I read this piece with morbid fascination, as if I was watching the chainsaw juggler. Why do you watch that? To see if an appendage is accidentally removed.
Although hair raising, this (or any story featuring the opinion of Ms. Coulter), is not worthy of my readership nor my NYT subscription.
76
Well , I am sure Ms. Coulter has all the heath care she can use and the tax cuts that Trump & the GOP passed for the 1%ers will benefit her net income so I guess all is well with the world. That is as long as the wall gets built and Trump honors his commitment to Sheldon Adelson to be good to Israel (Adelson`s words after a person-to-person closed door vetting of Trump).
26
I find myself thinking the same thing about the NYT that I think about so often of the mainstream media: why is this vapid, racist, self-absorbed extremist given so much exposure? If, like most reasonable individuals, the people who make editorial decisions at the Times and at other thoughtful media outlets view Ann Coulter as the hateful crank that she so obviously is, why is she given so much ink and airtime? Absent that unwarranted attention, her mindless screeds wouldn't garner any readership and she would become the non-entity she rightfully ought to be.
76
Bruni: You came to prominence going after Bill Clinton for behavior like Trump’s, right?
Coulter: No, that was quite different. That’s perjury and obstruction. You can’t have a legal system if people can just take an oath and just lie. It wasn’t just the philandering.
Duh! Trump lies every time he opens his mouth. He obstructed the Russian investigation. Talk about hypocrisy.
105
I love Frank Bruni. I love his columns and his values. But why oh why did he allow himself to be taken in by Ann Coulter. Sure, he presented great counter-arguments to her "positions." But that's the problem. She has no "positions" worthy of serious discourse. She's a show-woman and a charlatan. By taking her seriously, Frank Bruni has allowed himself to be used by her and given credence to her nonsense.
Come back, Frank. All is forgiven!
36
All she can talk about is the Wall. I guess it would symbolize the racist victory of the right or something. It’s a power play. If Coulter is the best the so-called right has to offer, they’re appealing to low IQ. But then, the first thing bad regimes do is deride, banish, or kill anyone with intelligence and common sense.
24
Gee, Ann Coulter has come to the conclusion that she's been played by a career conman! What a shocker.
47
So Ann Coulter now thinks Donald Trump is a "shallow lazy ignoramus"??! Most perceptive people could have made this observation 30 years ago. Where has she been?
81
“You show me a 50-foot wall, and I’ll show you a 51-foot ladder.” — Janet Napolitano, former governor of Arizona
62
I suppose we must paraphrase Saul Lieberman, the late Professor of Talmud at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America: nonsense is nonsense, but the reporting of nonsense is journalism...
23
So apparently, Ann Coulter is so afraid of Mexico, all she wants is The Walll.
Kinda sad.
28
"If he played us for suckers...." I laughed out loud at this one. IF. Every time I've seen Ann Coulter on TV, she has been provably, factually wrong about what she claims. Every time. Why anyone listens to her is beyond me.
44
“What was great about him being a coarse vulgarian was that he didn’t care about the opinions of Manhattan sophisticates”
Wrong.
That was and still is to this day his driving force. He was well known in Manhattan as the desperate wannabe who used to phone in his exploits to the gossip columnists in some misguided efforts to ingratiate himself with the Manhattan elites. It backfired badly and to this day he’s looked down upon and laughed at by the one group he still wants to impress.
She doesn’t get him at all, does she?
37
Whenever Ann Coulter appears spewing her venom, I watch her appearance at Rob Lowe Comedy Central Roast. I laugh so hard I have trouble drinking my tea.
13
Somehow, Ann “In Trump We Trust” Coulter apparently didn't see last year what she now realises: that Trump is a “shallow, lazy ignoramus.”
Severe case of selective blindness there, Anne.
14
Coulter has to "seem" to be against Trump if she is to have any credibility as a sentient being.
Do not doubt that she is still serving her central-purpose as a distraction from all of the Real Issues.
It's all performance-art designed to divert us from the more urgent outrages of Russian interference with America, and it's deadly manipulations in the rest of the world.
She is still solidly on the side of the criminals who put Trump into office to profit from his arrogant stupidity.
17
Previous opinion confirmed: Coulter is insufferably glib and shockingly shallow. All she wants is a wall and then everything will be OK again. She can't REALLY be this dumb, can she?
Frank: you're a brave, patient man for sitting through this interview. My compliments to you.
26
People like Coulter are going to hitch their wagon to the flashiest fascist because that is how they make their living. Trump's problem, besides the fact that he is a shameless criminal, is that the people who were expecting him to get their old job back for them are going to start realizing it ain't going to happen.
15
"you play those people for suckers?" Sorry Anne, but you and those that elected Trump are learning what we in NY learned long ago as we watched Trump continually play bankers and vendors for suckers. It's why eventually he had to go to Russia for his money as we will shorty find out....
23
What nonsense. Who cares what she says? She's a publicity hound and her "disappointment" with trump is only to obtain more publicity. To even claim one thought trump had legitimate ideas he would stick to is either extremely naive or grossly opportunistic. This interview settles it.
21
I can't say my heart will break if Trump loses his supporters. The wall was a ridiculous idea to begin with, and anyone with a modicum of a brain would know that. Trump is failing,but not because of a stupid wall, but because he has no integrity, knowledge of the issues, patience, or stability. He is a failure in the complete sense; measuring him by one campaign promise that was out of whack in the first place seems just as lightweight as this presidency.
21
Coulter must have been the one to tell Trump to accept immigrants from Norway only, even if they don't want to emigrate.
She lives in Billy Joel's 'white bread world', and since I would never read her book I will probably remain ignorant as to why she hates Mexicans so much.
So Trump wants an America with just the white and wealthy dominating and preferably only the males ruling, and Coulter wants the same thing except for white females being allowed.
At least she isn't an intellectual midget so I have one plus mark I can place next to her name, but can't think of any others.
Coulter, like Trump, wants to 'rule the world'.
4
That Coulter and Trump both more accurately assessed the essential racial bigotry of a sizable segment - almost half - of our populace doesn’t mean they are anything but racists and race baiters.
14
Oh Please.. Ann Coulter.? She's the ultimate example of living in the blinkered world of privilege. Her world view is based only upon her own personal psychosis, and anything that conflicts with that..she rails against.
What's to be gained from listening to her viewpoint, its just recycled anger & elitism..which has reared its ugliness many times before. She has nothing new, useful, or interesting to say; just the selfish voice of narcissistic angst. Spare us, please...
17
There are few people I loathe more than this woman and I know I'm not alone. She's a bomb-thrower, a pot-stirrer, and she craves media attention as much as her former idol, DJT. Why does the NYT give extremists a platform? #MAGA is nothing more than dressed up white supremacy. What no one wants to tell the working class of any political stripe is that immigration is the least of their problems. Automation will kill what's left of unskilled labor (and even some mid-skill labor). They are competing for jobs with software and robots, not undocumented workers.
30
Which one is Kellyanne Conway and which is Ann Coulter again?
18
God, that was painful. This woman is so nasty and mean and bigoted that it's very hard to listen to her. I congratulate Mr. Bruni on his self restraint.
17
My first thought is this:
Why is this woman being given press by such a reputable newspaper? She has no credentials as an authority of anything other than propaganda and extremism. Her lack of professionalism is embarrassing to other women. "Attention" it's all she wants. Please don't give it to her.
17
Out of curiosity and just for the sake of argument, I decided to read Ann Coulter's latest rant/column on her web page:
http://www.anncoulter.com/columns/2018-03-28.html#read_more
Ann Coulter is, without question, a political animal. You may not like her politics, but she does understand the game and she never takes any prisoners. She is what she is.
I also figured that she was being civilized with Mr. Bruni and if Coulter is known for anything, then she is known for her over the top, dry, acerbic wit, especially when directed towards anything liberal.
This variation is more like the one that appears on Bill Maher's show, but her latest column, OMG, if this is what a real FormerTrumper is going to be like, then Ann Coulter is going to be a hoot!
It is her at her very best, only all her vitriol is now directed at Donald Trump!
Ironically, I find myself disagreeing with Coulter's assessment regarding Trump supporters. He has already demonstrated a capacity to maintain his support by just being him...whatever that is. He can blame the tooth fairy for no wall or yell fake news, MSM and deep state and his followers lapse into some kind of a fugue state.
Maybe Trump was right. Perhaps he can walk down 5th Avenue and shoot someone and his followers would not care.
As for Ann Coulter, if these kinds of columns and critiques continue, she will then be marginalized by his cult, bye bye Fox and relegated to appearances on MSNBC.
Such is the life of a FormerTrumper.
5
Coulter is a Connecticut legacy snob who opportunistically manufactures pseudo-intellectual arguments to normalize xenophobia for the gated community crowd. Her comment about Trump's "intuition" is truly risible. There is nothing remarkably intuitive about a crass Gombeen man who relies on clinical narcissism and impulse-control issues to export his staggering stupidity and unrivaled cruelty on the global stage.
Somebody needs to get the hook for these sensationalist hucksters before they mix the mortar for their precious wall of abomination.
7
Mr. Bruni, this interview can only lead to one conclusion: Coulter is an adept supporter for the worst president America has suffered. You must have had to take a long hot shower after the interview. Yikes!
8
“If he would just build the wall!” That’s it? Good lord. It all boils down to that? Something so totally stupid. And that’s why issues and facts oriented people have it so tough. It’s like talking to a Wall.
12
Ann is a shameless promoter of her own brand and that is all. She knows how to be angry and throw verbal bombs. She's discovered long ago that both sell. Either she believes her own nonsense, which is pitiful, or she doesn't, but says it anyway out of cynical self-interest. The latter is worse.
8
ChesBay to ALL voters: Beware of Ann Coulter. She's a danger to us all. she should shut up and do something productive, maybe even help her country. Card carrying member of the "worst people on earth."
12
The idea of building a southern border wall is ludicrous, a fairy tale. You might as well expect the tooth fairy to pay for it
5
Is there somebody who can explain to me why these people hate immigrants so much? Why is this issue such a big deal? Are there really vast numbers of citizens applying for jobs which go instead to illegals? All those disaffected voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin - are there lots of illegal immigrants in those states?
If you really want to make the problem go away, grant a blanket amnesty to EVERYONE currently here. Disband ICE. Then take the money saved from deportations, strengthen border security and, if it would solve something, build the stupid wall.
12
She more unhinged, and our populace is more ignorant than I thought. The fact that Ms. Coulter makes a living being Ms. Coulter is exhibit A regarding our country’s demise.
Mr. Putin you have won without firing a shot or poisoning anyone. You and Steve Bannon and Cambridge Analytica have reached deep into the primal fears and emotions of “sheeple” and exposed more toxic vitriol and divided our nation more than you both could have dreamed. Wasn’t it Bannon who said he was at heart a Leninist?
25
I have yet to see an evidence-based argument that justifies the wall.
Ms. Coulter, for her part, has given us a temper tantrum. She like the members of the Trump cult wants the wall. She like them hates (brown) immigrants. If she doesn't get her way, Mr. Trump had better watch out!
These are not valid arguments: Chants at rallies. Conspiracy theories. Racist claims (lies) that (brown) immigrants are criminals. Racist claims (lies) that white tax dollars go to lazy (brown) immigrants.
15
Her amorality is about the kindest thing I can say about her. Exhibitionist? Racist? Sensationalist? Other perceptive people commenting here might be able to come up with other descriptions. Here was a major Trump enabler now saying, "Oops, (maybe) sorry!" Monstrous?
11
In “the spirit of Holy Week,” as we’ve seen tweeted recently, why would The New York Times give a platform to another hateful self- promoter and promoter of hate? Even the low-life Fox News’ Laura Ingraham has taken leave of the stage at this holy time. Coulter and Ingraham are bookends, holding up their diatribes for the old folks who rue the day. I doubt many of them read the Times. So, my guess is we readers are not to be granted a moments peace over Passover and Easter. By the way: do the Coulters and Ingrahams of the world say, “Happy Easter!” Or, “Get out of our country!”
10
She is so yesterday.
15
Please stop depicting this as Coulter's crisis of integrity. Coulter is an entertainer. Her living depends on her keeping an audience. She isn't turning on Trump. She's anticipating that even someone rock-dumb enough to buy her books won't be an idiot forever, and she's taking a little strategic distance from The Donald on the off-chance that someone in coal country whose only books are by the likes of Coulter and Corsi and Hannity will finally wake up and see how they've been treated as useful idiots for forty years.
