Coulter back on MSNBC -- “think[s] it's funny” to refer to Obama's middle name

Written by Andrew Walzer

Published

In an appearance on MSNBC, right-wing pundit Ann Coulter again referred to Sen. Barack Obama as “B. Hussein Obama.” When asked by host Amy Robach, “Why don't you like to say ”Barack Obama"? Coulter replied, “Because I think it's funny. I mean, it wouldn't be -- this hysteria from the Democrats about how you can't call him by his middle name. ... Of course there's a reason we call him that.”

In yet another appearance on an NBC-affiliated network, right-wing pundit Ann Coulter appeared on the March 6 broadcast of MSNBC Live to discuss presidential primaries and again referred to Sen. Barack Obama as “B. Hussein Obama.” Coulter said: “I mean, terrorism does throw things off this year, but if you assume, as I tend to, that this is going to be a Democrat year, the choice is between B. Hussein Obama and Hillary Clinton. And I do think Hillary Clinton would be tougher with the terrorists. I think she'd probably be worse on domestic policy, but right now, the war on terrorism has me more concerned.” Host Amy Robach responded, “And you say, 'B. Hussein Obama.' ... Why don't you like to say 'Barack Obama' ”? Coulter replied: “Because I think it's funny. I mean, it wouldn't be -- this hysteria from the Democrats about how you can't call him by his middle name. Well, we're calling him by his middle name precisely because it makes Democrats hysterical. Of course there's a reason we call him that.”

As Media Matters for America noted, less than 24 hours after she repeatedly referred to Obama as “B. Hussein Obama” and “President Hussein” on the February 13 edition of Fox News' Your World, Coulter appeared on the February 14 edition of MSNBC Live. During the program, MSNBC highlighted remarks Coulter made in a February 8 speech to the Young America's Foundation with on-screen text that read, “COULTER: OBAMA WOULDN'T BE RUNNING IF HE WERE NOT HALF BLACK.” Coulter referred to Obama as “B. Hussein Obama” during the speech and asserted, “His strongest selling point is that he is one of the least dangerous people I know named Hussein.” As the blog Think Progress noted, Coulter went on to say: “Other than that, Barack's really been kind of coasting on his record, since his first big accomplishment of being born half-black. I keep hearing people say, 'Oh, Obama could never be elected because he's half-black. You know, 'cause we're just such a racist country.' What are they talking about? He wouldn't be running for president if he weren't half-black. He'd be [Sen.] Dick Durbin [D-IL] with less experience.”

From the 3 p.m. ET hour of the March 6 edition of MSNBC Live:

COULTER: I don't think -- I must say, I tend not to think that the Democrats are gonna need my help. I mean, it looks to me as if it's going to be Bob Dole redux. I mean, terrorism does throw things off this year, but if you assume, as I tend to, that this is going to be a Democrat year, the choice is between B. Hussein Obama and Hillary Clinton. And I do think Hillary Clinton would be tougher with the terrorists. I think she'd probably be worse on domestic policy, but right now, the war on terrorism has me more concerned.

ROBACH: And you say, “B. Hussein Obama.”

COULTER: Yes.

ROBACH: Why don't you like to say “Barack Obama”?

COULTER: Because I think it's funny. I mean, it wouldn't be -- this hysteria from the Democrats about how you can't call him by his middle name. Well, we're calling him by his middle name precisely because it makes Democrats hysterical. Of course there's a reason we call him that.

ROBACH: All right. And it's interesting you bring up obviously the war on terror, because I was just actually reviewing your YouTube moment with Sean Hannity.