“I hate her. I don’t agree with her at all. I read her book and I didn’t agree with her idea of converting the Middle East to Christianity. I came for a good laugh.”

-Sean Wake, St. Charles, Ill., freshman

Ross Fitch