By Andrew L. Jaffee

If the Republican Party is hoping to capture middle America’s vote — the center of the political spectrum where most voters reside — then it is off on the wrong foot. Speaking before the 34th annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Ann Coulter called John Edwards a “faggot.” Reacting to this slur, “Audience members appeared startled, then many clapped.” Note that those attending this “conference” included Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, and Dick Cheney. At last year’s CPAC event, Ann characterized Muslims as “ragheads.” So much for civilized discussion of the issues which affect everyday Americans, like the economy, the Iraq war, and deficit spending. Coulter is a self-serving, rabble-rouser, in league with the likes of Al Sharpton, but the good news is that some Republicans have distanced themselves from her vile language.

Adults can certainly tell the difference between childish name-calling and political discourse. Coulter has proved she is not an adult.

Just what is Coulter’s point? What if Edwards were gay? Should the Log Cabin Republicans be purged from the party? Are gays not fit to hold office? What is Coulter’s stance on Ronald Reagan’s gay son, or conservative columnist Andrew Sullivan? Need I even ask these questions in a country which prides itself as a pluralistic republic?

Excuse me while I vomit, but the year is 2007. What a choice we have for the 2008 elections. The far-left is busy Jew-bashing (see here too), while the far-right is busy gay-bashing. Last November’s elections were not an endorsement of either Democrats or Republicans, as evidenced by Joe Lieberman winning Connecticut’s senate race as an independent. It was a clear signal from American voters to congress to stop all the mud-slinging and get something done.

Unfortunately, those at the top of both major parties are too concentrated on their “core” dogmas, and are missing the point. As Andrew Sullivan points out, some conservatives are denouncing Coulter — which is more than I can say for Democrats handling their anti-Semites:

Dreher lets her have it here:

Hard to imagine Russell Kirk (or Ronald Reagan, for that matter) standing before an important conservative gathering (or any gathering), and denouncing someone as a "faggot." That tells you something about the state of the Right today.

Reynolds here. Ed Morrissey here:

Bottom line: Coulter’s remark was indefensible. She had the right to say it, but that doesn’t make her right for saying it, and she deserves every bit of criticism she’s getting.

This response seems to me to capture the underlying truth:

I tend to look at someone like Ann Coulter as a barometer of the country’s general political direction. When she could make wry observations about some of the unfortunate tendencies of liberals (and their fellow travelers) and sell a million books, you knew that the conservatives were in ascendancy. When she has to call candidates rude names to get some lukewarm attention, it would seem that the liberals are on the rise.

I hope that conservatives finally repudiate Coulter for reasons other than opportunism. The issue is not that she makes other conservatives look bad; it’s that she is cynical poison for any serious political movement. Conservatism should be about expanding opportunity for all, not restricting opportunity for the already-marginalized. That it has morphed from one to the other is a sign of something deeper than cosmetics and manners. It’s time to acknowledge and deal with that.

Update 3/4/07: More Republicans have denounced Ann Coulter:

Coulter’s Friday speech raised objections from Republican presidential hopefuls Sen. John McCain of Arizona, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani as well as Democrats.

In a statement on Sunday, Romney spokesman Kevin Madden said, “It was an offensive remark. Political discourse ought to be more substantive and thoughtful.” McCain, the only contender who did not attend the event, and Giuliani called Coulter’s words inappropriate, according to the New York Times.

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Related: United States, Elections

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