That awakening is already happening. It's why GOP Congressmen can't attend their own town meetings. It's why the Flakes and the Corkers aren't running for reelection.
Trump has decimated the intellectual underpinnings of Conservatism and of the GOP. Coulter can't find any authenticity to endorse or describe or stand near. It's either too crazy or not crazy enough for her. How can she capture the zeitgeist in her usual nasty snarky smartest-girl-in-class way when it's gone?
17
See how the shameless bond?
7
“shallow, lazy ignoramus.” If ever there was a case of the pot calling out the kettle, this is it. I think one qualifies as a “shallow, lazy ignoramus” if one voted for Trump to begin with. Wasn't it abundantly clear he was/is unfit for office? In any case, it's good to see the "Trump" base splintering so they can go join in a pity party on the ash heap of history.
16
Good God! Must you plaster Coulter's mug in my face? And her little boots, hair tossing, cutie smiles with micro-snarls. I hate it too when the LAT puts moving flashing video clips on my online paper. If I want video, I can go to Fox or CNN.
11
How anyone could think of Trump as anything other than a lying buffoon and utterly warped person is beyond me. How anyone can look at the wall as a solution to immigration problems in the same way that earplugs are a solution to gun violence is equally beyond me. If Ann Coulter really believes what she's saying, she's a dope. What I suspect is closer to the truth is that she's doing schtick.
13
Prediction:
Trump is the first POTUS to end up in prison after he is fired.
11
Why does anyone continue to give Coulter a public platform? I'm especially sorry to see Bruni provide her “face time” in The NY Times.
Coulter, like Trump, is self-serving. Stop giving her a public forum, and she will disappear!
13
Re comments about the wall: Schumer agreed to a deal that included funding for the wall in exchange for fixing the DACA mess that Trump himself had caused.
And then he reneged!!!!!!!!!
6
How can some people commenting here call Coulter intelligent and yet she admits she fell for Trump's "we're going to build the wall......." dreck? Really???? I wasn't aware gullibility was a sign of intelligence.
12
Bruni you look just great here---getting getting in on the sensational right wing media stuff. An interview, and with photos and video---wow---with the latest rw media sensation---with the one who grossly insulted the survivor of the Parkland shooting.
Bruni exemplifies our celebrity political culture---all about drama, conflict and personalities---the more gross the better---our daily media fare, now becoming even more exaggerated.
The pros and cons of issues and policy that affect our daily lives and will motivate voters is the last thing Bruni and other media are even interested in. Thus the 2016 election and the results we're all living with to America's shame.
What would be interesting is how Fox News got to be such a huge media monopoly, to be #1 in cable ratings, to give the crazy Coulter types such influence.
The W. Post quotes MSNBC CEO Jeff Zucker that “Fox News …has turned into state-run TV ….Tass has nothing on them, he said" re the Russian government-owned news agency.
And The US president hires Fox News GOP State media pundits for his administration to push his party line.
This is why our politics is so distorted and the rw pundits are stars in the eyes of duped Americans.
7
So, IF the wall is built, he's no longer a shallow,"lazy ignoramus"? Or being that doesn't matter to his supporters?
3
Since Trump is a professional liar, I am surprised by Coulter's disappointment. Did she really believe she could count on him?
4
All that vitriol over a wall. She is shallow.
4
Nothing could be more delightful and illuminating than watching Ann Coulter saying "Trump is failing"! That Trump's base just wants to build the wall (no matter who pays for it) and they give him a pass for his "honesty" in the Access Hollywood tape - "he's not going to lie to us!"... (and all the sexual peccadillo tapes that are still out there in cyberspace?).
You grilled her suavely, Frank. Ms. Coulter proclaimed that Trump's behaviour (re nepots like Kushner and Ivanka) is Third World - and we know what sort of "holes", Trump called Third World countries not too long ago. How great to hear those words tripping out of Coulter's former-Trumper mouth.
She's a betting woman (her words) and an alt-right nutjob. And you skewered her with "are you waiting for the wall to be resurrected?" She shouted, "disaster is ensuing" chez Trump! Kudos and Laurels, Frank, for your fine interview. Happy Easter and Good Passover to you and your inquiring camera colleagues at the Grey Lady.
6
One of the rare times that I am writing a comment without reading the article - I stopped short when the video popped up. Why does anyone give airtime to the likes of Coulter? Apart from spewing hate and venom, what is her credibility? Not all opinions need to be heard (despite the first amendment right for them to be expressed). I regret I even clicked on the link to the article.
3
Same old Coulter...why do her vapid sound bites somehow get interpreted as intellectual analysis?
5
Ann Coulter is a self promoting vacuous individual who actually isn't at all bright. She seeks the spotlight to sell books. She supports a despicable,embarrassing person.I feel she has absolutely no credibility. Please just stop,go away.
8
Is Ann Coulter part of any women's movement?
1
The fact that a well educated, politically aware human being even *wants The Wall is beyond belief, when *most immigrants cross the borders @ 30,000 feet in a Boeing.
Whereas other writers previously thought Colter "dumber" than this video indicates, I made the mistake of once thinking her inveterately *vicious, but much *smarter than the evidence of the video indicates.
How myopic, medieval, frightened and insecure must one person be to want a billion(s) dollar boondoggle that does NOTHING to increase the security of this nation,
and which would be paid for by increased taxes on the MIDDLE Class in this county ?
(No, Virginia, Mexico is *NOT going pay for this outrage
to the human capacity for critical reasoning. )
8
Anne Coulter claims Trump is "a shallow, lazy ignoramus". Sounds spot on.
2
Coulter knew, or should have known, exactly what Donald Trump was - not just a vulgarian, but an inconstant one, whose history is replete with unkept promises. And I suspect she does. Notice how she is angry, not because he is an objectively terrible person, unqualified, amoral, unhinged, and dangerously incompetent, but because he's not yet able to erect a tangible monument to the racist dog whistles she herself blows to sell books. Coulter, like Trump, thrives on attention. And not much else seems to matter to either. Right now, Coulter is betting she can get more attention by shrieking at him over the spending bill and no wall than she can by cheerleading.
45
Ann Coulter has plenty of outlets for her "thoughts." What exactly is the point of surrendering valuable NY Times real estate to her? Mr. Bruni would serve us better by reporting on the previously voiceless with some modicum of coherence to their views, right or left.
12
Nothing's changed... She's still a despicable, nasty person. A legend in her own mind. Sad.
20
Wow . . . I've played this three times. So enjoy seeing Ann Coulter in distress . . .
9
I wish nobody would give this woman one more moment of publicity. Ever.
22
While driving near Tyson’s Corner about 15 years ago, a lone protester stood along the side of the road with a sign that said, “honk if you think Ann Coulter is a b—(not very nice word)”. It was in response to her comments that the 911 widows were only in it for publicity and money. I leaned on my horn; and further, I don’t thin Ann Coulter believes in anything but publicity and money, which makes her another not-very-nice-word.
17
I doubt he read her book.
15
How could Cornell and University of Michigan Law School
produce such an unenlightened, simplistic, mean individual?
To think David Hogg was rejected from 4 colleges, and Ann Coulter is a graduate of these so called “elite” schools.
17
She's so strangely selective in the issues she chooses to care about.
18
Ann Coulter is the personification of the stereotype of the shrill, hysterical, hormonally enraged woman of the 1960's and 1970's sitcoms. I would appreciate it if she and her ilk could learn to be civilly engaged with people who might differ from her. There just might be creative common ground useful in creating a better community.
4
Geez Frank, how many photos did you promise her for this?
She is a deeply damaged person, and her politics are not thoughtfully reasoned--she's just a media darling--so how come you can deal with her and not him?
15
A, why is this person getting exposure? B, why is this person getting exposure?
17
Here is what I would like to hear:
Remember Ann Coulter?
Who?
And Coulter.
Who?
14
So, Trump is toast if he doesn't build the wall. Thank you Ms. Coulter for revealing Trump's Achille's heel. Democrats, you now know what you have to do to get rid of this ignoramus...prevent his wall from being built. Of course, this is assuming that Ms. Coulter is as right about this as she was about the last election. That's a big assumption.
7
It surprises me that someone as smart as Ann Coulter has had such trusting faith in Don the Con. She must know how he's kept afloat all these years through pure dishonesty.
7
I've been listening to this incoherent raving Coulter woman for years and believe she is just as unstable as Trump aka Donnie heel spurs, who loses voters every time he tweets. The wall is a joke. Starting WWIII is not.
11
I only wish our Founding Fathers could have met the product of their doing in the form of you and Ann Coulter. It would make the king look pretty darn good after all.
2
Coulter is nothing but a publicity monger. She always was. Like Trump, she's all about me me me
9
A woman I worked with used to go on rants about Hispanic people she encountered. I noticed she always said, "...and I bet they were illegal!"
In other words, she didn't know. She saw Hispanics, hated on them, then claimed it was because of a status she'd assigned to them.
8
Ann Coulter is as much of a menace to democracy as Trump himself.
11
The woman has made a living being an irritant...That David Hogg needs to get involved in politics.so should all those young people involved..we only need relevant ...intelligent...MORAL..opinions to matter to us....why do people like her see the light ..only when the youth of our nation speak up and cut off their financial support ???..She needs to go the way of Laura Ingram and learn....that we as a voting nation are mad..and are not going to take a moral and intellectual vacuum anymore.!!..My neighbor has finally admitted that he voted for Trump ...and has made a big mistake !! Well if you could not see the train coming ...you weren't very perceptive...should have gotten off the tracks when you could !! Who voted for this chaos !!
5
Wow, Ann Coulter is revolting. Xenophobic and proud of it. Another opportunist trying to sell books to her fringe supporters, using fear and outrage.
She's right about the nepotism, though.
9
Lets be honest here, Coulter is only angry Trump gets to cash out of the rage pyramid ahead of her.
4
Trump has no solutions for real world problems, but Coulter thinks all his ethical, moral and - worst of all - Constitutional - abuses are A-OK so long as he delivers on The Wall. She's not very smart, is she?
9
This is what counts as political debate now??
6
Her fixation with a wall demonstrates her intellectual deficiency. From what I have read, experts on border security believe there are far more effective strategies than a wall to curb undocumented entry. Coulter is about Coulter and it’s unfortunate that outside Fox propaganda and shock jocks the mainstream press gives her hateful, bombastic rants any credence.
3
Most of is who have lived awhile realize that when someone has a history of chronic lying, cheating in business and marriage, falsely accusing people and basically living in a hate filled cesspool-it no longer matters what words come out of their mouths. The words are meaningless- only designed to get what they want, when they want it and from whom they want it. So why oh why oh why is any grownup surprised when such a person doesn't attempt to be true to their word?
3
What's the problem, Annie? Isn't he being an awful president* in precisely the way you imagined he'd be?
3
I spent the morning watching C-span coverage of the hearings held in Britain on Tuesday as it pertains to Cambridge Analytic Research, Facebook and our privacy. Christopher Wylie and others explained how Facebook, other technology platforms were stealing all of identities and profiling out thoughts with advertising to supported our ideas. Creating films of brutality to force people to embrace certain thoughts. I would suggest if you haven't seen it you should, the corruption of this Trump administration along with what is going on in the rest of the world. You have to be a fool to take anything on face value again which bring me to Ms. Coulter the world has no place for hot air and she needs to look in the mirror and see it is her backward thinking and her support group of Trump and racism which is turning this country into a Facebook profile. Ms. Coulter who is very smart has been making a dollar off of every stupid statement she utters. She is just running her latest money making campaign, nothing she states is even real, just like the fake president in the white house
6
Mr Trump is "a shallow, lazy, ignoramus" how I love that! On the other hand, Ms Coulter's views on the wall are too passionate to be dismissed as lobbying, although there may be some of that. I need a reminder. Just how did Ann Coulter's ancestors get to America? On foot, by air, or off miserably and persecuted, from just another boat? Did they come because they were too entitled, too wealthy and educated in the country they emigrated from? In Europe we're spared Fox News, so we know mercifully little about Ms Coulter and her crazy ideas. One way of explaining them would be to suppose she's a Native American fearing that "criminals" will take over her ancestral lands. What a silly, heartless woman.
7
Do you really think Coulter is anymore believable than Trump?? A search for logic in her ramblings comes up empty.
4
Can we please stop calling Coutler a conservative, she is not. She, like so many of her ilk, is a reactionary with extreme right wing views that are not held by a majority of Americans. She is filled with hatred and fear. She has nothing I want to read. Or hear.
