by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright Octorber 13, 2007
All Rights Reserved.

orty-five-year-old right-wing blonde “pundette” Ann Coulter caught the Don Imus bug, telling CNBC's “The Big Idea” with Donny Deutsch, “We just want Jews to be perfected,” an old anti-Semitic idea that Jews can't be saved unless they believe in Jesus Christ. Unlike Imus who was forced off the air by Rev. Al Sharpton for calling Rutgers' women's basketball team “nappy-headed hos,” Coulter's remarks expose the same view as “Jews for Jesus,” an evangelical group that believe Jews aren't complete until they accept “Jesus as Lord.” There's really nothing so outrageous about Coulter's remark in the context of evangelicals, historically proselytizing Jews to believe in Jesus Christ. But in the context of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denying the Holocaust and calling for Israel to be “wiped off the map,” Coulter's remarks offend people of all faiths.

      Coulter's Oct. 8 tête-à-tête with Deutsch revealed how she's become a loose cannon, self-destructing with unwanted controversy. Jewish groups are now asking that she be banned or restricted on the airwaves, where her incendiary rhetoric gets conservatives—and especially the GOP—into hot water. “Ms. Coulter's assertion that Jews are somehow religiously imperfect smacks of the most odious anti-Jewish sentiment,” said American Jewish Committee President Richard Sideman, calling on the networks to take steps to keep Coulter off the airwaves. Deutsch's on-air exchange with Coulter went from bad to worse. “It would be better if we were all Christian?” asked Deutsch. “Yes,” replied Coulter. Deutsch then asked Ann whether she wanted to be like “the head of Iran” and “wipe Israel off the Earth.” Coulter responded, “No, we just want Jews to be perfect, as they say . . .”

      When Ahmadinejad hosted a Holocaust deniers' conference Dec. 12, 2006, the world expressed outrage, especially German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She told the Iranian president that he did not know what he was talking about. Ahmadinejad took his message to Columbia University Sept. 25, telling the audience that the Middle East shouldn't pay for European acts during World War II, apparently accepting the Holocaust but urging Europeans to relocate Israel to the continent. When Coulter says, “we just want Jews to be perfect,” she's referring to evangelicals, though it's questionable whether her true interests go beyond target-marketing her books to Christian groups. Unlike Imus who made a regrettable faux pas, Coulter exposed her real eccentricities under Deutsch's questioning. “It would be better if we were all Christian?” Deutsch asked. “Yes,” replied Coulter, to his surprise.

      There's nothing obscene or politically inexcusable about saying the Jews require “perfecting.” But Coulter's idea of perfecting involves accepting “Jesus as Lord,” denying 50% of the world's 5-billion inhabitants that subscribe to religions other than Christianity. Network, cable and print outlets have to decide whether they want to help advertise and promote Coulter's books, knowing she's disseminating religious intolerance. “The decision to put someone like Ann Coulter is not one we would ever take lightly,” said NBC News spokeswoman Allison Gollust, questioning whether it's appropriate to ban Coulter from the airwaves. Europe has laws banning Holocaust denial, whether or not it involves free speech. Those laws protect against the extreme insensitivity and offensiveness to discussing hypotheticals—like Ahmadinejad—about the Holocausts denial.

      Racists have no place marketing their celebrity and books on public or private broadcast channels. Deutsch didn't kick Coulter off the air when she shared her eccentric views about “perfected” Jews. Asked whether her remarks were offensive, Coulter didn't hesitate to respond. “No. I'm sorry. It's not intended to be. I don't think you should take it that way, but that is what Christians consider themselves, perfected Jews . . . “ Coulter tried to elaborate but found herself trapped in her own twisted logic, shooting herself in the foot. Judging by her conversation with Deutsch, it appeared she either forgot to take her medication or actively sought early retirement from her media career. No Cornell or Michigan Law graduate could possibly believe or espouse such wacky or insensitive beliefs without knowing the repercussions. Coulter's narcissism has finally gotten the better of her.

      No matter how tightly wrapped, best-selling conservative author Ann Coulter came unglued on national TV. Deutsch exposed Coulter's main vulnerability, her narcissistic personality disorder. Her grandiosity got out of hand lecturing Jews on what they need for salvation. “Ann Coulter may be a political pundit but she clearly knows very little about religious theology and interfaith issues,” read a statement from the Anti-defamation League. “Coulter's remarks are outrageous, offensive and a throwback to the centuries-old teaching of contempt for Jews and Judaism. Coulter needs more than good damage control to rehabilitate her lost credibility. She needs urgent psychiatric help to figure out why she would trash her career by spouting-off such politically self-destructive remarks. If she truly believes what she said, it's far worse than simply a botched publicity stunt.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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