Ann Coulter Denounces Trump, Birthers

Outside the Beltway

Ann Coulter Denounces Trump, Birthers

Ann Coulter says its time for Birthers to shut up.

James Joyner

April 12, 2011

Comments

Now here’s something you don’t see every day: Ann Coulter calling out the crazies in the GOP.

RealClearPolitics (“Ann Coulter To Trump, Birthers: Drop The Issue“):

Now they will have a chance to find out this is Donald Trump’s Pierre Salinger moment. You can’t believe everything you read on the Internet. Obama has produced his birth certificate. There were announcements that ran in two contemporaneous Hawaiian newspapers at the time. The head of the Hawaiian medical records has announced, ‘I have seen the long form you all want.’ I don’t know why the long form is considered more credible than the short form. They’re both from the same office. The State Department accepts the short form or as we call it, the birth certificate,” Ann Coulter told FOX News’ “Hannity.”

Video of the full 6 minute interview at the link. Interestingly, she argues that every conservative outlet, including Fox News, has shot down this crazy notion–which she says was started by the Hillary Clinton campaign–and yet, somehow an increasing percentage of Republicans have doubts about the president’s citizenship.

48 responses to “Ann Coulter Denounces Trump, Birthers”

michael reynolds

April 12, 2011 at 11:08 am

James, Anne Coulter is now the reality check on your party.

It’s as if we had Michael Moore telling Democrats to chill out.
James Joyner

April 12, 2011 at 11:17 am

Michael,

I honestly don’t get the Birther thing. It’s just bizarre. There were some academically interesting arguments about technicalities about his mother’s residency requirements and the state of the law in 1962 going around during the primaries, but they were all rendered moot once one realized he was born in Hawaii, which had recently become a state.
sam

April 12, 2011 at 11:31 am

“I honestly don’t get the Birther thing. It’s just bizarre. ”

Really? You don’t get it? These are the folks that “want their country back” — presumably from this black, Muslim, kinda foreign-lookin’ guy with the distinctly unAmerican moniker of Barack Hussein Obama. How is it possible with a name like that he could be born in the Newnited States of Murica?
DC Loser

April 12, 2011 at 11:34 am

@James – how much more different is this than the Vince Foster cover-up, White Water, and Monicagate? It’s the logical progression of GOP paranoia.
jwest

April 12, 2011 at 11:36 am

It appears James has bought the liberal line that people who call for the release of Obama’s birth certificate are “birthers” who believe he was born in Kenya. If this is true, Chris Mathews, David Corn and Clarence Page are “birthers”.

http://democratifi.com/news/Chris-Matthews-Obama-should-release-his-original-birth-certificate-Clarence-Page-David-Corn-agree-1442032.html

As I’ve always stated, Obama is a “natural born citizen” regardless of the location of his birth, due to the citizenship of his mother. The birth certificate is more a fairness issue than anything else. Is there anyone who would deny that if a republican president had the same circumstances that the MSM wouldn’t hound him 24/7 to release his original birth certificate?

Coulter wishes that the birther issue is dropped so that people would focus on the dozens of other topics which show Obama was hopelessly unqualified for the presidency, being an indecisive academic who had never exhibited any of the traits necessary for the job. There are arguments to be made on both sides whether the issue is beneficial or harmful to the GOP, but as long as it is Trump bringing it up it’s like free candy.
michael reynolds

April 12, 2011 at 11:38 am

James, it’s not complicated. It’s just the latest echo of the southern strategy. It’s the racists in the GOP.

A lot of us had hoped that these people had been at least silenced within, if not expelled from, the GOP in the age of Bush Sr. But they are back, baby, and back in force.
James Joyner

April 12, 2011 at 11:40 am

@sam: Doubtless, there’s some of that. But the trendlines are increasing.

@DC Loser: This is something different. Obama’s birth is an easily verifiable fact. Whether the Clintons engaged in a criminal conspiracy is something that can’t really be disproven.

Rather clearly, the Clintons got some sweetheart deals in Arkansas. The cattle futures thing was especially sweet. Whitewater was strange enough to command an independent prosecutor and major principles went to jail rather than testify. But, considering that it lost money, it was rather hard to prove anything.

