More conservative voices just having trouble with Ann Coulter and what it could mean for the republicans down the road...
________
So this year was my first CPAC experience, and despite the fact that I was "working" for the duration, it was still a generally positive experience. The folks there did a great job of putting on a well-orchestrated event (with the following exception: they held a political conference in a hotel which had zero cell phone reception). It was also great to get to meet some fellow bloggers in person for the first time, including Erick, Moe and Rob from RedState, Michelle Malkin, NZ Bear, Sean Hackbarth, Dr. James Joyner, and others. It was also good to renew old acquaintances such as "Captain" Ed and Karol Sheinin from Alarming News. It is always good to know that there are conservatives who are still out there fighting for the cause, who have not lost heart.
I'd just like to take this opportunity to echo Ace (another fine blogger I met this weekend) when he echoes Bryan Preston: I am really disappointed that the story that will come out of this weekend will be Ann Coulter and her big mouth.
More below...
I'm not particularly interested in a discussion of whether her comments were funny (they weren't), or whether we should all be a little more thick-skinned, or whether Ann was right, or whatever. Whatever you think about the remarks themselves (I thought them low-class and stupid), only an idiot would have spoken those words without realizing that they'd instantly become the top story to come out of a conference that attracted the best an brightest minds in conservatism, and about 6,000 conservative activists. And whatever Ann is, she is not an idiot. As Bryan points out, the only possible conclusion is that she knew that the conference would just be about her and the bonehead thing she said, but she went ahead and did it anyway, because in Ann's world, it's all about Ann, and the books that she sells.
And you know what? To a certain extent, it works. The autograph line for Ann's new book was the longest one of the whole conference. I can understand how folks who are surrounded by liberal hegemony might love someone who is willing to "strike back" unapologetically, but when that person makes it clear that they care nothing about advancing anything but their own self-interest, I have a hard time understanding how anyone not obsessed with Ayn Rand could look up to such an individual.
Myself, I'm done. I used to buy her books, find her entertaining, etc. And for all I know, the latest one may have more stuff in there that I'd chuckle at. But I'm not going to willingly feed the ego of a person who cares nothing for the movement she claims to associate herself with, all so that they will (apparently) reinforce that very same ego. Au revoir, Ann. This time, at least, I hope you start to reap the rewards you've been sowing for the last couple years.
redstate.com |
