April Fools: Ann Coulter falls for fake Obama NASCAR story
SUMMARY: Ann Coulter fell for a fake April Fools' Day article by Car and Driver that claimed President Obama ordered GM and Chrysler to cease their participation in NASCAR because it is an "unnecessary expenditure."
In her April 1 column, Ann Coulter fell for a fake April Fools' Day article by Car and Driver magazine that claimed that President Obama has ordered General Motors and Chrysler to cease their participation in NASCAR because it is an "unnecessary expenditure." Coulter wrote, "If Obama can tell GM and Chrysler that their participation in NASCAR is an 'unnecessary expenditure,' isn't having public schools force students to follow Muslim rituals, recite Islamic prayers and plan 'jihads' also an 'unnecessary expenditure'?" Car and Driver originally posted an April 1 story online -- since removed -- with the headline, "Obama Orders Chevrolet and Dodge Out Of NASCAR," and the text, "With their racing budgets deemed 'unnecessary expenditures,' GM and Chrysler are ordered to cease racing operations at the end of the season." However, Car and Driver later clarified that the story was an April Fools' Day joke, then removed the story from its website.
In an April 1 USA Today article, Larry Marshak reported that "Car and Driver later pulled the fake story (which estimated savings of $250 million between the manufacturers) and apologized for 'going too far' while noting the magazine 'has a proud tradition of irreverent editorial and we amplify that each year with our April Fool's Day joke.' "
According to a Live Search cache of Car and Driver's website on April 1, this is how the article originally appeared:
According to a Google cache snapshot, the article was revised to clarify that the article was a "joke." This is how the article appeared on Car and Driver's website at 11:36 a.m. ET on April 1:
Car and Driver has now replaced its article with the text: "Car and Driver has a proud tradition of irreverent editorial and we amplify that each year with our April Fools' Day joke."
While the article was later removed, a "print page" version of the article with its original text was still accessible online as of 9:36 a.m. ET on April 2. From the print page version:
From Coulter's April 1 column:
In New York City, spending on public schools increased by more than 300 percent between 1982 and 2001, coming in at $11,474 per pupil annually -- compared to about $5,000 for private schools.
But in 2003, a New York court ruled that graduates of New York City's public schools did not have the skills to be "capable of voting and serving on a jury." (Worse, some kids coming out of New York high schools are so stupid they don't even know how to get out of jury duty.)
If Obama can tell GM and Chrysler that their participation in NASCAR is an "unnecessary expenditure," isn't having public schools force students to follow Muslim rituals, recite Islamic prayers and plan "jihads" also an "unnecessary expenditure"? Are all those school condom purchases considered "necessary expenditures"?
Illegal aliens cost the American taxpayer more than $10 billion a year, net, in Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps, free school lunches, prison, school and court costs. And yet cities, counties and states across the nation are openly refusing to enforce federal immigration law against illegal aliens -- all while accepting billions of dollars of stimulus money on top of a litany of other federal payouts.
Anyone know what she means by schools endorsing jihads? I mean, I know she's crazy and stuff- just wondering what that's in reference to.
I think that she's using the good old strawman argument again, as in, she just said that stuff, and has nothing to back it up. I have not heard of, nor seen any public schools that make any students conform to Islamic practices of any sort. Not to mention, this country is still vastly Christian, and I have no idea what she's talking about.
I would have liked to have seen what the responses were on the Car and Driver website or letters to them about this story, and I'm sure they were pretty bad, as in I'm sure they were ALL on the side of NASCAR in this instance, and called for Obama to be impeached because of this, or worse.
I'm not surprised that Ms. Coulter fell for this one. She's not so smart.
Coulter probably bases her "jihad" claim on the rantings of Robert Spencer. In his book, "Stealth Jihad: How Radical Islam is Subverting America without Guns or Bombs", Spencer fantasizes that allowing Muslim students to pray in a non-disruptive manner in school is just like promoting jihad. Coulter merely provides the echo chamber for his lunacy, along with many other right-wingers.