As to Lewinski, Clinton lied under oath in a sexual harassment trial ordered by the US Supreme Court 9-0. (A decision I thought then and continue to believe horrible public policy, BTW.) That’s not a conspiracy theory; it’s a known fact. The only question is whether it rose to the level of impeachment and/or removal from office.
mattb

April 12, 2011 at 11:58 am

@James,

Obama’s birth is an easily verifiable fact.

Just see JWest’s post for how unverifiable the birth issue is. Because everyone thinks they “know” what a “birth certificate” is — and the use of strange terms of art like “certificate of live birth” — makes it the prefect unanswerable question.

This is the same issue as what runs beneath attacks of the “theory” of evolution. Folk knowledge (and willful ignorance) sustains this sort of argument.
mantis

April 12, 2011 at 12:01 pm

Jay Tea, are you there? Ann Coulter of all people has shown how you really deal with birthers. Notice how she doesn’t equivocate by repeating some of their lies while denouncing them, like you do? That’s how it’s done, unless you really like having the birthers around.
James Joyner

April 12, 2011 at 12:06 pm

@jwest: John McCain was born in Panama. No one questioned his citizenship.
mantis

April 12, 2011 at 12:16 pm

John McCain was born in Panama. No one questioned his citizenship.

This is not entirely true. There was a brief debate over his citizenship, which basically ended when Congress explicitly affirmed it. Here’s one of those arguing against McCain’s citizenship.
jwest

April 12, 2011 at 12:47 pm

James,

I’ve never questioned Obama’s citizenship.

Doesn’t the refusal of Obama to release the long form give you a moment’s pause as to what is in it? Placing the fairness issue aside, as I see that no one will even attempt to take the position that a republican president wouldn’t be crucified by now, isn’t it just a matter of intellectual curiosity to find out what he’s hiding?
mantis

April 12, 2011 at 1:05 pm

Doesn’t the refusal of Obama to release the long form
mantis

April 12, 2011 at 1:07 pm

Doesn’t the refusal of Obama to release the long form

Ahem

Wisch, the spokesman for the attorney general’s office, said state law does not in fact permit the release of “vital records,” including an original “record of live birth” — even to the individual whose birth it records.

He hasn’t refused anything. That’s just more birther bullshit, dumb ass birther.
Stormy Dragon

April 12, 2011 at 1:18 pm

Doesn’t the refusal of Obama to release the long form give you a moment’s pause as to what is in it?

No. I also believe that you don’t deal with crazy people by catering to their delusions.
wr

April 12, 2011 at 2:22 pm

Shouldn’t that headline read: “Ann Coulter, desperate to regain relevancy in a party where her entire schtick has been co-opted by real players like Palin and Bachmann, denounces…”
True Patriot

April 12, 2011 at 4:29 pm

I used to follow Coulter . No longer. I am not a Birther as she is calling those of us working on unseating this illegal communist marxist muslim fraud Obama.

Birther is a far left radical hate name, and she embraces it then uses it.

This is the stupidest statement she has ever made. The movement is growing and the question has to be answered. The forefathers wrote the Constitution Ann. You might want to actually read it.

It requires an authentic Birth Certificate and other documents to be seated as POTUS.

You have lost a large base by this ranting. words can kill a career. Just ask Oprah.
mantis

April 12, 2011 at 4:38 pm

It requires an authentic Birth Certificate and other documents to be seated as POTUS.

Care to cite the section of the Constitution that requires those documents? Please be specific.

You have lost a large base by this ranting. words can kill a career. Just ask Oprah.

The richest woman in America? Yeah, she’s really hurting.
michael reynolds

April 12, 2011 at 4:39 pm

It’s so hard to tell the satire from the actual wingnuts sometimes.

True Patriot: satirist or nut?
Franklin

April 12, 2011 at 4:44 pm

Mr. Reynolds – I’m going with satirist. Not a very good one, though.
True Patriot

April 12, 2011 at 5:02 pm

@michael reynolds & franklin:

One only has to read your responses to realize why this country is in serious trouble.
Andrea Shea King

April 12, 2011 at 5:10 pm

. . . . .

