Ann Coulter

Although I have serious issues with Goldberg's assertion that Ann Coulter failed only as a writer, not as a person (totally aside from her incredible -invade and convert- comments, is her behavior towards the NRO not a personal failure in itself?), the reasons he gave for the break between Coulter and the NRO make sense. The article itself was written with a total lack of 'self-censorship' and 'judgement.' Then, she has the guts to claim (very publicly, I might add) she is being censored? She, as Goldberg says, clearly does not understand the meaning of the word censorship. Coulter was understandably angry (everyone was, and as she lost a personal friend, she had more reason to be than many) but her article was entirely inappropriate. Such sentiments should be kept to themselves. I personally was struck by the attack on Bill and Hilary Clinton (understand, this came before I read the even more shocking finale), it is, in my view, completely inappropriate for her to make petty, partisan, and personal comments about other politicians in an article about the deaths of thousands of Americans. Furthermore, her behavior following the article towards the NRO (as much as I dislike the publication) was equally ridiculous. How does she feel it is ok to make up (apparent) lies about her employer? Did she really expect to keep her job after that?

I believe as, you can see, that Goldberg was entirely justified in letting Ann go for a lack of professionalism but I must confess to some surprise, however, at Goldberg's reasoning. When it was first mentioned in class that Coulter had been let go after the publication of this article I immediately assumed it was because of the radical views she had expressed. Clearly, this is not the case. 'This is War' was nevertheless published by the NRO, and Coulter was let go for entirely different (although still plausible) reasons.