11
I have to wonder why this wall is so important when the voters should be worried about highways, bridges, diseases, pollution of the air & water, criminal behaviour of the "best & brightest" of the government. That wall will not stop illegal immigrants. Has anyone noticed that not all the surnames are Hispanic or Latino? There are illegals from Asia, Africa, Middle East, & other countries where many are Caucasian (White). What is next if the wall gets built? Blocking sea ports because illegals might sneak in on boats. The wall would not be permanent because after Trump is out of office it will not be repaired or finished. Why waste taxpayer money needed else where?!
2
The wall. The wall. What is up with that preoccupation? I don't get it.
7
"You can’t have a legal system if people can just take an oath and just lie.", says Ann Coulter about Bill Clinton. Gee, I thought Trump took an oath to defend the Constitution, but that doesn't factor in to her thinking? That man lies like breathing.
9
" ... she referred to him as a 'shallow, lazy ignoramus.' ” On that we agree, but she seems to think that if Mr. Trump builds the wall, he is no longer that. That description is pretty much a permanent character situation, regardless of any wall.
3
those favoring a wall would very likely also favor a roll back to the horse and buggy, or armored suits for errant knights. All technology from the same era.
Nice to know how these folks think. How bout contaminated water and air? .....ooops. we've got that too
Thank you for making America sink. And stink.
And keep your wall. Or build one around you own darn house.
6
It seems that Ann Coulter deserve more resepect than I've given her writing in the past, as it can't be easy simultaneously to stamp your little feetses, yell at Trump because he hasn't precisely followed your edicts, and get your alibis ready for when the whole house of sticky cards comes caterwauling down.
Poor, poor, Ann.
On the other hand, anybody who's curious about how low American pop culture has sunk need look no further. For Mencken's sake, these people are demanding to be taken as Mark Twain's peer?
Father Coughlin's and Joe Pyne's, actually. I think I'll go re-read some Molly Ivins and Carlin to get the taste of stupid out of my eyes.
8
It seems hypocritical to me that someone as ultra conservative as Ann Coulter would be laser focused on such wasteful government spending as building a wall between our country and Mexico. Trump suckered her, and now she is embarrassed. She wants the wall built to redeem herself politically as being Trump's muse and confidant. Her dislike of Trump's daughter and son-in-law smacks of jealousy, not concerns about nepotism.
6
The wall? The wall is a joke. A worthless security blanket for frightened Trumplings to cower behind. I really thought Ann Coulter was smarter than that.
3
Thank you Ann Coulter. The odds of my saying that a year ago were roughly equivalent to the odds I would vote Donald Trump to be a dog catcher. Yet here I am.
Ms. Coulter has just revealed the primary flaw with a Trumper- they somehow believed that a serial liar would not lie to them.
Now they know....They were wrong.
9
Typical Ann Coulter. Intellectually lazy and obtuse. The pictures were not necessary. So called conservatives like Ms. Coulter paved the way for Trump. They got exactly what they wanted: a Republican with enough digits to hold a pen and not intelligent enough to understand the consequences of what he is signing, the words he speaks or the actions he takes. Not to mention the corruption he has brought with him. Magical thinking from a man who doesn't understand the real world may make for an entertaining show at a rally for his fans, but what happens when we face a real-world crisis? I shudder at the thought! Trump is a detriment and a disgrace to this country. Hopefully we will not have to put up with this for much longer.
11
As an independent, I think that Trump won because he was not beholden to the establishment Republicans and the establishment Democrats and he was not an extremist leftist like Sanders and Warren or an extremist Right wing nuts like Laura Ingram or Ann Coulter. If Coulter and Ingram are going to be so fickle when Trump tries to be reasonable and accommodating when cornered. They can take a hike. Laura Ingram learned her lesson for clinging to guns and supporting the NRA stand and if Ann Coulter tries to be cute extreme right wing commentator and show no consideration for an average American, then she will meet the same fate and advertisers will pull out of their shows. The NRA cabal has to be realistic. Gun violence has resulted in just too many deaths in America. So enough is enough with gun promotion is the message from the youth and most Americans that will influence the polls not Anne or Laura. The wall is not the only ultimate solution to end illegal border crossings through our Southern borders.
5
Anne Coulter is way too smart and tough for Donald Trump. She is more Hillary Clinton and Angela Merkel than Ivanka or Melania.
1
I really wish that guy would go away. Far away.
3
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
Who knew that Lewis Carroll would be so prescient. What is even more amazing is that his warning makes no more sense than Coulters.
5
Ann Coulter understands Trump and his supporters because she has to, for her survival in her chosen occupation as a well-paid speaker for their beliefs.
She is carnival barker and, to her surprise, they keep coming to her show. Her schtick is serious psychotic
mayhem, not unlike evangelical preachers who crave the power of authoritarian governance by fear and degradation. Authority must feel safer to followers when they all come to know, together, that the "others" are always at fault. Trump could care less about a wall. But, she needs Trump to care about the wall. If Coulter can keep the hope alive, her carnival barking wins again.
3
I think Coulter is using the wall as an excuse for her abandonment of Trump. She's not a good person, in my estimation, but she's not stupid and she's not blind as to the damage Trump is doing to the United States. But instead of coming out and saying she was wrong to back Trump in a general sense, she needs to blame it on a specific betrayal so she can mitigate the damage to her own credibility, to whatever extent it existed in the first place. In any event, I'm always glad whenever a Trump supporter throws in the towel.
6
I wonder if it troubles Ann that Trump consistently hires foreign workers for his U.S. properties.
6
Ann Coulter is full of it. Like someone who buys a house without paying for of an engineer's inspection, arrogantly declaring that she knows what lies beneath, only to realize later that the roof is leaking and the foundation crumbling, and then demands her money back; her faux outrage at the man she would present as king is only believable if you haven't been paying attention. She is no more than a Fox News outcast. The fact that she would sit down for this interview shows her desperation to stay relevant. And now she would have us believe that she's smarter than her previous incarnation? Nobody is that daft. She's obviously hitched her wagon to the wrong horse....
6
Ann Coulter always reminds me (an open borders type person) how large the gulf in values is between myself and those of her ilk. Yes, we do want to "destroy America" ... your vision of what America should be, that is.
4
Despite the interviewee, I like the interviewer so read this article. What do people remember about Reagan? "Tear down this wall." We've come full circle. AC may be distasteful but the NYT does us a service by letting us pop inside the ruby red bubble she lives in.
2
Ann Coulter makes a living selling mean-girl books. Trump is still a joke.
7
Mr. Bruni - this was an quite an insight into the astonishing rationalizations that exist within Ann Coulter's mind and Donald Trump's base. The only thing I can say she really excels at is hypocrisy.
6
Frank, I disagree with giving the dumpster fire that is Ann Coulter more oxygen. These empty, barren souls live for attention (and especially from the news sources like the Times they claim to disdain). Your column inches are better spent elsewhere.
4
Ann Coulter is a self-serving, narcissistic opportunist and a bore. She found an audience and writes what they already believe and sells lots of books. If Ann is as smart as she thinks she is, and truly believes immigration is such a huge problem (it is not) then why not put your "money where your mouth is" and put your name on a ballot? Because it doesn't pay as well and you are held accountable for your actions.
Her knowledge and understanding of Trump is a bit suspect. She claims that during the election was the real Trump who wasn't afraid to court controversy. In reality, Trump knew his audience and understood they would approve and the rallies were designed to give him that instant gratification. The election process served his ego and craving for approval - and he never thought he would win so what was there to fear? Once elected, he was faced with having to go to work, and no one applauded or cheered so he continued to hold rallies in the months right after his election. He's like a toddler who learned a few phrases and got an immediate response from the group whose approval he sought. But without a foe, he is lost, so Trump created the 'fake news' enemy. Unfortunately, as President of the United States, the stakes are much higher for that type of reckless behavior. Now his words do matter. Whereas Ann Coulter's words mean nothing - but still have an impact. She probably goes home and says "can you believe they buy this garbage I say?"
4
Coulter's apparent outrage now suggests that she actually believed that the on-paper-or-in-his-mind billionaire liar and cheat would be a champion for the deplorable little guy and not the billionaires. In that case she's not very bright. If instead she is merely annoyed that Trump is now poisoning her indignation gravy train then she is not principled. Both possibilities fit very well.
2
Donnie and Ann, two insincere opportunists that deserve each other.
3
Question for Ms. Coulter: What is a wall gonna do?
2
Amazing! I find her every bit as arrogant and presuming in a 'taped' interview as she is hiding behind print.
4
Didn't she know he was lying about the wall?
5
Oh Ann, that's the thing: Trump is a con man, has never been anything but a con man, and now guess what? All you Former Trumpers have been conned. You should have listened to us.
10
IGNORAMUSES
And Ann Coulter is surprised that Trump is a “shallow, lazy ignoramus”? She has only just discovered this? It wasn't obvious to her from the start? It couldn’t have taken much more than two synapses and a minute of thought to realize what Trump was—and she couldn’t manage it? What does this say about Ann Coulter? Or all the other Trump supporters who are now “surprised” at how it is all turning out?
Perhaps the only thing worse than a Trump supporter is a former-Trump supporter—who is not angry at themselves for the stupidity of their vote but at Trump for not being Trump enough. If they started out with one synapse and only half a minute of thought they are now accelerating toward half a synapse about to disappear entirely in a final second of thought leaping wholeheartedly into the dark of utter cognitive blankness.
It’s all Putin can do to keep from exploding into laughter every time he struts to a camera.
6
"Ann Coulter: What was great about him being a coarse vulgarian was that he didn’t care about the opinions of Manhattan sophisticates"
Outside NYC, no one does. It still bothers them.
2
correction
Here is what I would like to hear:
Remember Ann Coulter?
Who?
Ann Coulter.
Who?
2
Coulter will say anything that will keep her in the news. Mr. Bruni, I'm saddened you gave her the respectable platform of your column.
3
At the rate the authoritarian Trump and his regime are going, I increasingly suspect The Wall he insists on building will soon be needed to keep Americans in (like the Berlin Wall), rather than keep Mexicans out.
It may be that Coulter doth protest too much, and is really Trump's messenger out in the media trying to exert as much pressure as possible to get that stupid wall built asap, although only Trump, Coulter, and the Trumpsters want it.
3
Sounds like forty-five isn't the only one who wants to be liked by the New York Times. She sounds so much more reasonable than she usually does. We just want a wall! "The Wall" was always a dog whistle to racists. We, wink, wink, want to keep "those people" out of our country. Same with all of the voter suppression efforts. Surprised Coulter isn't cheering about this. That is the part of his agenda that seems to be working, though she won't admit it.
3
Coulter is the Troll Queen incarnate--she more or less invented the form that now passes for political commentary on the right: saying stuff because you think it will make "liberals" or "progressives" mad. There is no basis for her positions in anything like a coherent set of political principles, which I suppose makes her more Trumplike than she might think. Its telling that her line in the sand, as it were, is Trump's failure to erect a symbol of the white nationalist fear of the "other" that Coulter has made millions exploiting.
1
So, Bruni is letting Coulter say, "No, that was quite different. That’s perjury and obstruction. You can’t have a legal system if people can just take an oath and just lie. It wasn’t just the philandering.", and get away with it. That is how she and her cohort including Trump, have gotten away with it. Lies, lies and more lies, but the Brunis of the world let it pass for a, hopefully, juicy story.
Bruni thinks he is, but he is not smart enough to debate Coulter and win. That is how the country loses.
Knowing what it knows, the NY Times should organize its Trump stories from most to least consequential to the well being of the country and lead with the most consequential. I am not holding my breath, but weeping for our country, because I know that would never happen. After all, the NYTimes is a profit-seeking enterprise, no matter how old it is or how august it sees itself. Today, profits trump country. Coulter from selling books, the NYTimes from selling cheap stories. Sad. Of course, no one will ever see these comments.
All I can think of is Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall": "We don't need noeducation; we don't need no thought control."
Skip to "All in all, we're just another brick in the wall" chorus. Maybe Trumpers DO feel like they've been had (a polite term). I know millions of us who never voted for him already do.
4
Offering civil observations concerning Ms. Coulter is a serious challenge. This individual is a professional provocateur.
It's impossible to take her seriously because there is absolutely no merit to any of her observations. The only thing they are based on is the sustained, lifelong overconsumption of a toxic brew called American exceptionalism.
