On the June 8 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, right-wing pundit Ann Coulter defended her attack on the widows of the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks by stating, when pressed by co-host Alan Colmes, that it is not “as obvious to me as it apparently is to you,” that, if given the opportunity, the 9-11 widows “would not give up every piece of celebrity and notoriety they have to have their husbands back,” as Colmes put it.

Coulter and Colmes were discussing Coulter's new book, Godless: The Church of Liberalism (Crown Forum, June 2006), in which she wrote of the 9-11 widows: “These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by grief-arazzis. I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much.” During the segment, Colmes asked Coulter: “Do you think, for one second, these women would not give up every piece of celebrity and notoriety they have to have their husbands back?” Coulter responded, “Oh, I don't know. At this point, to give up $2 million ... to have to go back to cooking meals and not ... appearing in Vanity Fair. They're clearly enjoying their celebrity status.”

Democratic strategist Laura Schwartz, who was also a guest on the show, interjected: “Oh, my God, what are you saying, Ann?” Colmes then again asked: “I want to be clear on this. They would not give this up to get their husbands back?” Coulter replied, “I don't know. I can't read into their hearts. But it isn't as obvious to me as it apparently is to you.”

From the June 8 edition of Fox News' Hannity & Colmes:

SCHWARTZ: Because the Republicans just seem to fight their political rhetoric versus everyday reality, and the everyday reality is that these women did not seek their celebrity status. They're not trying to hang on to 15 minutes of fame.

COULTER: They absolutely did.

COLMES: They didn't seek to be celebrities.

SCHWARTZ: Absolutely not.

COLMES: Do you think for one second, Ann --

SCHWARTZ: What? They willed their husbands to be attacked?

COULTER: Did they just trip into that Vanity Fair photo?

COLMES: Let me ask you this. Ann, do you think they -- for one second -- these women wouldn't give up whatever notoriety --

COULTER: They just woke up one day and suddenly they're on the Today show.

COLMES: Please answer my -- please answer my question.

COULTER: They didn't ask for that.

COLMES: Hold on one second. Decaf, next time. Do you think these women, for one second --

COULTER: You're saying crazy things.

COLMES: Decaf, please. Calm down. Do you think for one second, these women would not give up every piece of celebrity and notoriety they have to have their husbands back?

COULTER: Oh, I don't know. At this point, to give up $2 million --

COLMES: To have their husbands back.

COULTER: -- and to go back to cooking meals and not be --

SCHWARTZ: Oh, my God, what are you saying, Ann?

COLMES: They wouldn't do that to have their husbands back?

SCHWARTZ: These are woman, that had husbands --

COULTER: -- appearing in Vanity Fair. They're clearly enjoying their celebrity status.

COLMES: They would not give up -- I want to be clear on this. They would not give this up to get their husbands back?

COULTER: I don't know. I can't read into their hearts. But it isn't as obvious to me as it apparently is to you.

COLMES: Really?

COULTER: They're taking limos around --

SCHWARTZ: Oh, Ann, you were never in their marriages --

COLMES: You've got to be kidding me.