Is there a public school somewhere that allows Muslim students to pray? If so, do all schools in the US allow Christian students to pray? Rather discuss what other people are heresaying, is it possible on this site to discuss the actual issue rather than the person?
I'm pretty sure that all schools allow Christian students to pray privately.
Coulter made the comment about jihads, so some here wanted to know what the hell she might possibly be talking about. Jimbo's explanation was a good one. What's wrong with that?
Of course all public schools allow Christian students to pray. They also allow Muslims, or Jews, or whoever else to pray. The school itself typically can't lead students in prayer, but privately all students must be allowed to follow their own religious convictions in a nondisruptive manner.
Of course, that wasn't even the "actual issue" in Coulter's column. It was a throwaway remark to be eaten up by her fans, who do not care at all that she never makes cogent remarks, just non sequitors meant to smear or demean people they don't like
COULTER: Worse, some kids coming out of New York high schools are so stupid they don't even know how to get out of jury duty.
Only poor chumps serve on juries, eh? Great lesson in civics, Ann. You're a Great American.
I am pretty sure that the only qualification you need to serve on a jury is a legal voter registration, which is why Ann probably gets out of duty on juries, mostly because she has been known to commit voter fraud.
Great minds, ML.
Clever people either lie and/or use political connections to get out of jury duty. Does that sound like something Ann Coulter would do?
As the old saying goes: "Twelve men tried and true, and otherwise unemployable."
And she's so stupid she got caught, twice, voting fraudulently.
Another great american, courtesy of Erik Erickson at redstate:
At what point do the people tell the politicians to go to hell? At what point do they get off the couch, march down to their state legislator’s house, pull him outside, and beat him to a bloody pulp for being an idiot?
At some point soon, it will happen. It’ll be over an innocuous issue. But the rage is building. It’s not a partisan issue. […] Were I in Washington State, I’d be cleaning my gun right about now waiting to protect my property from the coming riots or the government apparatchiks coming to enforce nonsensical legislation.
This was over an environmental regulation on washing detergent, BTW...
These people are getting unhinged at a faster pace than I expected. Again, those that talked about "Bush Derangement Syndrome" are getting prepared for revolution over a simple environmental regulation. preemptive war, warrantless wiretapping, outing of a covert agent, torture, rendition, holding an American citizen without charges for years, nothing to complain about. Ordinary regulation by State Government, lock and load, dude!
Let the war come. My weapons are aleready plenty clean. I'd have no problem with these idiots giving me reason to do my part to lower that 26% or whatever percentage still clings to this nonsense. It's scary to say it that way (and I'm one who woiuldn't even swat a mosquito that hadn't already bitten me) but these people ARE coming unhinged, and fast. And the violence that will ensue is almost inevitiable... and it will come from them. There was NOTHING like this in 1963. I'm just glad the secret service does a better job now then it did then. Jack Kennedy never faces anywhere near as hostile (or outright insane) a minority as this one. And they really do hate America. But they might be surprised just how many liberals truly love it, especially if they tried to take it away.
[/psycho]
That guy is from the Soviet State of Washington? I did not know that.
Why's it seem every wingnut is trying to incite violence these days?
when you can't win an argument with facts resort to violence.
If you can't dazzle 'em with brilliance.... blow their heads off.
Coulter is an idiot. Full deserving of all condemnation she gets.
I have to respond to this comment.... That nutjob Erik Erickson is from Macon, GA and immigrated (illegally I think) to Washington.... We are trying to get him deported as his brand of racism and support of domestic terrorism is definitely not welcome.
Great American and great Christian too. Isn't there something in the Bible that teaches one to be slow to speak and quick to listen, slow to anger and quick forgiveness, etc.?
Are you sure she's a Christian? Maybe she's catholic, which allows certain transgressions.
Catholicism doesn't fall under the category of Christianity?
I think only to those who don't know any different.
I don't know the difference, but that's a cross not a crucifix.
Try this again.
That thing below her Adam's apple looks like a cross.