Her major claim to fame - the advocacy of a wall on the border with Mexico - is an example. It's a completely hostile absurdity. What do you do about the Rio Grande River? Build a wall in the middle of the river? Build a wall on the American side and give the river to Mexico? What do you do about the mountainous areas? Ms. Coulter and her type are insane ideologues that express the declining fortunes of the American Empire and nothing more.
An 18-year old boy from Parkland fought back against her stupid insults and shut her up and shut her down for a week. Enough said. Intellectual powerhouse? I think not.
241
"If he builds the wall, he'll be the Emperor God again."
THIS is from someone who claims to be intelligent and in touch with our democracy???
Bruni is the only intelligent person in this conversation.
2
I see Coulter finally caught up to what the Never Trumpers have always known. I hope she doesn't skip the analysis as to why she couldn't figure this out before she became his number one cheerleader.
22
Just for "fun" I watched with the sound turned off after reading the interview. Look at the amount of hair tossing, coquettishness and performative faux emotion going on here. It's all a shtick designed to disguise the intellectual vapidity of what she is trying to sell. Intelligent? no. Manipulative sales job, yes.
60
You are always "betrayed' because The "Trumpers' were used by the salesman to get elected. Your demands are so unreal and outrageous that there was no way any would take place. Building a 2000 mile wall that would run thru desserts, mountains, rivers, towns? No way even if it were a reasonable plan. Fact is one of our major problems over the next 5 years are more, younger workers. Our young work force is filled with unskilled, un motivated and often addicted young folks. The Mexicans are 99% hard working, eager to learn and anxious to be good citizens. The crime rates in cities that have had over 50% increase in immigrants is decreased from 20-40%. There is no evidence that immigrants are a danger to us, there is evidence they help our economy.
27
So just what is the significance of the wall for these people?..
Wasn't it Marco Rubio who said "planes fly over walls"?.. And the vast majority of immigrants come here on planes right?
17
Tell me again ... why does she want the wall to be built?
11
"He has not been a fascist. When a court unconstitutionally says he can’t ban immigrants on the basis of national security or what’s good for the county, he complies." He has indeed been a Fascist. He has not been a dictator--yet.
15
Coulter - You’re FIRED.
There is no convincing evidence that Trump or his sycophants know that he is lying when he lies, like the other day in Ohio:
“We started building our wall. I’m so proud of it. We started. We started. We have $1.6 billion. And we’ve already started. You saw the pictures yesterday, and I said what a thing of beauty. And on September 28 we go further. And we’re gettin’ that sucker built. And you think that’s easy? People said, ‘Oh, has he given up on the wall?’ Nah, I never give up."
SHOUTS, CHEERING, CLAPPING!
He will convince his voters that the Wall is up when it isn’t. The see-through design is brilliant. I can hear him now - we keep the wall so clean that it looks invisible.
SHOUTS, CLAPPING, CHEERS!
36
Ann Coulter claims that "Manhattan sophisticates" say "Oh, no, you can’t say you want to build a wall, that’s such a gauche opinion, that’s held by the people in the outer boroughs."
Gee, I've never heard anyone in or out of Manhattan say anything like this.
Ms. Coulter couldn't be fabricating this whole cloth, could she?
18
Strange to agree with some of her thoughts. "...third-world behavior" indeed.
4
I'm really baffled as to why the wall is the be all and end all. If it got built, do they really think it would stop all illegal immigration? Currently at least 40% of the people here without current documentation originally entered the country legally. Yes, we need immigration reform. We have needed it for years. Bush tried. The Senate tried. It will not happen if people who think like Coulter can't compromise. She is correct that he could have modified his stance after the inauguration and been more bipartisan. Plenty of us hoped he wouldn't be as terrible as he was on the campaign trail. But he didn't. Now large numbers hate him and he will probably never get his wall. I hope he never gets it. It would be a disaster environmentally.
13
This is great! Nothing like seeing his die hard supporters realize they got played. Everyone gets played with Trump. No exceptions. Only Trump wins.
26
BRUNI: But let’s be adults here. Was Mexico ever going to pay for it?
COULTER: No. 1, his voters absolutely do not care.
BRUNI: He promised that as often as he promised the wall.
COULTER: I know, but it was like me giving him an A-plus. It was just a fun chant. I promise you: We want a wall, we don’t care who pays for it.
Notes to Ms. Coulter:
1. Both parts of a two-part promise must be upheld or the promise is broken.
2. Trump voters may not care who pays for the wall, but NON-Trump voters, who outnumber Trump voters by some 3 million, have no interest in funding this environmentally unsound and functionally ineffective boondoggle. (I say this as someone who believes all countries need border security, but not in the form of a wall.)
3. Why don't you and the other wall-obsessed Americans who don't mind paying for the wall themselves try a crowdfunding effort to build it. You'll find out how much people don't mind paying for it themselves when the contributions don't roll in.
4. May you please, please, please be correct that many of the voters who foisted the Fauxtus upon us are now and forever Former Trumpers.
23
Ok, so she only now recognizes that Trump is a "lazy, shallow ignoramus." She's a little slow on the uptake. But where is her expression of remorse for her role in foisting this con man on the country? Or does she think a "lazy, shallow ignoramus" is suitable for President?
And how convenient for her to insist that the only operative part of Trump's many absurd campaign promises was The Wall. But actually an integral part of The Wall promise was that it would not cost the U.S. taxpayer anything. That was part of Trump's allure. He was going to build a wall but get someone else to pay for it. "Believe me," he said.
"Trust me."
Republicans are constantly pulling this bait and switch. Trump also promised to repeal Obamacare and replace it with "cheaper, better coverage for everyone." And then, after the election, Republicans focused on repealing Obamacare, hoping that we would forget the part about replacing Obamacare with "cheaper, better coverage for everyone."
So, "if he builds the wall, he'll be (Coulter's) Emperor God again." Really? He'll no longer be "a lazy, shallow ignoramus" if he builds her wall?
21
Ann Coulter is a performance artist who used to cohabitate with Bill Maher. They are one in the same who make a living doing the same, one on the left, one on the right.
They must have some interesting conversations these days, how they've taken their "art" to new heights.
In some ways I guess, it's a trade off for American values.
They get what they want, money and fame. And America gets what it wants. A couple of flame throwers on both ends of the extreme scale. Someone high profile to speak for each.
It all evens out in the wash.
10
I couldn't get through this interview. Her media character (and perhaps her true being as well) is a delusional, angry, and hateful person who on rare occasion comes out right on a prediction. Sorry, but I will not accept my enemy's enemy as my friend.
18
There's a certain naivete to her comments about Trump that would be almost charming if she weren't so loathsome, as when she says, "He *does* listen, contrary to what people say. He said, 'You’re right, nobody else would tell me that.'"
In fact Trump is notorious for his ability to make his interlocutor feel that he is listening carefully and thoughtfully to what they are saying, then totally forget or disregard it afterward. But what he certainly does remember obsessively is if you criticize him, even implicitly.
As far as her intelligence, I would just say it is possible to be smart and also foolish and deluded at the same time.
9
Over the years she been so cartoonish about reveling in hate that some people think it must be an act, a way of achieving fame and making money. I think there's no moral difference between being filled with hate or pretending to be filled with hate. Either way, she's sinister. It's strange to think she was the soul of Trump's fascist movement.
By the way, she's just pretending to be angry at Trump in order to keep him on his chain.
20
Coulter is a one trick pony and I've never bought into her act and don't get why anybody takes her seriously. I'm not hearing a lot of facts or figures behind any of her arguments, just a lot of misplaced hostility, anger and resentment directed mostly at 'those people' just like Trump, and just like Trump she knows her intended audience well and is making a lucrative living off of them.
12
She’s not so brilliant. My wife predicted that Trump would win, and she is far left of center.
And what’s with the wall? Is it some talisman that the Trump supporters can hold up and worship? To say that building this wall would somehow change the minds of many people is just an aberration.
8
Ann Coulter is an angry empty vessel with nothin of value to add to society. She is a disruptor with a blank at the end - none of the policies she supports makes America great for Americans.
13
Like Limbaugh and other right-wing personalities, Coulter is an entertainer who needs to maintain her audience's interest. Apparently she has decided by being moreTrump than Trump she can commandeer Trump fans but she needs to play on a new theme: disillusionment. That she is using Trump's failure at getting the wall built is hilarious, because that was the most bizarre dog-whistle of his racism. But if Coulter thinks she can use it, who am I to overestimate the intelligence and the motives of Trumpers?
6
Ann Coulter seems to be an extremely unhappy person full of rage who expresses herself as a malicious, hateful bully who thrives on vitriol and snarky attacks. Therefore, her opinions hold zero credibility for me whatsoever, since it is impossible to take someone so irrational seriously. Obviously, others find her entertaining since she makes a good living with her act, but I do not appreciate her rhetoric and negativity which I believe directly contribute to the problems that our country is experiencing.
11
She could just admit that she voted for a lemon. Instead, she's insisting it could still become a Porsche. Good luck with that.
11
Amazing to think she expects us to buy her flawed logic about Trump but perhaps it is not. Trump himself has sold us obvious nonsense and lies and fully expects people to eat it and like it. Tens of millions have.
5
I think a long time ago Ann Coulter must have discovered that if she made outrageous political statements, there was an audience for them, a right wing audience. And she could make a living doing this. At some point, maybe she even began to believe the stuff she pumps out. But I just have this feeling that deep down she knows it's craziness, but she is so deeply invested in this lunacy that there is no escape. She is now living her Faustian bargain, collecting her royalties, but I wonder how she lives with herself when no one is around.
8
For God's sake, what is Anne Coulter so afraid of? Why is this wall so absolutely, singularly important to her and to her Former Trumper's? What horrific fate does she imagine the wall will "protect" us from? We have so many other issues that directly impact our economy, our society and our world. I just don't get it.
10
"Bruni: You came to prominence going after Bill Clinton for behavior like Trump’s, right?
Coulter: No, that was quite different. That’s perjury and obstruction. You can’t have a legal system if people can just take an oath and just lie. ..." -- Frank, I can understand the fascination, but: I really fail to see the good in providing so much space to someone who's entire career is based on hatred and lies, when she's attacking Trump *only* because his hatred has not remained fine-tuned to her demands, and when his lies are not the type she prefers to tell.
7
When Coulter, the epitome of conservative thought, distills her argument to, build the wall and we'll be happy campers again, it's fair to doubt the intellectual level of Trump supporters, and realize that Hillary badly underestimated the number of deplorables.
9
I don’t agree with her politically, but at least give Coulter credit for being intellectually honest in stating her true beliefs. She loathes all the illegal immigration. As do millions of Americans and legal residents.
I think this article is right on the money. The voters who voted on the issue of curbing illegal immigration are the ones who put Trump in the White House.
He got « Schumered » on the last spending bill (What a ‘deal maker’, indeed!) If Trump can’t find a way to build the wall and implement ways to curb illegal immigration within the next 18 months, he’s toast.
3
At one point in the interview, Coulter commends Trump for being a "coarse vulgarian," and at another point she refers to POTUS as "a gentleman."
That makes no sense, and, in addition, "coarse" is unneeded as an adjective, since "coarse" is a synonym for vulgar.
I would certainly agree that Trump is a "vulgarian," but think the explanation for that is his mean-spirtedness and his poor vocabulary--both shortcomings impede him from articulating his thoughts with civility and clarity.
Trump, before tweeting or speaking without a prepared text, should consider taking the the advice of Mark Twain: "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."
7
I'm delighted that Ann Coulter has become so critical of Trump. That bodes well for the defeat of Trumpism. It is astonishing to see yet again that this Wall occupies such a big space in the fantasies of the American far right. I'm glad that the Times published this conversation, but why do we need to see so many photos of her face? Sadly, publishing so many photos makes the NY Times complicit in the marketing of the Coulter brand. We don't need to see this face.
4
Why is anyone still giving this publicity-seeking person a platform?
I thought she was done!
8
There are people who voted for Trump for reasons other than a wall. And plenty of people who did not think he was going to stick the US taxpayers with the bill. I think there are people who voted for jobs, “make America great” , “drain the swamp”, and other catchy slogans by a con man. So AC thinks as long as he builds the wall, and we pay for it, Trump voters will forgive his lying, corruption, cronyism, sexism, racism, nepotism, opportunism and flagrant disregard for the law? I have faith that more Americans will turn their against this imposter for the right reasons. I surely hope so.
4
She gives me hope. She's right on.
All I can say is this. Ms. Coulter no doubt sees herself as a smart person. Perhaps she is, but why couldn't she see through Trump's fraudulence. I could. So could so many others. Now she feels betrayed? Wow. Surprise surprise... as Gomer Pyle would say.
