Ann Coulter The “Mugged” Interview
Born in New York City on December 9, 1961, arch-conservative Ann Coulter is the author of eight New York Times bestsellers and of a nationally-syndicated column for Universal Press Syndicate.
The ever-controversial, flame-throwing firebrand has been on the cover of Time Magazine and profiled in publications like TV Guide, the Guardian, the New York Observer, National Journal, Harper's Bazaar, and Elle Magazine, too. In 2001, she was named one of the top 100 Public Intellectuals by federal judge Richard Posner.
A Connecticut native, Coulter graduated with honors from Cornell University and received her J.D. from University of Michigan Law School, where she was an editor of The Michigan Law Review. Here, she talks about her ninth book, Mugged: Racial Demagoguery from the Seventies to Obama.
Kam Williams: Hi Ann, thanks for the interview.
Ann Coulter: Thank you, Kam.
KW: I’m a fellow Cornellian, but I went there a decade ahead of you.
AC: Wow! It was such a beautiful campus. But were you there during all the
turmoil?
KW: No, I arrived the year after the famous, black student takeover with
guns that made national news. But while I was there, we did have plenty of
strikes, takeovers and demonstrations about everything from Apartheid to the
War in Vietnam. There was so much chaos on campus it seemed like finals were
cancelled every spring semester.
AC: Didn’t you people ever learn anything? [Laughs]
KW: Rather than reminisce, let me get right to the questions, since my
readers sent in more than I could ever get to.
Troy Johnson was upset by a
quote from your book where you counter Michael Moore’s Stupid White Men by
asking: “Shall we compare SAT scores, cultural contributions and
inventions?” Troy wonders whether you’re aware of all the cultural
contributions that can be traced back to Africa, including Christianity? And
are you aware that blacks tend to outperform whites from similar
socioeconomic backgrounds on standardized tests?
AC: Yes, in fact, in an early chapter of Mugged, I rely heavily on
Thomas
Sowell’s magnificent book, Black Rednecks, White Liberals. He points out
that blacks in the North perform better, academically, than whites in the
South where they did not have much of an emphasis on learning. But please
note that I’m not the one making that argument in that section about Michael
Moore. And by the way, I’m not a man. White men have done a lot. It’s silly
to write a book titled, Stupid White Men.
KW: Filmmaker Kevin Williams, director of
Fear of a Black Republican asks:
Why do you think the Republican Party doesn't reach out more to
African-Americans on its own terms today? Have you seen the documentary?
AC: No, but I’ve heard of it.
KW: It’s excellent. You figure prominently in it. So does
Michael Steele.
Kevin says he’d like to get you a copy.
AC: Oh, I would love that, and I love
Michael Steele.
KW: Kevin’s basic thesis is that the Republican Party is hurting itself by
failing to court the black vote.
AC: Oh, I don’t believe that’s true at all. Republicans have reached out so
much to black Republicans because it’s part of our tradition. Blacks have
been in this nation longer than most other Americans with the possible
exception of WASPs. The first blacks in Congress and the first black
Governor were all Republicans. It was Republicans who fought the Civil War
over slavery and who introduced the Civil Rights legislation over the next
hundred years. So, suggestions to the contrary drive Republicans like me
crazy.
KW: Marcia Evans says she agrees with your recent comment that the U.S. is
only indebted to African-Americans. What prompted that statement?
AC: I was being a little cross with a right-wing black friend for throwing
in the Hispanics and the Asians into a Jesse Jackson-type Rainbow Coalition.
No! No! Blacks have a special history, since they were enslaved and were
here as early as the first Americans. I hate to sound like a liberal but
these are facts. That makes blacks a special group and I really don’t
appreciate all these hangers on coming along. Yes, of course, black
Americans are a special group, and I’m disappointed that they’re not
Republicans, given our traditions. We’re not getting much love in return,
despite our efforts.
KW: Why do you think that’s the case?
AC: Part of the reason is that it’s really hard to be a black Republican. I
see what they go through. It’s a good little trick the entire mainstream
media has pulled by describing Republicans as “Racist! Racist! Racist!” and
then turning around and laughing at us for not having more blacks in our
party. That’s why I hope a lot of black people will read my book because I
think it will change minds.
KW: One discussion I found interesting in Mugged was where you point out
that Strom Thurmond was the only segregationist U.S. Senator to change his
affiliation from Democratic to Republican. I would’ve guessed that there had
been a wholesale flight of Southern conservatives to the Republican Party.
AC: Thurmond’s the only segregationist anyone can name. Meanwhile, the
Democratic Party had former Klansmen, members of a terrorist group that was
lynching and murdering black people. That was an outgrowth of the Democratic
Party. FDR put a Klansman [Hugo Black] on the Supreme Court, and Democrat in
good standing Bob Byrd [U.S. Senator Robert Byrd] was a recruiter for the
Klan.
KW: Nonetheless, I still have the sense that most of the Southerners who
would’ve been segregationists in the Fifties and Sixties are now in the
Republican camp.