It’s been quite some time since I’ve stopped looking up to pay attention whenever Ann Coulter speaks. I find her high pitched (ha ha ha) elongated laugh with which she prefaces every answer an affectation, and her Greenwich Connecticut nasality annoying and tiresome. But that’s just me. Her mane tossing and fake eyelashes bore me.

Her constant appearances on any talk show that will have her and subsequent commentary on just about anything that moves is a yawn and oh so predictable. She’s a snob, a poseur who has learned well the art of making a buck while turning clever little phrases into pseudo-conservative mantras.

She quite grows old on one rather quickly. That’s why you seldom, if ever, have seen me post about her here at The Radio Patriot. Not my cup o’ tea, darlings. She’s just not as smart as she thinks she is. She fits rather well with Karl Rove and the Beltway Boys, don’t you agree?

However, tonight I’m making an exception to prove the rule, just so you know why I find her highbrow opinions so… so irrelevant. Click here to see why.

. . . . .
mantis

April 12, 2011 at 5:15 pm

True Patriot, I will ask again.

Care to cite the section of the Constitution that requires those documents? Please be specific.
Jay Tea

April 12, 2011 at 6:27 pm

Jay Tea, are you there?

Nope, took a day trip. Been offline for the entire day, and got some really, really cool photos and memories. Didn’t even listen to the news.

Coulter is a blast. I once suggested nominating her to the Supreme Court, just to see her take on Ted Kennedy and the rest of the Judiciary Committee. She is the most awesomest bomb-thrower ever.

But she didn’t convince me of anything.

I rejected and bashed around the birthers before, I will likely again.

She just cared more to make a point of it at this time.

J.
Sarah

April 12, 2011 at 7:07 pm

Ms. Coulter,

You have been my least favorite speakers/authors of those who call themselves Republicans, as your demeanor has been most arrogant when I listen to you, until I have to just turn off the TV. It isn’t surprising to me, when you are threatened about something you disagree with, or in this case, have not even investigated or even cared to understand the information, however you capitulate into spewing insults, as you are not guided by the Holy Spirit. Apparently your anger controls you. I feel sorry for you that you were not taught, or did you care to learn in your adult life, to respect people, and if you are wrong then you learn to apologize. You are someone who has not been taught to respect people who disagree with you. So how do you expect people to respect you? Many of us have been researching a long time on Obama’s eligibility and his lack of credibility, and you walk in and make a decision that you obviously do not know anything about or our Constitution. It is so laughable, since you project yourself to be so intelligent. You will be sorry when the truth backfires in your face. I hope you are prepared and willing to admit your error.

What I draw from your personality, is that you insult others, as you enjoy controversy, thus you must have come from a very competitive environment, and if you are WRONG, which you are, and then you attack. It is a common method and is used by lawyers often in court, by managers, and many who cannot apologize, or cannot admit to your mistakes, as that would mean you are weak. Well, God says we are to admit our faults one to another, and ask forgiveness when we are wrong. Remember that when you need to call out to God for help. You will see you will need Him active in your life, I hope you change your ways sooner than later. God says to pray for my enemies, and I consider that is what your purpose is to be; an enemy when it comes to the truth, and thus I have an obligation to pray for you.
An Interested Party

April 12, 2011 at 7:28 pm

How quickly Annie gets thrown under the bus…this would seem like a good line of attack against whoever the GOP nominee is…pound him/her with questions about the president’s birth certificate and watch as he/she loses a not insignificant portion of the Republican/conservative base depending on his/her answers…
George Washington

April 12, 2011 at 8:12 pm

@Sarah

You should hold John McCain, Sarah Palin, and GOP accountable over birtherism, because the burden of proof was on their shoulders. Does that make any sense? The liberal talking heads are cross promoting this to divide us on top of making us all look nuts. I’m with Ms. Coulter on this and so should all conservatives.

Have you seen what Obama has done to this country? We need to win 12 period.
jukeboxgrad

April 12, 2011 at 8:12 pm

jwest:

It appears James has bought the liberal line that people who call for the release of Obama’s birth certificate are “birthers” who believe he was born in Kenya. If this is true, Chris Mathews, David Corn and Clarence Page are “birthers”.