6
Ann Coulter is perhaps the ultimate expression of contemporary conservatism: a person who is a repository of anger and hate. If Trump isn't a sufficient politician to articulate her worldview, heaven knows who is.
6
I am Mexican-American who, for my entire life, has witness my family and community experience indignation and discrimination from people like Coulter.
Why is Mr. Bruni giving a bullhorn to such a divisive personality? I cannot read this interview without feeling like I've been punched in the gut.
13
What's funny is that she sent him a copy of her book, and expected that he would actually read it. Ann, seriously, Donald Trump does not read books. He only consumes information via watching television.
4
Other than that, Ms. Coulter, how was the Trump presidency?
3
So many shallow thoughts and ideas, Coulter is scraping the bottom of Trump barrel (which certainly isn't very deep to start with).
6
The irrational fear she has of immigrants and her racial hatred, is unfortunately felt by many people.
I have plenty of family members who live in Europe, who outwardly say extremely racist things and don’t see the trouble with it. Mostly the older generation.
Plenty of those people are intelligent, but they feel perfectly comfortable being racist. It’s a world phenomenon and something that I think has always existed. If you are a racist, you will let it drive your thinking.
But there is excellent progress in the world against racism, sexism, etc. I don’t think the Ann Coulters of the world are winning. Trump is a temporary phenomenon, just like her.
I hope.
6
Republicans betrayal of trust reminds me of what the scorpion says, "It's what I do!" Yes they'll betray you and indeed all of America, but that doesn't matter as long as they win. Ask Ann about that bumbling Republican who went back on his fundamental promise, "No negotiations with terrorists of any kind!" Iran would not be where it is today without the help of the Gipper, and the Bush family. Nevertheless, she surely loves them.
As for the sorry state of America... Republicans have built so many invisible walls in America that are more effective in keeping people "out" or "in their places". These walls have a foundation comprised of the cold dispassionate hearts of the great, the powerful, the fearful, and the loudest.
Please, no more walls of any kind.
5
So the "intelligent" Ann Coulter's bottom line is the boondoggle wall, a wall that will cost billions to build and maintain and will do nothing whatsoever to stem illegal immigration. She makes lame excuses to explain the non-existent difference between Clinton's and Trump's infidelities as long as she gets her useless wall. She deserves to wallow in her anger and self pity.
5
While i don't believe Ann is a liberal I do believe most of ideology is fake. It is there only as a sounding wall of her made up outrage. Why? to make lots of money. She shares this trait with Trump
4
In the pundit business, it is a lot easier to be against someone to generate rating and interest. I am sure Colbert and Rachel Maddow, for business while applauded personally, are very happy that Trump is in office and Rush and Ann wish Hillary got elected. With Republicans controlling everything there just aren't enough high level targets so she has to attack Trump for not being an even more horrible version of himself.
2
Another one of those fleeting moments when it seems to dawn on Coulter how completely absurd she is-
Coulter: Oh, I liked his tweets.
Bruni: You were giving Donald Trump an A-plus on his presidency because you liked his tweets?
Coulter: I think so.
5
wow. so who's the bigger ignoramus - Donald Trump, who has nothing but a very consistent and predictable past of hollow statements, lies, unethical personal and business practices, and inflated and unfound sense of self-worth, or those who were ignorant enough to believe him and vote him into office?
his behavior in office was highly predictable - meaning, it would follow his behavior from the past. that this comes as some kind of surprise to those who believed in and voted for him is the truly unbelievable story herein.
to watch and hear Ann Coulter rant and rave about how betrayed she and her fellow Trump supporters feel is the height of irresponsibility.
take some responsibility for your own actions a- do your homework, thinking for yourself rather than buying party politics and media manipulations, and perhaps you won't be so easily disappointed - especially when the disappointment is so highly predictable.
4
What a strange and sad litmus test for being willing to "come home."
1
I'm trying to imagine a Trump fireside chat. FDR used them sparingly to calm anxiety and promote national unity. A Trump fireside chat would do just the opposite and anyway, Trump would never have to patience to develop one.
So instead, we're barraged with a continuous stream of furious, divisive, incoherent fireside tweets.
4
As a Canadian who has closely followed American politics for decades, it is my impression that the majority of Trump voters supported him based upon hope borne of economic, social, and political grievances, real or imagined. A vote for Trump was a vote for flushing the status quo down the toilet. I have no idea how many have lost that hope, but it appears Ms. Coulter is one of them.
1
Unbelievable that Ann Coulter is taken seriously or given a prestigious forum in which to share her opinions. She "doesn't care about the Access Hollywood tape" in which he profaned every woman in America, gave him an A+ after his first month in office and now says he's failing BUT could still come back "if he builds that wall". She's a "former Trumper" who's not really a former Trumper because "if he builds that wall...". WHAT? I'm very sorry but none of this makes any logical sense to me, this is not the thinking of a rational or serious person so basically I've come to the conclusion that, just as I've always thought, nothing she says can be taken seriously BUT everything she say in a public forum should be viewed as a THREAT to the basic rights of all Americans who still believe in fairness and decency and equality as basic rights that every human being on this planet deserve because she clearly believes that only her ignorant and malicious ilk are deserving of such rights.
5
Liberals don’t get Ann Coulter. They don’t understand why she is obsessed with illegal immigration, especially border security.
Let me explain.
Democrats are engaged in the ultimate form of “stealing” elections. They’ve moved past gerrymandering to actual demographic engineering on a national scale.
As the U.S. population aged and become more conservative, Democrats' only hope was to bring in millions of new voters by preventing the enforcement of existing immigration laws. The battle against border security and repatriation of illegal aliens, and establishment of “sanctuaries” are the core of this plan. (Of course, Koch Brother Republicans support it, because they want cheap labor.)
The first stage of the plan is to increase the population of non-voting illegal aliens, which impacts the apportionment of U.S. representatives. They’ve already gained about 5-6 seats in the House of Representatives with this tactic. This is why they are now so opposed to the Census question.
The next stage is to negotiate an amnesty for the approximately 11 million illegal aliens, getting them on a path to citizenship and voting. Their realistic hope is to turn several purple states blue and several red states purple. Once they do this, they will own the White House for a generation.
The final stage is to make sure that they can refresh their voter rolls every ten years or so, by inducing future waves of illegal immigration.
As for the wall it doesn't appear Trump is going to get his ridiculous idea of a wall. What Trump needs to do is tell the American public there are drones already guarding the borders and they are doing an excellent, precise job. It has been reported that one of them spotted a fire in the Brazilian forest and sent the government notice so they could more quickly put said fire out. Yes, we could no doubt use more drones, and considering cost of building the wall, drones are dirt cheap, effective, far superior to a wall, far superior to guards running around like insects trying to keep the now actual trickle of Mexicans crossing into our country.
4
Why does the media continue pandering to these trifling and self-entitled individuals who behave as though they alone deserve to be called Americans albeit while hiding under the moniker of Trump's GOP? This administration and the people who promote what is the currency of the corrupt and privileged one percent need to wake up and smell the coffee, perhaps even drink it. Put down the Kool-Aid, please.
5
To me, a bigger side story is her full acknowledgment and endorsement that Michael Wolff'a book has accurate facts in it.
4
Coulter is an authoritarian to the core. She wants to tell all of us what we can and cannot do, believe, eat, drive, wear.. at heart she wants to control everyone's lives.
2
Ann Coulter is a niche entertainer. Trump served her purpose when she needed him. Now, sadly, she'll have to be the nutty neighbor lady on "Roseanne".
5
Coulter is smart, wrapped in a very thick blanket of rage blended with crazy. And I suppose looking for a new base that pays for her rants.
2
I can only think of one major politician in the last 90 years who has been to the right of Trump on immigrants and persons not part of a country's primary racial demographic. Is that who you would support, Ms. Coulter?
1
The thing that bugs me about Coulter is that much like Trump, I've never seen anything she says or writes that shows the slightest shred of humanity. I suspect she has some. Trump, I know, does not.
2
This is the first time I have seen a video of Ann Coulter -- all others were still shots on the covers of her many books. So what struck me about Ann Coulter? She ought to pay attention to the roots of her hair -- they are not blond. The bracelets were nice but she did not give them full play. Her delivery is just right if you are a racist looking for a slogan. I heard her words very carefully. I don't know what she is speaking of. But then, I don't think she does either. It is the mood: the intensity of the demand -- the wall --the wall --the wall, the exasperated tone of voice, the flailing of the arms, the bobbing of the long blond hair. We are to walk away thinking we've just heard from a woman of conviction. How much money does she make for all this?
4
Says it all in the first line: Coulter thinks people were saying Trump's idea for the Wall was 'gauche' — yes, that's the ticket! Our true reason for opposing this nightmare of an idea is that it was declasse.
1
For an assessment of how intelligent Ann Coulter is, my guess is that Ann Coulter is one of financially least successful spin masters (liars) on the right.
On the other hand, she like all the rest of them could never make the money they make doing something honest.
The sad part is they are ruining our country for whatever money they make. Is it really worth ruining our country just for money?
3
Enforce existing rules of immigration and lets move on. Stop wasting money and time on trying to correct what's gone before. Let DACA stand and let's tighten up immigration WITHOUT a stupid wall.
We spend billions arguing about policies in the rearview mirror. We will do it again when Trump leaves office.
Let who's here, stay. IF arrested for violent crime and illegal, then deport. No more "Anchor babies".
And no wall. There are cheaper ways and more modern ways to patrol the border. It's no longer 1900...there are not enough jobs to support uninterrupted ILLEGAL immigration, so we have to do something.
Give the ones here automatic citizenship. They can pay into the SS system. Pay taxes. Work to support and fight for America.
No need to denigrate people who, after all for the most part, just want a better life.
3
It is really, really sad that Ann Coulter says if he builds the wall, all will be good.
How disgraceful that she has NO other thought in her head than this. I guess the environment, education, healthcare, infrastructure and the planet have no value or need for her.
This is what we have come to. Ann Coulter has always been a shallow, self-serving and craven person. It has come through as loud and clear as possible in this interview.
4
Why is Ann Coulter still relevant? Is it her brand of hate? Does she truly speak for the masses? Or is she only in it to line her pocketbook?
2
Ann Coulter, one of the more prominent of Trump's Gullibles finds out she has been played. She probably has never considered herself gullible before, but that's what she has been, a Gullible. Grifters need the gullible.
4
'“Every time I take this guy’s advice, disaster ensues?” It doesn’t seem to be hitting home. Why? Because it’s a relative.' It's not just a relative, it's Ivanka's love-of-her-life. It is clear that the love and admiration Trump lives for is Ivanka's. There is no one else he can't lose, but he can't lose her. That is clear as the crystal she drinks champagne from.
I deeply dislike Ann Coulter and my dislike spans several years. She inhabits a universe of dislikes that I reserve for individuals like Trump, McConnell, Ryan and O'Reilly when it comes to politics. She's a megaphone and scribe for the worst of America's biases.
5
How could Cornell and the University of Michigan Law School produce such an unenlightened, simplistic, mean individual?
To think that David Hogg was rejected from four colleges, and Ann Coulter is a graduate if these so called “elite” schools, makes one wonder, who works in the admission office of so many colleges?
4
This is someone who likes, craves, wants, is obsessed with, needs, and LOVES attention.
Frank, STOP giving it to her. Maybe she’ll go away.
3
$35 ladder overcomes $35 billion wall.
4
Ann is wrong, unfortunately. There is nothing trump supporters hang onto in their faith: not a wall, not a tax cut, not a military "parade." Theirs is the faith of a Scientologist, or a North Korean cheerleader, or a Mormon. The more their beliefs are shown to the light of Reason as ridiculous, the deeper they dig in, and stubborn belief BEACUSE of the clear impossibility of it all becomes the mark of a true acolyte.
For trumpsters, age cannot wither him, nor custom stale his infinite variety;
other men cloy the appetites they feed, but he makes hungry where most he satisfies.
1
Ann Coulter sounds astoundingly naive and black-and-white in this interview. As if she has never before been disappointed by a politician. As if she didn't realize that being disappointed by a politician is part of the process.
93
I guess I don't understand people like Ann Coulter, who is certainly bright enough and certainly passionate about what she believes. First, I have a hard time understanding why her and others are sooooo worked up about immigration, so much so that all the eggs in her Trump basket have ICE written on them. I can, of course, understand the logic of the issue for folks like Coulter. Based on her perception of the danger/economic impact illegal immigrants pose to our country, I understand why this is an issue of importance to her. I just don't get the intensity level--seems to be more pressing things to worry about.
