In an interview on the June 8 edition of CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight, host Lou Dobbs described right-wing pundit Ann Coulter as “the opposite of [filmmaker] Michael Moore,” by which Dobbs apparently meant Moore's right-wing counterpart. Coulter responded, “I reject that. ... I think I am the right-wing [H.L.] Mencken, the right-wing Mark Twain. I am not the right-wing Michael Moore." Coulter also furthered her argument that liberals deliberately use victims of tragedies -- whom she called “human shields” -- to promote their agenda. Coulter said, "[I]f you have a point to make, send out somebody who isn't a widow, who isn't an orphan, who didn't have a son die in Iraq, who didn't lose limbs in Vietnam to make the point so that we can respond. ... You never see conservatives doing that. Liberals are putting up human shields."

Near the end of the interview, Dobbs encouraged his liberal viewers to read Coulter's new book, Godless: The Church of Liberalism (Crown Forum, June 2006), which he described as “kind of fun.” As Media Matters for America has noted, Coulter repeatedly smeared liberals in the book:

• “Environmentalists' energy plan is the repudiation of America and Christian destiny, which is Jet Skis, steak on the electric grill, hot showers, and night skiing.” [Page 7]

• “Liberalism is a comprehensive belief system denying the Christian belief in man's immortal soul.” [Page 3]

• “Liberals can believe what they want to believe, but let us not flinch from identifying liberalism as the opposition party to God.” [Page 22]

• “To a liberal, 2,200 military deaths in the entire course of a war in Iraq is unconscionable, but 1.3 million aborted babies in America every year is something to celebrate.” [Page 78]

From the June 8 edition of CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight:

DOBBS: I had people saying I should just absolutely eviscerate you here tonight and just destroy you, which really isn't my job.

COULTER: No, I think you are eviscerating, and you're doing a very good job of it.

DOBBS: Thank you very much. But, you know, the idea that the media has this reaction to you, I find fascinating because you are basically the -- forgive me -- but the opposite of Michael Moore.

COULTER: I reject that.

DOBBS: I know you do. I know you do. But I'm giving you one man's perception and possibility.

COULTER: I think I am the right-wing Mencken, the right-wing Mark Twain. I am not the right-wing Michael Moore.

DOBBS: I will let you define yourself, obviously, and I'll even entertain the possibility.

[...]

DOBBS: But do you really feel -- I'd just like to know because you're a very bright lady. We have such important issues here.

COULTER: Yes.

DOBBS: And we have to go through the attacks, and we have to go through the rancor.

COULTER: Yes. Well, there are a lot more attacks on one side than the other. And if you're describing what I say about the Jersey Girls as reducing dialogue in America, au contraire. I think it is precisely the opposite. That is my objection to what liberals are doing by sending out victims as their spokespeople. I think it's the ugliest thing liberals have done to dialogue in this country.

Yeah, there are important issues and we should discuss it. But if you have a point to make, send out somebody who isn't a widow, who isn't an orphan, who didn't have a son die in Iraq, who didn't lose limbs in Vietnam to make the point so that we can respond, because I don't want to hear when I respond, “Oh, that's mean. Oh, that's mean.” No, let's have a dialogue about the issues. You never see conservatives doing that. Liberals are putting up human shields.

DOBBS: I never see conservatives doing what?

COULTER: Putting up human shields to make our points.

[...]

DOBBS: I'm still working on the Mark Twain and the H.L. Mencken. Ann Coulter, thank you.

COULTER: You'll come around.

DOBBS: The book is Godless, and it's already number one. And if you're liberal, you ought to read it. It's kind of fun. If you're conservative, you already know what's in it. Now, have I messed up your marketing? I said it.

COULTER: No, that was fabulous.

DOBBS: OK. Ann Coulter, thanks for being here. Appreciate it.

COULTER: Thank you.