AC: No, that’s only because liberals say this over and over and over again
to hide the actual history, which is why I go through the specifics on the
big segregationists in the United States Senate, the ones who signed the
Southern Manifesto and the ones who voted against the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
There’s a panoply of issues to consider. These were aggressively-liberal
Democrats who loooooooved big government when it came to The New Deal and
Great Society programs. The first time they objected to the Federal
government doing something was when it came to civil rights legislation.
This is in stark contrast to the very few Republicans who voted against the
’64 Civil Rights Act.
KW: Harriet Pakula Teweles asks: What do you hope will be people's reaction
to being "Mugged" by you?
AC: [LOL] I like that! Two reactions. The main point is: don’t make the
mistake, America, of voting for Barack Obama who, by the way, does not come
out of the American black experience and everything white Americans feel
guilty about. He’s a Hawaiian born in 1961. Weirdly enough, the best thing
that ever happened to black people in the last twenty or thirty years was
the O.J. verdict because it shut down the white guilt bank. And white guilt
has never led to anything good. It’s brought us spiraling crime rates,
mostly with black victims, and a permanent underclass living in public
housing projects. For years, liberals cried that “law and order” and
“welfare reform” were racist code words. Yet, when Republicans were finally
able to push through tough policies on crime and welfare which they’d
supported for decades, they were magnificent successes for the entire
country, but especially for black people. Release us, and great things will
happen!
KW: Yale grad Tommy Russell asks: Are you familiar with
Dr. Nina Jablonski
and her important work that helps debunk the myth of race? Do you feel it's
important to get past the notion of race as something that separates us, and
use our understanding of its at times painful history to move forward as a
country, civilization and world?
AC: I have not heard of her work, and I have not thought about the issue in
those terms, but I would say “Yes!” based on the way it was phrased in the
question.
KW: Tommy also asks: As a former smoker, do you feel a special kinship with
President Obama?
AC: [LOL] Yes, though I think he’s a little more uptight than most smokers.
We’re usually pretty relaxed.
KW: Why do you make the point in the book that he might have slave trader
ancestors?
AC: Because of all our presidents, Obama is the one most likely to be
descended from a slave trader, since Kenya had a major slave-trading port,
and the Muslims were heavily involved in the slave trade. Right before The
Civil War, only 8% of white people owned slaves. Some plantations would have
hundreds and hundreds of slaves, but the vast majority of whites didn’t have
any.
KW: Larry Greenberg says: When Alan Ball launched the HBO-series True Blood
with his pilot "Strange Love" episode, he mentioned right in the script that
he wanted the conservative commentator on the show to be as much like Ann
Coulter as possible. How did you feel about that and about how you are
portrayed, vis-a-vis vampires coming out of the coffin?
AC: I had no idea. I’m not familiar with show. As soon as the subject moves
to TV shows and movies, I’m a total failure. And I‘d been paying for all
those premium channels for years, but recently cancelled them, since I never
watched any of those networks. Now, I may have to get them back. As far as
True Blood, I haven’t seen my portrayals, but I could guess that I probably
wouldn’t like ‘em.
KW: Richie the intern asks: What did you think of how the cartoon The
Boondocks depicted you?
AC: I’ve at least heard of The Boondocks. But again, I have no idea how that
was done. I wouldn’t know all that I do about history, if I spent my time
watching cartoons and other TV shows. [Chuckles]
KW: Richie was also wondering what Christian denomination you are affiliated
with.
AC: I don’t really talk about it much, but I’m a Presbyterian.
KW: Ilene Proctor says: Beware the Coultergeist! She asks: Why did you
recently say that civil rights should only be limited to African-Americans?
AC: Because, historically, that’s what civil rights were. The Democrats
pretended to care about black people for about five minutes to help their
electoral process, and then civil rights suddenly became abortion on demand,
gay marriage, rights for the homeless, etcetera. Frankly, I’d be a little
ticked off if I were black that, after the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow,
everybody else wants to get to the head of the parade. Well, no! Listen, I
like white women. I am a white woman. But we didn’t go through slavery and
Jim Crow. Knock it off with this stuff!
KW: What inspired you to write this book?
AC: I was morose that the Era of Obama has returned us to a period where
everything is racist, everyone is walking on eggshells, and you get the
moral preening from white liberals who don’t actually even know any black
people. But, oh, do they love to get on their high horses and accuse
Republicans of being racist for opposing very liberal government policies
and a very liberal Democratic president. It’s an extension of the civil
rights label being slapped on gay marriage and abortion. Allow me to be
bi-partisan for a moment, and love this moment because it won’t last long.
In my last chapter, among the public officials I mention who I think are
spectacular and unaided by white guilt is the Democratic Mayor Cory Booker
of Newark. He was Mau-Maued for not being black enough. He’s been like
Giuliani in Newark. He’s got to become a Republican.
KW: Kate Newell asks: Would you consider debating Stephen Colbert ala the
upcoming face-off between John Stewart and Bill O'Reilly? What do you think
of the use of satire in getting your views across?