But what I find most perplexing about Coulter and others like her, is the manner in which they approach issues of importance to them. It's as though the psychosis of some childhood trauma or disappointment is playing out in her very narrow views and her need to approach those who think differently than her as combatants to be destroyed. It seems to me someone as bright as her should possess the common sense to know that there are enough people that don't share her hard right views that should those views manifest as the dominant political actions of Trump's presidency, then a large number of people will feel disenfranchised--and anyone who wants the best for our country and ALL its citizens should never want large portions of the population to feel disenfranchised.
10
Note to Anne Coulter: He won’t build a wall but he’ll say he did. To him, there’s no difference.
45
People are dying in the Mediterranean fleeing war, crime, lack of opportunity, etc. in Africa. What makes Ann Coulter think that a simple wall will stop desperate Salvadorians and Hondurans from doing desperate acts, when stormy seas is no deterrent.
35
Why on earth we give people like Ms. Coulter an audience is beyond me. She is a person who spews anger, hate and xenophobism. Her opinions are rarely based on facts. Sure she's a barometer for how Trump supporters are feeling these days, but that does not give her any more credence than any other Trump supporter. Just because she writes books, speaks on Fox News and is passionate about her conservative ideals, does not make her a reasoned, thoughtful or intelligent pundit.
53
Ann Coulter's refrain seems to be "he has to build the wall"....a wall which would be an incredible cost to the budget and is unlikely to work (if stopping immigrants from Mexico is its intent). Trump has Tried to get funding for the wall and so far has failed. The bottom line is that Ms. Coulter echos the racist cant of past epochs...against new immigrants overrunning the existing culture and ethnic stock. Someone should remind her again (for the umpteenth time) that her own ancestors came here as immigrants.
25
Coulter's "Build the wall" mantra is so annoying and exhausting. It would have been more interesting if Bruni would have pressed her on why the wall was of such importance that she'd be willing to abandon trump if he doesn't make it happen.
23
Coulter's wall will make wall builders lots and lots of money for sure. She sounds like a lobbiest for the wall building industry. Truth is there has never been a wall built that could not be breached or overcome through human ingenuity. But then again Coulter is a die-hard conservative who traffics in old worn out ideas. Her agenda is clearly to make America white again. As Trump's difficulties increase and more of his people bail out he will find himself alone and without friends like Coulter. The big problem as Bruni observes is that you cannot win with just the base. Had the Russians and Comey not turned the election in favor of Trump he would have never won. Even he was surprised when he did. As the base shrinks Coulter and her ilke become less and less relevant.
18
She says that "finally a politician who won't lie to us" was her hope for Trump! Wow, given Trump's penchant for stretching the truth (i.e. "Lie") Ms. Coulter obviously had her head very deep in the sand.
38
Ann Coulter is a performance artist for white rage at soon being in the minority in this country, and fighting a vicious rear-guard action to fight it, no matter the damage to the Constitution or the nation. Her appeal is to anger, fear, and tribalism. However, if she can peel off some of Trump's supporters and turn them against him, please, have at it.
30
I really don't understand why Trump doesn't just announce that the wall has been built and that Mexico paid for it. Anyone who contradicts him is spreading fake news.
His supporters will believe anything.
66
Sorry Resistance. Ann Coulter speaks for the Trump base as much as Al Gore speaks for Planet Earth. None. Ann's a true believe who saw DJT as her personal conservative (or something) policy savior. Silly girl. Trump's supporters only care about one thing: sticking it to the political class at every opportunity. I do think DJT made a mistake by not securing more boarder wall funding in the '18 omnibus. But not for the reasons Coulter cites. His base wants to see him "winning." The game, the stakes, the arena...all irrelevant, as long as the opponent is some version of Hillary Rodham Clinton and the general political and social sensibilities she represents. Coulter is a former-Trumper party of one. She will not be missed.
6
Congrats, Mr. Bruni, you got Ann Coulter to make some fairly sane and thoughtful points. BUT, I do wish you and others would quit elevating people like Coulter by giving them titles, like "Firebrand Conservative," as if they were the thought-leaders of some sort of cogent ideology. They are not. What she and others like Alex Jones, Hannity... well, the list goes on, is a scam perpetrated on the people most vulnerable to it. It has nothing to do with Conservatism. It is a shameless exploitation and exacerbation of people's anger, paranoias, and fears to sell books and get these losers on TV. It is pure and simple greed in its most dangerous form. Please don't put it on a pedestal.
31
I don't find Coulter to be persuasive. So the "wall" is what is bringing down Trump? Maybe, but it seems like pretty shallow reasoning to me. The wall. The wall. The wall. That can't be the only thing Trump's base cares about. Of course, you can't be quoted in a national forum that Trump's bigotry and financial decisions are out of whack also and still be considered a conservative voice. So, she was careful what she said and chose the most emotional issue that is "safe." Everyone knew the wall would never be approved by Congress. She's a sham.
12
Coulter? Persuasive? Thanks for the chuckle....
1
The hair preening is ridiculous. She'd make fun of any other woman who did this, but there she is, fluff, fluff, repeat.
15
How can Ms Coulter have the audacity to state she wants to "protect people already here?"
If that was the case, how does she justify policy which destroys even common-sense environmental regulations, which will result in "people already here" dying and suffering from preventable diseases?
If that were the case, how does she justify policy designed to gut public education, proven to be the most effective means to enable "people already here" to lift themselves up?
If that were the case, how does she justify the goal to remove healthcare from tens of millions of "people already here?"
Ms. Coulter has done more to harm "people already here" than almost anyone else. Policies she supports and enables make is it clear that it's not about "protecting people already here" here in the least. Perhaps such a baseless rationalization helps her sleep at night.
36
I guess I don't get it. Why is there so much hate from the far right and far left? It seems like they hate everything about everything. Even if they finally got their way, they'd find something else to be angry about.
I just don't get this wall. Anyone with common sense knows that a wall is not going to do a thing to stop illegal immigration, drug trafficking, or any of the other things that the right thinks it will. It's just common sense. Why then do people fixate on it?
Another thing that is lost in today's society is compromise. It's become the four letter word in politics. This "it's my way or no way" attitude is what's wrong with this country today. And it's not just the right that's unwilling to compromise. It seems that way now because they are the ones with power, but when the left has power it goes the same way. More centrist thinking is what this country needs right now. That and common sense.
17
It's intriguing that the one stated tie that Coulter has to Trump is 'The Wall;' not illegal immigration, per se, which would be defensible, but an imaginary wall that will never be built, and if it would be, would not only do no good, but would damage those states in which it was built. One has to guess that the issue is psychological, rather than political. Who are the Boogeymen that Trump and Coulter want to be protected from? Certainly not Mexicans and other Latinos coming to the U.S. for a better life, and who, statistically, do much more good than harm. One can't help but wonder what traumas way back in time made them feel the need to wall themselves from others, instead of coping with the root causes of their individual fears and anxieties.
29
Seriously, Ann Coulter didn’t know that all Donald Trump cares about is being liked? He’s a former reality TV show host, for God’s sake. Of course that’s all he cares about. That’s why if the Democrats take back the House and especially if they take back the Senate as well, Donald Trump will become their best friend. He’ll turn his back on his base in a second to ingratiate himself to them and get the applause. That’s all he’s ever cared about. It’s all about his ego. Always has been-always will be.
15
A quick cruise through the comments suggests that readers are upset by Ann Coulter. I think it's worth saying, as commentor G. James said, that Frank wrote a great column. Yes, it does have a bit of a tabloid feel (see commentor Kathy White), but it is fascinating anyways that Coulter and Bruni found their very different interests mutually served by this interview. And it had a nice pacing, sort of like the way Brett Stephens and Gail Collins interact. Bottom line, anytime I hear about Trump losing support, I gain a little hope.
12
Coulter proves, once more, that a mind is a terrible thing to waste.
Her logic is nonsensical, her divisiveness an indication that stoking fear is far more profitable than the hard work of helping solve the wicked problems we face at all scales.
Building the wall won't prevent illegal immigration, nor will it resolve the true causes that people risk their lives to cross uncompromising terrain for a better life.
I could support her demand that political leaders direct attention and efforts to the topics we typically lack the discipline and constitution to face. But she acquiesces true critical faculties in support of ignorant platitudes; her own demands are themselves half-hearted, given her desire to build the wall as but one-half of a fulfilled promise that fails to encroach the assertion our tax dollars wouldn't be needed in its construction.
Shamefully, she uses her position for only critique and self-grandeur.
12
Trump ran as a populist. He is ruling as a plutocrat.
Is anyone surprised. That's how Republicans win elections. First they appeal to Republicans who are not rich. If they are elected they reward their contributors in the Republican donor class.
The donor class likes immigrants because they depress wages. They also like tax cuts for the rich.
21
The numbers in his base seem to be holding steady. Not enough former trumpers yet.
2
I agree with most of the comments highlighting Coulter narrow mind, bigotry and concomitant absurd whim for a wall that only in their fantasy would serve any purpose.
But there is a point that is to be taken into consideration, the corruption on the US border side.
As an Anthropologist studying the problem I know that at this moment it costs 9000 USD for an illegal to be crossed to the US, and part of that money goes to the officers that on the US side allow people to cross at certain hours. It´s all a big business, also for those that hire that work force to perform tasks that very, very few US citizens would like to do.
Wouldn´t it just be easier to have all this properly organized so that foreign workers could go to the US and work for some months, and then go back to their countries with more resources.
If going back and forth the US in order to work was allowed, a majority of now illegals would happily return to their places of origin with the pockets full, instead of risking their lives every time they cross, and causing the US an array of problems.
But if they pay 9000 USD to cross, then people of course will try to stay in the US as long as possible, to first make the money to pay back that amount (usually a loan from the US contractor or the people that carries out the crossing).
If so many immigrants do find work, it´s because they are needed in the US... Wouldn´t it just be smarter to organize it properly and do things right?
22
Way too much common sense.
2
Say we do build the wall. What happens if it has no effect on employment/joblessness, the opioid crisis, immigration and the economy? Are Trump voters still with him then?
9
They'll come up with a lie to explain the unflattering stats. Or, more likely, call them fake news.
1
This fixation on a wall seems unintelligent. It is not buildable at all in most of the border region for many reasons. In the places where there is a wall it doesn't seem to work well. Stopping illegal immigration should be possible by enforcing laws against employers of illegals, doing something useful about the nation's drug addiction, and helping Central American countries with their chronic low employment and poverty. The rest of the Trump promises are mean-spirited and counter productive so let us not fulfill them.
14
Is it even true that Coulter represents a large enough group of people who demand a wall that it would make a difference? I think she's trying to drum up support for her position by telling people who don't really care that much that they're being betrayed.
3
One more "Wall" point. Major growers in California's Central Valley agricultural districts supported Trump bigly. Then, when harvest and planting time arrived, began wondering, "where we gonna get our seasonal labor force?"
Tell me how many native born American citizens are chomping at the bit to work 12 hour days in 90 degree heat for low pay. Duh.
Didn't think that one all they way through. Now there's back peddling from these same trumpers. Kinda like who's gonna work the kitchen and grounds crew at Mar A Lago (or as I like to say, CON A LargO)
Just sayin...
15
He built the wall, between my friends, neighbors, colleagues , family, proud of that?
20
Dear Ann Coulter
The wall won’t fix anything when people arrive on a plane and overstay
The wall won’t fix the trucks filled with people that go unchecked at the border
The wall won’t fix or punish employers who hire the undocumented because there are no punishments for employers
The wall won’t fix Landlords that house the undocumented because there are no laws against housing the undocumented
The wall won’t fix a problem that republican donors really don’t want to fix.
16
I'm curious why Mr. Bruni did not ask Ann Coulter why she thinks a wall would work as a practical matter. That's a lot of money to spend on a symbolic gesture!
11
The problem never was Trump, an impish buffoon who is unfit to serve as President of the United States.
The problem is his base -- mostly addled racists whose principal political passion is expressing contempt for vulnerable minorities who, despite the odds, make enormous contributions to our society.
It is this base whom Republican candidates must rally in order to gain office. They lurch from one bogeyman to the next, forever angry and rancorous. To win their vote, each Republican candidate must vie with the others to denounce and punish the bogeyman du jour. Usually the bogeyman is a marginalized minority.
From Nixon onward, the Republicans made an evil Faustian bargain that might be the ruin of our nation. They wished to win office in order to promote a narrow plutocrat's agenda, which is popular only with a tiny constituency -- plutocrats.
