Though she acknowledged, “I haven't read the article,” right-wing pundit Ann Coulter claimed that the “elongated funhouse photo” of her on the cover of the April 25 edition of Time magazine would ease the concerns of those “worried that the influence of Fox News would start a mainstream-media lovefest with conservatives.” She continued: “For 20 years, we kept hearing, 'Oh, no, the media isn't liberal. They're not liberal. They're just trying to sell newspapers, just trying to sell newspapers.' ... apparently, Time magazine is willing to sell fewer magazines in order to run an unflattering photo of a conservative.”

Unlike Coulter, Media Matters for America did read the article, and had a somewhat different take. Far from an unflattering depiction of a conservative, the nearly 6,000-word profile of Coulter glorifies her legal work, whitewashes her habitual lies, and downplays her grossly inappropriate rhetoric.

From the April 19 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes:

COULTER: Well, liberals have nearly two years before the next election. And I think they might want to come up with something other than throwing pies and running bad photos before then. I haven't read the article. I was thinking of it, but I kind of stopped at the photo.

[...]

COULTER: My feet are the size of the Atlantic Ocean, and my head is the size of a tiny little ant. I don't think the problem is the photographer or that it's the same photographer taking the picture. I'm sure the photographer took a lot of good pictures, too.

I know the last photographer of Time magazine took a lot of good pictures. But I mean, for conservatives worried that the influence of Fox News would start a mainstream-media lovefest with conservatives, I think we don't have to worry about that.

[...]

COULTER: I wanted to go back to one point about the photo. I mean, this is -- for 20 years, we kept hearing, “Oh, no, the media isn't liberal. They're not liberal. They're just trying to sell newspapers, just trying to sell newspapers.”

Well, you know, a hundred years of Madison Avenue advertising suggests that it's not a good idea to put an elongated funhouse photo of a girl next to -- if you're trying to sell a car or toothpaste. Just a month ago, Graydon Carter, the editor of Vanity Fair, said, “No more men on the covers. We're going to put attractive photos of females.” So apparently, Time magazine is willing to sell fewer magazines in order to run an unflattering photo of a conservative.

[...]

COULTER: I had heard he [author John Cloud] was a fair reporter. Unlike you [co-host Sean Hannity], I don't have a radio show. I don't have a TV show. But, OK, I have learned my lesson.