Oh well. No photos of Ann allowed.
how about a link to the site and you can let us make up our own minds what she is wearing? Assuming free thought is allowed, concerning Ann Coulter.
I'm sorry. I can't be like that. My apologies.
photo link
So to what category of religion does Catholicism belong? I've heard this argument about Mormonism before, but I don't think I've heard it for Catholicism.
You know this conversation is about Ann Coulter, right? I responded to a statement about Ann Coulter's religion, and you are changing it into a conversation about religion in general? But, if you're having trouble distinguishing the two, go visit a Catholic priest then go visit a Christian priest and ask them.
I know what the conversation is about, you made a distinction I was curious about. Isn't a Catholic priest a type of Christian priest?
It sounds like you're creating a contrast between a Dodge Ram and a truck, and I thought maybe you could clarify that. Sorry if that offended you.
christianity means followers of christ. anyone who thinks catholics aren't christians needs to study up.
Everyone follows Christ (ex: golden rule ... well, roundhouse doesn't follow that one). It makes you Christian to do what He says ( www.ttb.org) . Like NOT adding additional books to the Bible. Like NOT relying on other gods to provide for you. Like NOT believing sexual immorality is ok under certain circumstances. Like NOT believing murdering human life is approved.
Hey, you wanted to know a couple differences, there you go. I don't make the rules I just try to follow them. So, can you answer if Ann Coulter is catholic or Christian?
"Everyone follows Christ (ex: golden rule ... well, roundhouse doesn't follow that one). It makes you Christian to do what He says ( www.ttb.org) ."
That is absolutely one of the most ignorant statements I've ever seen. Being "Christian" does not just mean doing what he says. An atheist can follow all sorts of things that Jesus said without believing that Jesus was the savior and the light. Christianity is a religious belief, not just a set of actions. Catholics believe in Jesus as the Son of God, who saved all of us. If you have evidence otherwise, I'd like to see it.
As for the "golden rule" comment:
"Do not do to others that which would anger you if others did it to you." - Socrates
"May I do to others as I would that they should do unto me." - Plato
"Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others." Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29 (Some believe the three wise men were Zoroastrian priests, so this would probably predate Christ as well).
There are many versions of this same concept, so the idea that Jesus holds some exclusive copyright on it is utterly ludicrous. Apparently Muslims and Jews are Christian as well.
"None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself." -Number 13 of Imam "Al-Nawawi's Forty Hadiths."
"What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. This is the law: all the rest is commentary." Talmud, Shabbat 31a.
It's you who is having trouble, Floyd.
Catholics and Protestants are both Christians. I suspect you meant "Protestants" when you said "Christian".
I won't hold my breath waiting for you to admit your error, and I'll ignore the likely insult if you do reply.
Because I am a Christian.
It certainly is ironic that someone, who considers herself a patriot and the rest of us traitorous scum, uses that tired old line about being "too stupid to avoid jury duty".
Jury duty is one of the few requirements for being a good citizen. And you would think that a lawyer would give it a rest, being an officer of the court.
This woman is like a chronic skin disease. She erupts and gets treated by those in the media who are doing their jobs, only to go into remission and flare up again as an angry pustule.
judges are also cracking down on trying to get out of jury duty. i've been called twice, got picked both times from very large pools. i was honored actually that both sides had agreed on me, and my job paid for the time, only about a week in both cases.
the first was a federal rico case. there were five charges, i only felt they proved three, and it was 11 to 1 when we voted on the other two. i told the others they were going to have to prove it to me, and in about two hours, they all switched over. so much for strong convictions.
the second was about a year ago, and i felt it was a better jury. the most serious charge was dui manslaughter, the guy was driving on a revoked license and ran from a cop, and killed a seventy year old man at a red light. we got the case about 5 on friday and all of us thought him guilty, but most wanted to think about it, because he was looking at serious time, [he got 36 years]. i tried every way i could to see his defense, he claimed another guy was driving, but all the evidence pointed at him. when the judge was questioning the jury pool, a couple dozen people said they couldn't be fair, including the guy sitting next to me, who already told me he was going to do that. the kicker was they all thought they were going home, and the judge said go back downstairs, they have some nice product liability trials that will last about three weeks. i tried not to smile.