To gain votes for their unpopular plutocrats' agenda, Republicans began to make appeals to the George Wallace crowd, using dog-whistles to rile them up with racism and other insensate wedge issues. The aim was to gain this crowd's vote.
But Republicans underestimated this crowd, and they have taken over the Republican Party. They are not a majority, but, alas, they are numerous and predominate in certain areas.
When they are done with Trump, they will find someone far worse, perhaps someone like Ann Coulter.
That is our problem. Germany had a similar one in the 1930s, and it didn't turn out so well for them.
18
My second favorite wish is to see her and Trump married, and forced to live in the same room. Just saying.
14
What motivates Ms. Coulter? Ms. Coulter is angry and stands for nothing but herself. Stirring things up and making money off it is what she does with her anger. Whatever get's her attention and serves her interests like so many of Trump appointments.
14
I am not a fan of Ms. Coulter but I'm glad Bruni interviewed her. To make America whole again, we need more respectful dialogue between opposite sides. I am so tired of all the ranting across the fences. That said, we have a president who likes ranting, enjoys chaos, and tweets insults to those who don't agree with him, so I doubt this will ever happen.
12
I don't agree with Ann Coulter's rhetoric on immigrants. Her voice is one of the many that have turned immigration into such a divisive issue fraught with anger, fear and loathing where it has become difficult to have a rational conversation.
I find it appalling that she doesn't believe the women who have come forward about Trump and believes that he is "in bed by 9:00 with a cheeseburger." I wonder how she accounts for his words on the Access Hollywood tape? In my opinion, she is a woman who has a tendency to give men a pass and does not believe, or support, other women
21
Ann is of course, correct in saying that the wall was a major campaign promise repeated over and over to cheering crowds. But he also promised, over and over, that Mexico would pay for, that the US would not have to pay one dime. And she may be correct that his supporters don't care who pays for it, but these supporters are a small percentage of eligible voters who can be beaten if their opponents would just get out and vote.
16
It's amazing to think that Ann Coulter has more influence over Donald Trump than millions and millions of voters.
11
Coulter and Trump are indeed fellow travelers. Both trade in extremely simplistic expressions of views tinged heavily with biased, nationalistic impulse. Their followers are never taxed with nuanced, critical thinking. It all seems so simple when they talk about the issues. It has been a winning formula so far for both of them. But every pendulum swings in two directions. What will be the inflection point for the Trump administration? As for Coulter, well, really, who cares?
29
I'm not convinced that Trump's base cares as much about the wall as Coulter does. All he has to do is argue that Congress continues to tie his hands, and he needs more people elected who will rally to his cause. That seems to be enough to satisfy his supporters. Ms. Coulter fails to realize that Trump's success is based on an emotional appeal and sales pitch that he is the only candidate who really understands them and believes in them. The whole national circus seems to be an exercise in a mutual narcissism based on the cult of personality. The biggest tip off is that nobody ever defines what it means to make America great again. When exactly was that mythic time?
22
Oddly. I found her coherent. I've looked at her books and read a few quotes and thought she was just psychotically right wing. Which she probably is, but at least she was able to state rationally what's important to her without dropping into invective. I'm against the wall, but now I know this is really a big, big deal to some of the Trump supporters.
6
The Wall is a symbol. The way to stop illegal immigration is to make sure they cant work, which would mean an easy and effective way to check citizenship (a national ID that would be difficult to counterfeit) and enforced fines and other punishments for anyone who hired an illegal immigrant. Both are necessary; people cannot be punished for hiring illegals if they can successfully pretend they did not know, and our ineffective ID system allows this.
Under the Donald's system, our illegals will have to sneak in by overstaying visas, and will be tortured by the insecurity of their lives because of potential deportation. They will remain, however, a source of cheap and abusable labor for Mar-a-Largo and other places.
15
My sense is that Ms Coulter (or in her world should it be Miss?) has carved out a career for herself by a lot of smart remarks and high falutin' insider gossip which purports to be insights into the truth of things. I wonder what she really believes in, in her heart of hearts other than her enjoyment of stirring things up and in so doing wielding an amazing power with her command of words. The comments about her intelligence or lack thereof really don't get to the real Ann whose fame and fortune are based on a politicized persona a la Hedda Hopper, but this time it's politicians not movie stars. And her ability to sway peoples minds and opinions is --- scary.
15
"What the hell does Donald Trump believe in?" Ms. Coulter didn't answer. A "MAGA agenda? A campaign slogan?
There are areas I can carefully elicit from her comments to agree with: e.g., Immigration has to be a bipartisan effort to avoid even greater rifts in the country. Nepotism smells bad to most Americans, and Jared and Ivanka are guests who've stay so long, they can't detect the rank odor and have begone to believe they own the property.
BUT The wall is a cartoon solution useful to rally the base at campaign rallies, a Wile E Coyote approach to border control.
Coulter seems to have carefully considered when it is okay to lie: not if you are under oath and likely to get caught. Got it. Maybe she could be Communications Director.
18
Wall or no wall, there needs to be something done that prevents illegal immigrants from crossing into our country. President Trump is sitting in the White House today because he promised citizens that he would stop those from coming here illegally. Most Americans agree with President Trump that we have a problem and it must be resolved.
Americans are not against immigrants coming to our country but they must come here legally and follow our laws. We are a country of immigrants and laws. Ann Coulter is frustrated that the wall has not been built but what is more important is stopping the influx of illegals into our country. Maybe she could serve our president better by helping him achieve his goal and supporting him in his endeavors. He is trying to deliver on his promise but it has not been easy with the roadblocks that have been put in his way. We must stand together and support him on this position.
4
The problem is not the people entering illegally. Most of them just want jobs. The problem is the people who hire them.
If those people were fined for doing so, and if the enforcement was well-publicized, word would get back that the well had dried up and illegal immigration would slow down.
4
For many years more Mexicans were leaving than coming. The southern border is not the problem thanks to big spending from 2007-10 on security there. The big problems are people overstaying their visas and what to do with the 11 million here that is pragmatic. The wall, except in some isolated segments, is a ridiculous costly idea that would serve no purpose.
6
Seriously Ann? If Trump had told his supporters out in places like rural Pennsylvania that he was going to build a wall using their tax dollars, not money from Mexico, they'd be just as happy? They wouldn't care?
Maybe you are correct. They should be very happy. After all, they are losing their health care, but they all got a tax break big enough to cover their annual Costco memberships.
40
Trump supporters in flyover country are Team Sam's Club.
1
This is neither the first time that fear of “the others” has been used to game our political system, nor will it be the last until we change the system. An encouraging sign is an increased interest in non-whites and youth on the political process. The offsets are scandalous gerrymandering and cries for more stringent voter verification laws.
I too, watch the happiness index with great interest, having lived in Denmark. However, xenophobia can also be found in countries that rank highly on the list. Denmark is currently debating what to do about their ghettos, primarily inhabited by immigrants. Comments by many natural born Danish citizens eerily mimic those by those here that demand the Wall.
The paradox of the Trump administration has been laid bare. With its major accomplishment (so far) being a tax cut favoring the wealthy, how can it fund any other programs without alienating any part of the political base?
According to Ms. Coulter, it all boils down to the Wall. As a lifetime student of history and economics, I respectfully disagree with her on that point. However, I concede that Mr. Trump is in a quandary. If he hopes to win a second term, he may have to reevaluate his base to achieve that goal.
10
Channeling Apocalypse Now: Mr. Bruni, I don't know how you feel about this interview, but if you'll do it, you never have to prove your courage in any other way.
Coulter: "We are the Former Trumpers ... except that I can be turned around with (the construction of) the wall... sure, he can come back." "Finally we had a politician who wouldn't lie" "We knew Mexico would never pay for the wall". The thinking here seems muddled. Perpetual anger is perpetual stress and it shows. Same for Trump. At least she can see the Trump "best people" are professional hacks. Interesting piece Mr. Bruni. Thanks.
11
I am not surprised at the antipathy of most of the responses here but I am surprised that I have a new appreciation for Coulter (but not her ideas). Mostly I appreciated her openness and apparent honesty.
It seems that The Wall represents in her mind (and others) something way beyond the several million illegal Latin American that have entered the country. I would hazard that it symbolizes an effort to turn the clock back decades to when the USA was the mightiest industrial powerhouse on the planet. The rest of the world is catching up, especially China. A wall on our southern border won't do anything about that. My MAGA is not her MAGA.
14
But Ann, more than half the country, especially those who live along the border, and most republicans, DON'T want that wall. They know the cost is beyond ridiculous and it won't work anyway! And what about the people living along the border who will be required, via eminent domain, to surrender their land to get it built? I don't see that going over too well either. And you fully expect taxpayers to pay for it anyway? I guess you all want everyone else to just accept anything Trump (over)promised to keep the all important "base" happy. Talk about entitlement!
30
@KB...I’ve often heard that the definition of a “liberal” is someone who expects to pay for things with other people’s money. Since Ann Coulter wants the rest of us taxpayers to foot the bill for her precious wall, that makes her—and her fellow Trumpers—liberals in Republican clothing.
2
What Coulter and Trump had most in common was not their belief in the need for a border wall but their bullying tactics. Illegal migration from Mexico and further south was a hot topic long before Trump, what he added to the conversation was his denigration of a whole nation. It’s sad to see so many people confuse bullying with truth telling.
18
I hope there is enough money in that DHS budget to build and run institutions to house and feed all 50 million of the Former Trumpers who will soon be roaming our streets, foaming at the mouth and yelling incoherently.
If Trump succeeds at driving his core supporters over the edge, as Coulter predicts, he may actually be considered a success.
15
Great interview, as it exposes the flawed philosophy of hate that has driven Ann Coulter to stardom. Bruni asks the right questions for Coulter to (un)graciously fall in her own trap: no real reason for The Wall except for racial hate: A) immigrants have much lower criminality (see NYT's yesterday great article "The Myth of Immigration Crime"), B) no terrorist has ever entered the U.S. from the South Border, and C) immigration from Mexico is negative since four years ago (there are more Mexicans leaving than coming into the U.S.)
Economically, all reputable research indicates that immigrants show up where there is an urgent need for workforce, so they actually are here to empower the American economy.
I live in Beverly Hills, and I and all my affluent neighbors leave their babies, homes, cars, yards and meals in the hands of immigrants: we could not survive without them.
So as I said at the beginning, Bruni is masterful at making Coulter look like the baseless racists she chooses to be.
35
" I and all my affluent neighbors leave their babies, homes, cars, yards and meals in the hands of immigrants: we could not survive without them."
Well Petra, why not pay a bit more to American citizen? You are so affluent, after all - why cheat on taxes and summer pay for teenagers?
2
Thanks to Frank Bruni for facilitating needed discourse with a person representing the thinking of many people here in the USA. Of course, I believe the wall to be absurd; discouragement & prevention of illegal immigration, I do not.
The employers of the illegals & those importing people from overseas (Floridians can't stand the heat at Mar-a-Lago) to fill jobs no longer available to Americans will be forced to scale back profit expectations.
Curtailing the economic race to the bottom will necessitate pain reaching into the lives of all quarters of the nation. It's time we stop having our cake & eating it, plutocrats. If the serfs want to nap, you'll soon get used to it. Remember, you're outnumbered.
2
Without immigrants you will be forced to cut back as well on dairy, hogs, eggs, beef, vegetables, fruits, nuts, wine, and more since Americans do not work in these industries and haven't for years.
I suspect tha she is not really sincere. In that I mean she knows it’s just a game and she’s extending her 15 minutes as well as her paycheck.
21
Coulter always comes across as arch, calculating how much to bait, how much to ridicule, in order to elicit a response - most often an angry one.
12
People complaining about illegal immigration should be made to watch a documentary called King corn. When NAFTA was signed, one of the consequences was that we basically put a lot of Mexican subsistence corn farmers out of business. Many of them came here looking for jobs in our industry. Now we're mad at them. We have meddled in the business of Central and South America almost from the get-go, and now we wonder why things aren't going so well. we tend to blame the victim of our own aggressions all too often.
14
It was frightening to read this as I have never read any of Coulter's books or articles, having only seen her on the tube. She contradicts her own assertions at every turn, she and Trumpers wanted a president who wouldn't lie and yet lied persistently throughout the campaign. What did she and Trumpers think they were going to get. And what is this with her wall as if building a wall somehow saves America and the world from all of its problems. I have always viewed her as very shallow, this conversation did not change my opinion.