AC: Obviously, I’m a fan of satire. I’d debate anyone, but it would have to
be the actual person. That would be my only hesitation about debating
Colbert. If he were playing a character, it wouldn’t really work. But I’d
pretty much debate anybody. I prefer to debate smart liberals. I’m not
saying this about Stephen Colbert but, unfortunately, the most famous
liberals generally aren’t the smartest ones. I have a list of the smarter
liberals I recommend.
KW: Fellow attorney, fellow Cornellian and, in his opinion, fellow fiction
writer Peter Brav says: Where do I start? I worked really hard to come up
with a question for you, telling myself that your act is just an act, that
you might actually help my wheelchair-bound mother across the street and not
push her into traffic to help reduce the Medicare deficit, because I don't
want to risk Kam’s not making it onto your website's short list of seven
"Interviewers Who Are Allowed to Interview Ann Again.” But I just couldn't.
AC: [LOL] Read the book, Peter! You’ll come up with a lot of questions. I
don’t know why liberals find it comforting to say this is an act. If you
like saying that, okay. But it’s an act that apparently you can’t respond
to, and an act that is intellectual and well thought out enough that you
don’t have a response to, otherwise you would.
KW: Peter’s wife, Professor Janet Brav says: Since things are not going as
well as you might have hoped for Mitt Romney, with the benefit of hindsight,
whom would you have preferred to head the Republican ticket this year?
AC: No, it’s still Romney. And I don’t think things are going that badly. I
believe the media’s lying. I think it’s part of their attempted suppression
of the Republican vote to discourage them by announcing that the campaign is
over.
KW: Marcia Evans also asks: What has been your personal relationship with
blacks that qualifies you to write this book about blacks?
AC: Well, Marcia, this is why you should read the book. It is not about
black people. It is about white liberals using race and lying about race to
wreck the country. By the way, there are many black heroes in this book that
you’ve never heard of before, and it drives me crazy that there aren’t any
movies made about them.
KW: Marcia asks: How do you feel about reparations?
AC: I’m against reparations. At this point, blacks should just be handing
money to themselves. But I am an enthusiastic supporter of
Professor Henry
Louis Gates’ project to get black people admitted to the Daughters of the
American Revolution, of which I am a member. He’s done some amazing things
with DNA testing and tracing ancestry.
KW: Marcia asks: How do you feel about Bob Dylan’s recent statement that
“America was founded on the backs of slaves" and that the country would be
much further along if slavery had been ended peacefully.
AC: That’s an interesting point. I was unaware that he’d said that. I’m not
sure I disagree with his statement but, unfortunately, it wasn’t going to
end peacefully. It wasn’t going to happen. You could not get Democrats to
stop holding slaves, and America had waited long enough. It was right there
in The Declaration of Independence that the slaves would be freed. My
favorite Founding Fathers, Christians like John Adams, were absolutely
appalled by slavery, and did not own slaves. I think we’re going to have to
call on God’s grace not only for slavery, but for what we’re doing now with
abortions.
KW: You dedicated your book to “the freest black man in America.”
AC: Yes!
KW: Who is it?
AC: It’s a Cracker Jack surprise to trick everybody into reading my book.
KW: Let me guess. Is it comedian Jimmy “.J’J.” Walker? Many of my readers
mentioned rumors about the two of you being romantically linked.
AC: [LOL] Jimmy started that rumor. The little sneak.
KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?
AC: Probably, although we got to a lot of good ones on this book.
KW: The Tasha Smith question: Are you ever afraid?
AC: I’m a little afraid right now, but I think I’ll be calm by November 7th.
KW: Can you give me a good question I could call the Ann Coulter question
when I interview other celebrities?
AC: Oh, that’s a good question. The only question I’d be interested in is
what books they’ve read recently, which is part of my campaign to promote
reading.
KW: It’s already the bookworm
Troy Johnson question: What was the last book
you read?
AC: Mugged.
KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?
AC: If I’ve just had my makeup done for Fox, I see the hottest chick. [LOL]
KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?
AC: Mitt Romney as president, or for lots of people to read my book. One of
the two.
KW: What is it like to be such a controversial figure? There are so many
things you’ve said that have touched a nerve, like when you said Jews needed
to be corrected.
AC: “Perfected.” You, as a fellow Cornell grad and a fellow Christian, which
is another part of your tradition, should know that “perfected” means
“completed.” The Old Testament calls for a Messiah. You turn the page to the
New Testament, and there He is. There was nothing insulting about it. And
who really cares? It was just Donny Deutsch who wanted press for his TV
show. He screamed anti-Semitism, and I was going on vacation and didn’t
really feel the need to respond to point out how the English language works.
And boy they say Jews are smart.
KW: But that’s not the only statement that’s landed you in hot water.
AC: Usually, they’re my greatest hits and they make me happy. I give a lot
of college speeches, and usually the Young Spartacus League or the Democrats
will put up posters on campus with all the quotes they consider outrageous.
But I think they’re my best quotes. [LOL]
KW: Well, thanks for the time, Ann. I hope I get added to that short list of
reporters you’ll interview with again.
AC: Yes, I think you will, Kam. This has been a fun interview.
Related Links
Ann Coulter: The “Never Trust a Liberal over 3” Interview (November 2013)
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