What a moron she is.
My money is on the fact that she will say her very column was an "April Fools Joke" and we al need to lighten up and take a joke.
She is definitely a joke. No doubt about that.
Coulter is an April Fool.
And the other eleven months, too.
I was thinking along similar lines. Isn't this just a case of the calendar intersecting Coulter's way of life?
EASY, Well said,No one ever said that ANNTHRAX COULTER has any brains,a fact she proves every time she opens her mouth.
"Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me again, uh, that's a shame. Fool me a fourth time, that also a shame...." How did that go again?
Been kind of wondering what NASCAR is going to do if some of their favorite car companies essentially disappear.
C&D has put out some great frauds over the years.
Ann find someone who has a clue to try and share it with you.
C&D has put out some great frauds over the years.
Ann will probably now say that Car & Driver is part of the liberal media... ;>)
B Yates, a long time columnist was an intelligent conservative, usually. Occasional critism of detriot occurred. Mostly they were into cars and semirational good times in cars.
>>>>o%o)
This couldn't happen to a better person. She is so quick to spew her hate she doesn't realize the possibility of a prank. It's fantastic
This also exposes her penchant for the old Ctrl - C , Ctrl -V. She has no, nada original ideas. She is strictly a meat puppet for elite corporate interests. If regurgitating progressive talking points paid more she would be doing that in a heartbeat (some one elses heart beat obviously as she does not have one).
Now Ms. Falter's in a tough spot. Her column is still up on her website (4/2/09: 7:58 am PDT). If she takes it down she's admitting her mistake and that MM4A caught her. If she leaves it up she continues to look like the maroon she is.
There's a good chance it will simply be edited with no annotation. Although the "April Fool's Prank" excuse is also a reasonable bet...
PS: Has anyone ever seen George "Ill" Will and Ann Falter in the same room?
Well, newz. as of 12:50, it's gone. I guess she can now deny it was ever there.
I beg to differ ("Oh! A 'differ begger,' are you?" - Bugs Bunny) as of 10:15 am PDT it is still up. You have to wade through numerous paragraphs of gibberish to find it, but it is still there...
Whoa! Instad of MMFA, we do MM4A. Clever!
Yeah. Coulter is not only an idiot, but irrelevant.
"If Obama can tell GM and Chrysler that their participation in NASCAR is an 'unnecessary expenditure,' isn't having public schools force students to follow Muslim rituals, recite Islamic prayers and plan 'jihads' also an 'unnecessary expenditure'?"
Yeah! Oh wait. No! Because that has never happened. Idiot. I wonder if she'll fess up that she fell for an April Fools prank or try to pretend that she was joking as well>
"I wonder if she'll fess up that she fell for an April Fools prank or try to pretend that she was joking as well>"
I'm not sure which makes her look dumber. "I'll see your fictional story and raise you some other fictional stories." I don't get the humor there, it would just come off as not thought-out at all.
She might not do either. It's not like she holds herself accountable for what she says or anything, or like her readers really care.
No. She will say that Obama is such a crazy fascist that it's hard to tell that a joke is being made. Bank on this.
That's very plausible. That does seem like the sort of thing she would say.
Or she/he(only her hair dresser knows for sure)could claim that her real point was that Obama was against "real" NASCAR loving Americans regardless.
shaggles---I wonder if she'll fess up that she fell for an April Fools prank or try to pretend that she was joking as well
What would you say if she did fess up to being a dufus?
Isn't she one of those smarmy conservative Republicans whose always ranting about liberals being too gullible?
She's such an ignorant hypocrite. So ignorant she'll stand by her broader point that public education is bad, m'kay.
that is why i am going to bronze this isuue of media matters.
It's ironic that the only proven case of voter fraud was committed by Coulter.