Consider these two statements:

A) Obama should release (or try to release) the “long form,” because that will put the matter to rest.
B) Obama should release (or try to release) the “long form,” even though that will not put the matter to rest, because the birthers are nuts and will find some reason to keep complaining.

If you think that A and B are the same, then your claim about Mathews, Corn and Page makes sense. Otherwise, it doesn’t. If you watch the last minute of the video, you will see that they are saying B, not A. True birthers never say B. They say A (or at least something much closer to A than B).

Aside from that, they are ignorant and don’t understand the full implications of what they’re suggesting. For example, see here:

https://drjjoyner-cmlud.wpcomstaging.com/poll-majority-of-gop-primary-voters-dont-believe-obama-was-born-in-the-u-s/#comment-1369353

But that doesn’t make them birthers.

And it’s helpful to notice that you are still refusing to retract your false claim:

https://drjjoyner-cmlud.wpcomstaging.com/hawaiian-official-again-confirms-obamas-birth-records-calls-birthers-ludicrous/#comment-1394488

Doesn’t the refusal of Obama to release the long form give you a moment’s pause as to what is in it?

And there you go again, repeating essentially the same false claim. You are pretending to not know that Obama does not have the long form, and does not have a way to get it, according to HI statute and regulations.

But thanks for giving us this vivid demonstration of how birtherism works. Birthers, like you, are impervious to facts.

People impervious to facts can be found in any group. But what’s interesting about the current state of the GOP is that a subgroup deeply impervious to facts is now running the show.

Is there anyone who would deny that if a republican president had the same circumstances that the MSM wouldn’t hound him 24/7 to release his original birth certificate?

Which R president (or non-R, for that matter) ever released any kind of birth certificate? What do you mean by “the same circumstances?” Being president while black?
jukeboxgrad

April 12, 2011 at 8:14 pm

An Interested Party:

this would seem like a good line of attack against whoever the GOP nominee is…pound him/her with questions about the president’s birth certificate and watch as he/she loses a not insignificant portion of the Republican/conservative base depending on his/her answers…

This is an excellent point. This issue is a big problem for the GOP. Every GOP candidate will be under great pressure to do this: state they are not birthers while nevertheless making statements that pander to the birthers. For example, this is what Palin has done. But that’s a silly, dishonest dance, and sane people will see that it that way.
Jay Tea

April 12, 2011 at 8:32 pm

jukebox, thanks for confirming what I’ve been saying for some time — the birther issue is a net plus for Obama and his supporters.

J.
George Washington

April 12, 2011 at 8:54 pm

Birthers, believe in what you want, but please keep it real because we need to win 12. There is no way the entire Republican Party will ever agree with you. Even if we do, then what? Remove O and put our guy in WH without an election? If it doesn’t help with the election, then please at the very least be real about it. That’s as nice as I can put it. Trump is truly an SOB to have played this to his own interest over that of the entire party.

Trump, get bent.
michael reynolds

April 12, 2011 at 9:10 pm

Okay, I think it’s clear now that True Patriot is an actual nut, not a satirist.

But what about Sarah? Nut or satirist?

I’m guessing nut. I don’t think most satirists would think to drag the Holy Ghost into it.
mantis

April 12, 2011 at 10:52 pm

But she didn’t convince me of anything.

I rejected and bashed around the birthers before, I will likely again.

She just cared more to make a point of it at this time.

You, of course, miss my point. I’ll repeat it. It’s real clear.

Notice how she doesn’t equivocate by repeating some of their lies while denouncing them, like you do? That’s how it’s done, unless you really like having the birthers around.
True Patriot

April 13, 2011 at 1:09 am

@ Michael Reynolds

One only has to consider the source. Go back and take your qualoudes.

Were O legal he would not have spent millions to seal his records.

@Mantis

It is not my job to teach you. You obviously have not read it or you would not
have asked that question. Pick up a copy of the Constitution. Read it.

All Pres. before the existing Usurper/ Fraud Obama, provided not only their B.C, a real one that is, but all required proof they are a U.S. Citizen.

I along with many are fighting this illegal foreign alien, while you Sir are in
complete denial.

