19
2005
As is her wont, Ann Coulter threw chum in the water for Liberals and called – repeatedly -- for a "new McCarthyism" at the Conservative Political Action Committee meeting this week. And, being a Bleeding Heart West Coast Liberal educated at an East Coast university where memories of the academic and other purges created by McCarthyism were still fresh among the faculty who taught me, I should be ranting and raving.
But then Skinny Annie blew it.
Asked if Norman Mailer was a communist, Coulter said "I never cared for his plays." If you want to read a smart Liberal, she suggested, try Gore Vidal.
Let's take this from the top. Because it makes no sense. Not a lick.
First, Norman Mailer doesn't write plays. Perhaps – since she's got McCarthy on the brain – Coulter was thinking of the late Arthur Miller. His play, The Crucible is seen by many CPAC folks as a defense of communism and a fictionalization of his experience with McCarthy's House Unamerican Activities Committee.
So Skinny Annie doesn't know the difference between Norman Mailer and Arthur Miller. Clearly, then, she doesn't really know what it means to call for a "new McCarthyism." She's just blowing hot air. And while she's doing that, she's standing next to Matt Drudge, her "special guest." I'm scared.
That sort of makes Skinny Annie's reference to Gore Vidal make some kind of sense. Deep inside Skinny Annie's peroxide dye-job head some synapses are still firing. Barely. And randomly. Gore Vidal and Norman Mailer had a famous on-air TV fight on Dick Cavett's show a million years ago. It had a lot to do with Vidal's homosexuality and Mailer's, uh, insecurity. And maybe Skinny Annie was thinking of another blonde bombshell, one who was notably smarter than she is: Marilyn Monroe who married Miller and was – particularly after her death – Mailer's obscure object of desire.
Coulter's weird answer – "I never cared for his plays" -- raises yet another suspicion: Maybe Coulter's questions were posed by shills. Maybe Skinny Annie ain't so quick with the cure retort and the fast comeback; maybe she's a faker. Asked an only vaguely difficult question -- on her own work -- Coulter resorted, after a heavy pause, to ridicule. Given the nature of the question about communism and failed writers and Miller's death last weekend and Coulter's McCarthy comments, the whole thing seems rather, um, pat. Maybe the person asking the questions screwed up by asking about the wrong Marilyn-obsessed post-WWII New York-based Liberal writer. Coulter gave the "right" answer. The question was wrong.
Mr. Gannon, call your office. Not only does Skinny Annie need a shill like you – one who has his role down pat -- if you play your cards right she might introduce you to Mad Matt Drudge. I think you boys would make a cute pair of arm candy bookends for Skinny Annie to parade around town.