On the November 4 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, right-wing pundit Ann Coulter said she “think[s] everyone watching this program needs to contribute to Michael Steele, because I think if we run him on our presidential ticket, we could get the Democrats to actually start burning crosses.” Coulter, appearing with Fox News analyst Susan Estrich, was discussing Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele's initial dismissal of controversy surrounding a fund-raiser held in July by Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., with whom Steele ran successfully in 2002, at the Elkridge Club, a country club in Baltimore that has no African-American members. Steele, who is black and a Republican, recently announced his bid for a U.S. Senate seat in 2006.

From the November 4 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes:

ALAN COLMES (co-host): Let me ask you this, Ann. Let me ask you this: One of the problems here is that Steele, Steele supported the governor going to a whites-only club, and that was one of the reasons some people are speaking out about him. And should he not have denounced it?

ESTRICH: And that's a pretty bad thing to do.

COLMES: Yeah. And he didn't denounce him.

COULTER: I just -- I think everyone --

ESTRICH: You know, I mean, what are you supposed to do when he does that?

COLMES: Ann, go ahead.

COULTER: I think everyone watching this program needs to contribute to Michael Steele, because I think if we run him on our presidential ticket, we could get the Democrats to actually start burning crosses. They're losing their minds, and this is how they are.

ESTRICH: Well, I think that's a ridiculous thing to say. I mean, I think it's really ridiculous, Ann.