Obama will go down as the biggest fraud and scam in the history of the world.
Scott

April 13, 2011 at 1:37 am

True Patriot, Southern Hoosier, Andrea, etc, You need to let the right people know about this, not a bunch of us nobodys reading these comments. I suggest you call John Boehner. Call him everyday till he takes some action. In fact, call every Republican you can think of. Get all your friends to call too, as often as possible. That’s the only way you’ll get anywhere with this monumental issue.
michael reynolds

April 13, 2011 at 2:07 am

Scott makes a very good point: call John Boehner.

His number is: (202) 224-3121 Ask for the Speaker’s office. And don’t stop calling until he gets Obama to admit he’s black. I mean, you know, um, not American.
Kylopod

April 13, 2011 at 5:02 am

She’s taken this line before. Two years ago, she dismissed the birther movement as a fringe group–“the three remaining Klanners,” as she put it–that the MSM were giving undue attention in order to make the right look bad.

What needs to be understood about Coulter is that every single word she utters in a public venue is a calculated attempt to get under liberals’ skin. It is not commentary. It is not intended to be commentary. It is an act, and anyone who takes it seriously is being a real sucker. Embracing birtherism would be too easy, giving people a chance to simply ridicule her. Instead, she knocks down the birthers and pretends they’re irrelevant to everyone but the liberals who have been propping them up. You sputter in disbelief, “But, but, but…. People on your own network are bringing it up!” “No they aren’t,” she replies, with a self-satisfied grin. “Only the liberal media cares about the birthers.” She’s succeeded: she’s gotten under your skin. She wins, and the next round begins.
Jay Tea

April 13, 2011 at 5:26 am

michael, we’ve been over this. Considering how race-obsessed you are, one would think that you’d remember that Obama is half-black. What you want is an admission that he’s half-black.

Which, I think, he’s made several times, including the time he referred to his grandmother as a “typical white person.”

So I think we got that covered.

J.
george

April 13, 2011 at 8:08 am

A lot of this is just people’s love of conspiracies. Birthers, truthers, fake moon landing, you name it.
jukeboxgrad

April 13, 2011 at 11:52 am

Jay Tea:

jukebox, thanks for confirming what I’ve been saying for some time — the birther issue is a net plus for Obama and his supporters.

Duh. Can you show us a single example of anyone who has ever claimed otherwise?

When your political opponents are stupid and act stupid and pander to stupid, over and over again, yes, that’s “a net plus.”

Next up, Jay Tea will discover that the sky is blue, and he will make sure we know that it’s something he’s been “saying for some time.”
jukeboxgrad

April 13, 2011 at 11:53 am

True Patriot:

Were O legal he would not have spent millions to seal his records.

Except that he has done nothing to “seal his records.” Which means he has spent this much to do so: zero.

You have a remarkable relationship with the concept of proof. You want more proof of Obama’s citizenship. Meanwhile, you accept and promote all sorts of wacky beliefs (e.g.: “[he] spent millions to seal his records”) that are repeated by birthers as gospel even though they are backed by no evidence whatsover.

You believe in the concept of proof only when it’s politically convenient for you to do so. You’re happy to accept all sorts of “facts” on faith. Just not facts you don’t like.

All Pres. before the existing Usurper/ Fraud Obama, provided not only their B.C, a real one that is, but all required proof they are a U.S. Citizen.

That statement is correct, if by “All” you mean “none.”

You’ve seen GWB’s birth certificate? Really? Can you share it with the rest of us?
George Washington

April 13, 2011 at 1:08 pm

Kylopod is right, Ms. Coulter is far more sophisitcated than meets the eye. I have thought of the possibility along the line of validation through rejection but I just feel like to tickle one on Trump period.
True Patriot

April 13, 2011 at 3:17 pm

We have contacted Boehner, Cantor, West, Rubio many many times.

Their silence is deafening and we are not going to put up with being ignored.

The politicians are all running from this issue, but now Trump has brought
it back into the media, so good for Trump. He gets it unlike so many in this country.

The massive cover up of this illegal communist muslim usurper runs so deep
the media is afraid to talk about it. Jeff Kuhner has been interviewed on many radio talk
shows and says all the reporters know Obama is not eligible to serve, yet are being
told they can not bring it up on the air. Trump has trumped their card of propaganda.

