Conservative author, lecturer and television personality Ann Coulter described Islam as a “car-burning cult” in her speech to the GW College Republicans in the Marvin Center Friday.
Coulter, a former corporate and public interest lawyer and ex-Washington congressional aide, is widely known for her rabble-rousing commentary and outspoken criticism of the Democratic Party and liberals. Friday night’s speech was no different, as she lampooned all liberals as “the bad element” and contrasted them with conservatives.
The best-selling author of books such as “How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must)” attacked the left for “making their number one issue gay marriage” and for protecting “the choice to stick a fork in a baby’s head.” Coulter also described The New York Times as a “treasonous liberal” publication for its reporting on the National Security Agency’s wiretaps over the last few months.
Throughout her speech, Coulter referred to several of her favorite Democratic and liberal targets, including Republican critic and filmmaker Michael Moore and Sens. John Kerry and Ted Kennedy, both of Massachusetts.
While Coulter was welcomed with laughs and cheers by students inside the packed Continental Ballroom on the third floor of the Marvin Center, she was not as well-received by a group of GW students protesting outside of the Marvin Center. At least five student protesters scrambled onto the third floor and outside of the ballroom where the event was taking place, but were quickly escorted off the floor by University Police after chanting obscenities about Coulter. About 350 people attended the event, College Republican leaders said.
While a small handful of liberal or Democratic students sat in on Coulter’s speech, for the most part they remained quiet while she attacked liberal politicians and issues.
Earlier Friday, Coulter spoke at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. According to Salon.com, one questioner asked her to describe the greatest ethical dilemma she had ever faced.
“There was one time I had a shot at (President Bill) Clinton,” she reportedly told the crowd. In that same speech, attended by numerous Republican senators, Coulter repeatedly referred to Muslims as “rag heads,” Salon.com reported.
When a student asked Coulter why she has pursued her line of work, Coulter replied, “Because it’s fun. I can wake up at noon and work the entire day in my underwear.”
Despite her controversial remarks and arguments she makes in favor of the Republican Party, GW College Republican Chairman Jeff Holth defended bringing Coulter to campus.
“We have chosen to bring Ms. Coulter not to be divisive, but rather to present an individual who has left an indelible mark on the moder conservative movement,” he said.
“Ms. Coulter’s intellectual discourse, strong opinions and bold personality have contributed to her rise as one of the most notable and influential conservative icons,” he added. “We’re proud to welcome her as our spring semester keynote speaker.”
Though not every College Republican in the audience may have agreed with Coulter’s statements, none interviewed by The Hatchet seemed bothered by her remarks either.
“I’m a College Republican, and I certainly don’t agree with all that she may say,” said Brand Kroeger, the freshman representative of the College Republican Executive Board. “But the purpose of having her is to incite and foster debate.”
Throughout her speech Coulter defended her ability to put all liberal minds in the same pot and label them accordingly. To her, she said, “A ban on generalizing about liberals is a ban on talking about liberals.”
