Coulter Provokes Mixed Reaction (My encounter with her mentioned)

[Ignacio Upton]

If you want to read my account of her from last night, the thread is here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=610511&mesg_id=610511

For the record, I was the one who asked the student loans question.

Coulter provokes mixed reaction
Speaker, protestors throw comments back and forth
Scott Lieber
Posted: 3/9/06
The first disturbance came before Ann Coulter could even mutter a word.

"Racist!" one audience member screamed. "You're ugly!"

For Coulter, a right-wing bestselling author and political pundit, it was a preview for what was to come. The College Republicans pegged Coulter's visit as a speech. But before she spoke Wednesday at Goldstein Auditorium, it turned into a circus.

The audience was split about evenly between supporters and protesters. When Coulter first came onstage, half the audience sat silently while the other half gave a standing ovation.

Of course Coulter blasted Democrats and liberals. But more than anything, Coulter's visit was a study in partisan politics, not in any particular message. Quickly, her visit delved into a contest of might. Who could scream louder: the protesters or the supporters? What comment would get the most reaction: Coulter's or a jeering audience member's?

The real story was the protesters, though, as their tactics were diversely applied. Some acted silently, leaving Coulter's speech in protest. Others screamed. Others still tried discrediting her through flattery.
"How much of your success do you think is based on the fact that you're too good-looking to be a Republican?" asked David Shapiro, a sophomore television, radio and film major.
"I'm getting this from you?" Coulter responded, pointing out what she considered his slovenly appearance.

Unlike at other campus speaking events, though, Coulter rarely responded to any jeers or comments. At her Indiana University appearance, for instance, she consistently directed guards to rowdy audience members and refused to continue speaking until they were removed.

One student, who refused to give his name, consistently clapped at inappropriate times, yelled louder than Coulter and, before he was removed, began bolting out, "The Times, They Are a-Changin'" by Bob Dylan.
"Al Gore won!" someone screamed out, as a rousing applause broke out.
"No," said Coulter, in one of the few times she responded to jeers during her speech, "he didn't."

Coulter turned a few straight questions into jabs. At one point, a student asked Coulter how she can support a president who has cut student loan programs and forced SU students to pay higher interest rates."Answer the question!" came a bevy of screams from the audience.
"We've gotta get these guys down to Guantanamo!" Coulter said. "'Answer the question! Answer the question!' Well, I think you just answered it yourself - there's too many dumb people going!"

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