Now it is on the air. There are many Obots throwing much misinformation out here to discredit the efforts to unseat him.

Again, I repeat, were Obama legal he would not have spent millions to keep his records
sealed. He is guilty as charged.

And it should not be up to us to prove him a fraud, it is required that Obama prove he is
a legal POTUS. He has not done so, and had a pass from all TV media including Faux News.

So Obama prove us wrong, show your records, I DARE YOU.

History will prove him to be a complete fraud, and it will also prove how brainwashed some Americans are in their denial of this dangerous truth that faces this country.
Kylopod

April 13, 2011 at 3:45 pm

>Jeff Kuhner has been interviewed on many radio talk shows and says all the reporters know Obama is not eligible to serve, yet are being told they can not bring it up on the air.

Ah, Jeffrey Kuhner. The same guy who wrote, in Aug. 2008:

“Mr. Obama is doomed to defeat…. Mr. McCain will win – and win big – in November.”

His deep insight into the country’s electoral outcomes gives us great confidence in his knowledge of what reporters are really thinking.
jukeboxgrad

April 13, 2011 at 5:33 pm

True Patriot:

We have contacted Boehner, Cantor, West, Rubio many many times.

Their silence is deafening and we are not going to put up with being ignored.

Good. I am counting on you to keep up that pressure. Keep reminding them what the base of the GOP is demanding from their leaders: unequivocal support of birtherism. Your inadvertent public service is considerable.

The massive cover up of this illegal communist muslim usurper runs so deep the media is afraid to talk about it. Jeff Kuhner has been interviewed on many radio talk shows and says all the reporters know Obama is not eligible to serve, yet are being told they can not bring it up on the air.

Naturally. That’s why when you search nytimes.com for Obama birth certificate you get over 8,000 results:

http://www.google.com/search?q=site:nytimes.com+obama+%22birth+certificate%22

That definitely fits my idea of “massive cover up.”

People like you are the reason someone needed to invent Poe’s law:

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Poe's_Law
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe's_law
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Poe's+Law
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/6408927/Internet-rules-and-laws-the-top-10-from-Godwin-to-Poe.html

You remind us that we live in an era when parody has become impossible.
the rock

April 22, 2011 at 5:03 pm

@ True Patriot
Just wanted to take a moment to bask in the glow of your intellect. You do realize “stupidest” is not a word… the correct form is “most stupid”. How totally ironic you would accuse someone of ignorance while revealing your own. Yes, America is, indeed, in trouble.
irene levy

April 23, 2011 at 2:58 pm

Stick to the issues people, unfair trade, jobs, These are the main components that are destroying our country. He is right when he says other countries are taking advantage of us….he is a true patriot who wants the U.S. to be number one again. He has the guts to confront the issues especially on foreign trade which is killing our economy. Everything is made in China so they profit from our country and lend our money back to us with interest!!!

All you people that think he is pompous, don’t like his hair and out for himself that is irrelevant. HE IS PRO U.S. When he becomes president he will use all that Leadership Energy to be FOR the United States of America which is the kind of president I and a lot of people want despite the media making fun and trying to bash him.

THE MEDIA IS ANTI AMERICAN WHICH I THINK IS DESPICABLE.

Trump is strong and smart. So what he went bankrupt. The important thing is he came back from that and we need someone who can bring America back from the brink of bankruptcy because we are there or heading in that direction the way things are now.

All of you people making fun of him on superficial issues or because you don’t like his personality don’t have a clue of what’s at stake here.

Ann Coulter has literally no influence on anybody.
see saw

April 24, 2011 at 12:01 am

Coulter’s bad girl is a sideshow distraction set out by our
reigning ‘controlled opposition’.

She brings NO consciousness of light to the VAST issue of
our 4 decades of elite RED China sellout/TREASON.

While she gives lip service to the abortion issue —she says
nothing about the Freemasonic capstone ‘benny violent’
tax free foundations and their core ideology —EUGENICS.

She’s now even pooh-poohing the Globalist sterilization ops,
and the awesome Fukishima fallout disaster.