Someone should invite her to a " gentlemen, start your engines " gig.
Or get her to sing the national anthem, if she knows the words.
im sure it would sound something like when you play Stairway to Heaven backwards on a record player and it speaks devil language
Hmmm....Coulter is known for her impeccable research, so I'm not sure what happened here.
LOL@that.
she will attribute that to one of her " jokes '.
Won't work this time . . . neoKKKon "humor" has to involve murder {witness her "joke" about poisoning a sitting SC Justice, Liz Trotta's "joke" about assassinating Obama and bin Laden, etc.}
Ann Coulter typing or talking: an unneccesary expenditure of energy.
And an unhealthy emission of gas into the atmosphere.
But plagiarizing and dissembling of said plagiarization is "hard work".
That 10 billion? Where did she get that? I want to see the statistics. I'll bet that's a lie without anything to back it up.
What's next? Ann Falter follows in Faux Noise's footsteps and uses as her sole source The Onion?
OK, I am not going to defend Coulter on this. However, I believe a larger point has been missed here.
It is stories like this, in the name of lighthearted comic relief, or whatever Maher and Stewart would call it, that is helping to drive our culture off the cliff. In a media world that is teetering dangerously on the brink, what we so desperately need is excellent journalist reporting and analysis. Not buffoonery that muddies the waters of the readers minds. Even if the publication is a non-news class like Car and Driver ... or Sports Illustrated if you remember the George Plimpton baseball pitcher fools story or the War of the Worlds radio spoof.
As a young reporter and page layout editor years ago, I pulled a similar joke when I assembled a Top 20 NCAA basketball poll and added our local small college team in at No. 3 in the nation. My boss beat on me for about 30 minutes but did not fire me. Had he fired me, I could not have argued with his decision. It was a dumb thing to do, and as he so poetically explained to me, an error that hurt the newspapers credibility with readers. And if you don't have credibility in the news business, he said, you have nothing in the news business.
People should be smart enough not to fall for these fun snippets, you say. But some are not. More now possibly than ever.
And in their defense, who can blame them in this day and age. Look at the newsstands, look at the Web, watch TV, turn on the radio, listen to our politicians. Who can know the truth? Seriously think about recent stories about a President that ousts the leader of a private business, gives a Prime Minister dvd movies as a gift, goes on a late night show and insults a segment of people, has most of his appointees being revealed as tax evaders, gives financial advice, pledges no earmarks and then ... all this in less than 100 days.
Whether you think these are errors or not, support these moves or not, voted for President Obama or not, surely you will allow that the news cycle coming from our government has been stuck on whirlwind mode. And at this breakneck speed, you might be able to understand why it has become so difficult to know which of these stories is fact or April Fools jokes.
More and more Americans are getting their news and the background that frames their views of the world from comics, blowhards, sitcoms, movies, music, and agenda peddlers. Please don't tell me that Media Matters is here to help. Do not claim that this story is about how Ann Coulter is leading this charge, as witnessed by her falling for the fake Car and Driver story and you are pointing this out to make it all better. Perhaps, I am too far gone to buy it.
Our culture is rapidly falling into a state where, with the aid of computer applications, we often cannot even believe what we see with our own eyes. Throw in politicians that do or say whatever it takes to remain in power, to Hell with conviction and principles or what is truly the best practice, media members that are so partisan — right, left, or otherwise — that their work can no longer be considered journalism, but soft propaganda. Or in some cases to be called falsity would actually be a compliment.
Gotcha. This is just a belated April Fools Day blog comment. I thought it would be less obvious and more effective to send on April 2. I really think Media Matters is doing a great job and really puts the fair in fair and balanced. Keep up your good work!
The only problem with this April 2 joke is that Annie baby will reprint it with the proper date but eliminate the last paragragh. I hope you aren't planning to run for office.
Besides, I really thought that your local school was #3 in the nation. But that is as silly as Penn State winning the NIT.
Nice piece.
