Right-wing pundit Ann Coulter appeared on ABC's Good Morning America on October 5, and on FOX News Channel's Hannity & Colmes the previous evening, to promote her book How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must): The World According to Ann Coulter, released October 5 by the Crown Publishing Group. During those appearances, Coulter disparaged former Democratic Senator Max Cleland as the Democrats' “designated hysteric”; claimed that Democrats have “all become jock-sniffers for war veterans” and that today's Democrats “certainly wouldn't have fought World War II”; and asserted that all Muslims whom “we haven't killed” should be converted to Christianity.
Coulter on former Democratic Senator Max Cleland (D-GA):
COULTER: As soon as he became the [Democrats'] designated hysteric [on President George W. Bush's National Guard service], liberals were lying about how he lost his limbs in Vietnam. It was not in combat. He did not win a Purple Heart. But suddenly, Democrats who thought that a draft-dodging pot smoker would make an excellent commander in chief just eight years ago, now demand military service. They've all become jock-sniffers for war veterans. [ABC, Good Morning America, 10/5/04]
Cleland lost three limbs in a grenade explosion in Vietnam. He did not receive a Purple Heart because the wounds were not a result of enemy engagement. Cleland did receive “the Bronze Star for meritorious service and Silver Star for gallantry in action” for his service in Vietnam.
Coulter on Senator John Kerry:
CHARLIE GIBSON (co-host of Good Morning America): In going through the book, John Kerry, you refer to him as a gigolo, the male Anna Nicole Smith.
COULTER: Right.
[...]
COULTER: I don't wanna hear him talk about a middle class tax cut when he has made his living, living off of rich women. I mean, it is simply a fact that he has married two heiresses, his specialty in life. I mean, if he has an economic plan, I think the one I'd like to hear about is how to snooker millionairesses into marrying me and living off them. I mean, that is not a trivial point. [ABC, Good Morning America, 10/5/04]
“They [Democrats] seem to think Kerry won the [September 30 presidential] debate because he had a better tan, he had a nice manicure." [FOX News Channel, Hannity & Colmes, 10/4/04]
Coulter on Democrats:
COULTER: They never want to fight a war to defend America. They certainly wouldn't have fought World War II. I mean, screaming about all the casualties in battle after battle, and Hitler was being contained. I mean, what is the right war at the right time? There will never be one." [FOX News Channel, Hannity & Colmes, 10/1/04]
Coulter on the widows of the September 11 terror attacks:
GIBSON: And you also refer to some of those who lost their husbands in 9-11 as McWidows.
COULTER: Right. [ABC, Good Morning America, 10/5/04]
Coulter on Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe:
GIBSON: Terry McAuliffe, the chairman of the Democratic Party, you call him a slimy weasel.
COULTER: Right. [ABC, Good Morning America, 10/5/04]
Coulter on Muslims:
Two days after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, Coulter wrote about Muslims: “We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity” (as Media Matters for America has noted). On Hannity & Colmes, Coulter reinforced those sentiments, claiming, as she does in her new book, that they are true "[n]ow more than ever":
ALAN COLMES (co-host of Hannity & Colmes): [R]ight after September 11, you said, and you know where I'm going with this, I'm often asked if I still think we should invade their countries, kill their leaders, convert them to Christianity. You say the same thing Nixon said in 1972: “Now more than ever.”
COULTER: Now more than ever.
[...]
COULTER: By Friday of 9/11, we had accomplished point one and point two. Invade their countries, killed their leaders.
[...]
COLMES: Would you like to convert these people all to Christianity?
COULTER: The ones that we haven't killed, yes.
COLMES: So no one should be Muslim. They should all be Christian?
COULTER: That would be a good start, yes.
[...]
COLMES: But you're talking about a group of extremists who misuse Islam and aren't practicing true Islam. But would you like to convert all of these countries to Christianity. Should they all become Christian nations? Because that's what your ...
COULTER: Yes, that would be terrific.
COLMES: ... remarks suggest.
COULTER: That would be terrific, yes. [FOX News Channel, Hannity & Colmes, 10/4/04]