NYC public schools are forcing their students to participate in Muslim prayer & jihad? does she just have a hat full of papers with words like "Islamist" "Condom" "Immigrants" "Jihad" and "Lesbo-fascists" written on them that she pulls out at random to write her articles, mad-libs style?
ann coulter is an april fool's day joke
This is the logical result of Annie-Christ putting herself in the proper frame of mind to believe her own pablum. All of the filters are completely gone.
annie-christ now thats funny~!
I'm going to steal that one.
Remember, this fact-free Republican apparatchik also thought that Canada sent troops to fight alongside ours in Vietnam.
Coulter/Bachmann - 2012. Just when you thought the Republican party couldn't be any dumber.
That's not surprising at all, considering her entire lack of measureable intellect. Of course she fell for it, because as usual, she doesn't look into things, or try to, oh, I don't know, use facts or research a topic to know what the hell she's talking about.
She's just like Hannity, Limbaugh and the rest of those propagandists... she hears something that upsets her imaginary vision of how she wants the country to be, and then tries to prey on people's fears by throwing out lies and made up figures to justify how "brilliant" she is when in fact all her arguments fall easily by the side of the road when countered the slightest bit.
In this case, she's even dumber than Limbaugh...
"Every professional practical joker such as myself knows: If you really want to pull something off, don’t do it on a day where people are going to immediately doubt it. It’s absolutely silly. Car and Driver has a phony page on the website saying Obama has banned Ford, Chevy, and a bunch of others from NASCAR.
Well, now, who’s going to believe this? Well, that’s not the quite proper way to ask it. All good comedy requires an element of truth in it, and obviously there are people that believe this could come down the pike. But it hasn’t yet. Run this story tomorrow, if you want to play a practical joke on people."
druidblue. you are so right about annthrax and the rest of the GOP NOISE MACHINE.
So... as usual, she's spouting nonsense.
How did she go from NASCAR and GM to Jihad, Muslim and Islamic relations in public schools? That, my friends, is a stretch that requires talent.
It a stratch to reality to think that US school childeren are being forced to say ANY kind of prayers, let alone muslim ones. That what's so stoopid about these fools. They think that becasue liberals don't want their whack-job brand of christian insanity crammed down our childeren's thorats, that we some how would be happy if it were islam. HEY ASSBAG! IF SOME SHCOOL TEACHER WAS MAKING OUR CHILDEREN SAY A MUSLIM PRAYER THE LIBERALS WOULD BE IN THE FRONT OF LINE TO STOP THAT AS WELL!!! RELIGION (OF ANY STRIPE) HAS NO PLACE, NO PLACE WHATSOEVER, IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS!!!!!
And it's scary how many otherwise rational appearing people believe this $#!+ (Coulter's), think she's not only sane, but honest and ACCURATE, and get all up in arms over it.
AMEN!!!
I truly do not mean to bad mouth the New York Public Schools system but is it possible that Ms Coulter is a product of that failed (her concept, not mine) system herself? If not, then whatever school system she attended, public or private, needs some serious work.
Sounds like she pulled her Adam's apple or soiled her black cocktail dress writing that one.
Is anyone surprised at coulter's stupidity? After reading several of man coulter's so-called columns, speaking frankly, I've never read a an actual fact in any of them.
If you listen to her screech, she does so in rapid reich wing talking points, opposite-speak, and down right lies. I have NEVER understood how she gets invites for TV, or how she lands book deals, or even that she has a column that's published in the newspaper. It's obvious coulter has no credibility with Americans with an IQ over 43, and yet she has an important soapbox from which she is able to lie, obsfucate, and spread hatred.
What will it take to knock her from our sight? When a lack of logic, and copious lies aren't enough to ruin her career, what will it take??
Ann Coulter is too stupid to pour champagne out of slipper.
The rest of that line: "If the instructions were written on the heel." Or did you mean an open slipper? :)
If ANNTHRAX COULTER were ever on a jury, the ONLY thing that would matter to her would be if the defendent were a LIBERAL or CONSERVATIVE.