24
Lets get real.Whatever one thinks of Coulter's politics, it is hard not to give her credit for building a successful career based on being both clever and controversial.Here too, she is talking her "book".She is fully aware that once Trump reads this interview, he will re-focus on the Wall thereby helping to ensure her star remains high.She also knows full well that Former Trumpers are much more likely to be moderates or independents than the neanderthal Base she is alluding to.Just as Putin has figured out how to get a rise out of the man-child in the Oval Office, Coulter knows how to create and ride waves emanating from there.
11
Trump's demand for wall across the continent derives for ignorance, as do his views of gun violence and global warming. His supporters fall into two groups, those who are equally ignorant and those who stand to gain from the wall or from firearms or fossil fuels at whatever risk to continued life on Planet Earth.
11
"Build the wall!", good grief. For starters most undocumented workers enter the US on flights or trains or through border crossings in cars.
Just because the clownish blowhard Donald Trump bellows about people "pouring over the borders" on foot that doesn't mean that's actually how undocumented immigrants arrive for the most part, and even if you completely stopped that small percentage with some wall (which wouldn't stop it anyway) that wouldn't change much.
This is my real problem with the extreme right wing, they traffic in conspiracy theories and myths, passed around the right wing propaganda network that's funded by billionaires to keep them distracted from how those same billionaires are robbing them blind. Even after they've elected the billionaire most known even among other billionaires as being mostly a con man, they still don't get it.
It's a sad, sick story of being conned into voting against your own interests, and it often makes me wonder if there's any hope at all.
32
That's right, Donald Trump was elected to put up an easily defeated, laughably non-existent deterrent to illegal immigration. We are the laughingstock of the rest of the world because we deserve to be.
13
Businesses thrive on cheap labor. Americans can't or won't do the dirty, difficult, dangerous jobs for the wages offered. Coulter's obsession with the wall is a straw man argument. E-verify is something seldom discussed. Which one does business support? Whichever one that keeps workers from attaining living wages and gives them boogey-men to blame. Gig economy and an underclass of powerless workers plays into that hand. The wall is an expensive distraction. Capitalization in the trillions for social media and "disruptive" tech companies but a common sense implementation of sound employment practices is nowhere in sight. Precariats of all political stripes are being duped mainly through the practice of divide and conquer. Our politicians strut and fret their hours upon the stage and then are heard behind the closed doors of privilege for their thirty pieces of silver. We are betrayed once again. The decorum of the Presidency has been breached and the oligarchs are smiling. Time to wake up and vote for someone who is not angling for a perch among the vultures.
12
Mexico would agree to build the Wall if the US-Mexico Border were moved further North twenty miles. That way most of the border towns which are almost entirely Mexican/ Mexican-American would become Mexican cities, and the overall outcome would be more just because that land was stolen by the USA from Mexico to begin with. Some say twenty miles further, others would say 100 miles.
5
@tony...actually, we should return the entire country to the Native Americans. It was theirs because they were here first. White people from Spain, France, and England were the original “destructive” immigrants.
Which is why I find white anger at immigration, illegal or otherwise, rather amusing. White Europeans arrived illegally (for all practical purposes since they did not ask the natives’ permission) on these shores, murdering and/or enslaving the native populations during a 400-year pogrom of conquest. Now many (mostly conservative) white people are consumed with fear and rage that “their” country is being “taken away” from them by yellow, brown, and black people.
Somewhere in the Cosmos, the Great Spirit is laughing.
Karma is quite the beeyotch, ain’t it?
3
I wish Frank had asked her about Trump's idea of having the DOD pay for the wall. Would love to see how she feels about that. Otherwise a very insightful interview.
3
Ann Counter is a tad smarter than Donald Trump -- which is not saying much -- just smart enough to seize on whatever appeals to the grubbiest instincts of Trump supporters in her insatiable quest to stay relevant with the right-wing xenophobes she claims to represent. Unfortunately, she's not smart enough to realize that the Wall will never be built, in Trump's lifetime nor her own, because court battles over eminent domain would eat up more time and money than simple construction costs, with very little impact on immigration, legal or otherwise. The Wall was simply a campaign gimmick, just like Trump's pledge to make Mexico pay for it, without any hope of ever being realized.
15
Hello, Mr. Bruno.
Thank you for publishing the interview with Ann Coulter. Never in a million years would I think of spending newspaper or television time with this mean spirited creature.
I realized something. We will get rid of Donald Trump sooner or later. As for his followers . . .
14
Ann Coulter is a brash self promoter and harbors much of Trump's racism, but she's not a good political analyst.
She argues that 'something happened on November 9th. No, it occurred much sooner.
Between Trump's victory in the primary and the GOP convention, corporate money poured into the Trump campaign. He was no longer financing his own campaign and in many ways was no longer controlling it.
Coulter makes money being the false profit for angry white people. But a closer look at Trump's policies shows that 75% of them are right out of the Heritage Foundation, hardly a populist organization.
Trump is in many ways very predictable, wall or fence not withstanding. One simply has to separate what he does from how he does it.
He's not against trade, he simply wants bi-lateral agreements. He imposed tariffs on China but exempted nations where 40% of our steel imports come from. And his foreign policy is merely an extension of the neocons who seized the Bush administration in 2000.
Coulter misses all of this and is instead focused on symbolism and scapegoating.
While Trump's rhetoric got him elected, he never intended to be a "class traitor."
The wing of the ruling elites that he represents argue within their class, but they have no intention of pushing for any working class transformation any more than Coulter does.
Coulter simply plays the public face of this game while the real players play the hand where power and money really are.
7
Frank, you're an intelligent man. What stopped you from asking the one question that Ann Coulter really needs to answer, at least as a proxy for all those Trumpers. What on earth does she think a multi-trillion-dollar wall will really do? Really.
6
Great example of comity. Great article.
1
Dear Ann,
You're smart, funny and entertaining. I actually agree with you on some aspects of immigration, although I think a wall is a simple-minded solution to a complex problem. Enhanced border security would include walls and fences along some parts of the border.
But what really troubles me is how you, being a reasonably intelligent person, got taken in by an obvious con man like Trump. He's been doing this his entire life. Beware anyone who buys his shtick. It will not be a happy ending.
7
Coulter comes across as a naif fresh off the bus from Cleveland who gets her money stolen by a smooth talking con man who offers to carry her suitcase. With all her self-professed political acumen, she still believes "promises" made by politicians during campaigns? Her clinging to the one promise Trump made that was an impossibility from the first is mystifying. I know a few Trump supporters, and none of them have ever believed he would literally build a wall. They believe that was sort of Trump-code for cracking down on immigration. And, they like to point out that illegal crossings from Mexico have reduced since Trump's election, so in a way he's done that. But, none of the Trump supporters I know really want millions and millions of their dollars going to a wall. What they want is enforcement of immigration laws we now have and a real crack-down on businesses and rich people who employ the undocumented. Coulter's fixation on the wall is weird, and her disappointment in a politician that failed to keep a "promise" shows that she's not as sophisticated and tuned into the heartbeat of her fellow Trumpers as she thinks she is.
7
I don't think I'll ever fully understand how Coulter and her fellow Trumpers placed no importance whatsoever on their hero's complete lack of moral fiber. It wasn't only that they were willing to overlook his lies, his perverse sexual attitudes, his bankruptcies, his cheating contractors out of their fees, Coulter tells us she and they don't care. It astounds me that these people draw no correlation between a person's character and their willingness to keep a promise.
I wish these former Trumpers were deserting him for a number of other issues besides "The Wall", but we'll take what we can get.
8
Like many of the other so-called "experts" from the extreme right, I wonder if Ann Coulter truly believes in this cause or if it is all just a ruse to stay in the spotlight and enrich herself through the same radical views of both her and DT supporters. For one, the wall has always been nonsense and any rational person knows this will never see the light of day. Secondly, the wall simply signifies hate and xenophobia, to which the great majority of Americans do not support. Lastly, hypothetically speaking if this wall were to be built, it would at best only make a small dent in stopping Mexicans and others entering illegally. When push comes to shove, hate and paranoia never leads to good decisions/policies.
7
Wall. Wall. Wall. The Great Wall did not keep out the Manchus and a border wall will not thwart illegal immigration into the US. There is only one way to reduce illegal immigration: harshly punish those who hire people who are here illegally. Make the fines huge and require jail time. It will sharply reduce illegal immigration. If illegals can't get jobs illegally, they will only come legally. But Republicans like Coulter don't call for that because it runs against the class interests of Republicans, who do most of the hiring of illegals. She wants to pick on the poor migrants and give the white American employers a huge pass. So her class interests conflict with her desire to reduce illegal immigration.
7
Ann Coulter and the Former Trumpers are getting exactly what they deserve. They've been betrayed by the Master of Betrayal. No sympathy here.
6
Please stop calling these right-wing authoritarians "conservatives," even if that is what they claim to be. Their actions and beliefs are antithetical to preserving what is best in our country.
7
If people were actually worried about illegal immigrants taking jobs, that could be solved by going after the employers who hire them. Of course the farmers would have no workers, and restaurants would have to increase prices.
No wall will stop people coming here, as long as there are jobs to be had.
4
Why does anyone pay any attention to Ann Coulter? As far as I can tell, she sprang from the womb as a fully-formed right wing hysteric, seems never to have had a job and is notable only for her consistently bad judgement (Trump being only the latest example).
To the extent that it can be said that there might be anything evenly remotely interesting about her, it would have to be the question, "Why is she so nasty?"
7
Many things could be said about Ann Colter , but this article is about her feelings right now towards Donald Trump who has failed to build her wall to her specifications.
She may believe that since she put this man in office she can play him like a puppet, but the government does not work like that as Trump is finding out. Congress is still deadlocked about many things and to most of the country her wall is just a side issue designed to help stir up Trump's base.
That Trump may have enemies from both the left and right is heartening to we who have seen the folly of Trumpism with all its base venality. That Ann Colter believes that he has not fulfilled on her wall and that he has not been boorish enough says a lot about her, but if she wants to vent her anger on Trump, the more the merrier.
2
Why are a large number of Trump voters becoming former Trump supporters? Not because of the wall.
Because:
- since November 2016, low-income supporters have had their health insurance rates go through the roof, have seen a rich neighbor's tax rates get slashed, and have seen their children's deficit burden skyrocket to the sun;
- parents, friends and colleagues see how daughters and sons are being machine-gunned down in some mass shooting (take your pick) over the past year and a half, and see how Trump does absolutely nothing to restrict machine guns from making their way into society; and
- parents, friends and colleagues see how Trump says there is no need for legislation to close loopholes in our background check system; to make it illegal for those on the FBI terror watch list to buy a gun; to end the ban on gun violence research at the Center for Disease Control; to encourage licensing requirements for handgun purchases; and to help keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers.
The amazing thing is, Trump still believes he is someone they have respect for and like. He does not have a clue how these 'supporters' have caught on to what a charlatan he is.
3
I strongly suspect that Ms. Coulter's and President Trump's affection for one another arises not out of a camaraderie of ideas but instead from the mutual respect of 1 great actor to another. Both are where they are because of the expertise they have in playing their chosen character. Just as I knew how every Apprentice episode would end; Ms. Coulter's appearances are equally formulaic. You know what she's going to say and how offensively she will say it before she utters her first syllable. As Trump used his daddy's money, psychopathy and media savvy to create the character of successful, astute, business man, Ms. Coulter recognized the existence of an unoccupied niche in the conservative ecosystem: the attractive female bomb thrower. By packaging a mimicry of the voice and opinions of the basest Republican base with sexuality, she provided affirmation to the egos of the angry, patriarchal, white men that constitute the majority of it.
The success of Ms. Coulter can be seen in the proliferation of her archetype across the right wing universe; from Dana Loesch to every Fox News show. To continue her relevance amongst such crowded competition she will, no doubt, feel the need to push the envelope further and further.
Despite knowing how each of her episodes will end, I still find it necessary to tune in. I never want to find myself in the bubble that those who have led the country to this point inhabit.
3
How strange that she mentions Manhattan and the Hamptons as the source of elitist trump opponents and critics. I have news for you Ann: there are a whole lot of us here in Montana who despise trump and everything he stands for, and you can't call us elitists. I see no path to a 2020 trump victory. Best case scenario: Democrats take both houses of Congress this November and build a wall around trump for the next two years.
7
As a fellow (but much older) alum with Ann Coulter, I think she should go on a mission to Mexico to raise the money needed to pay for the wall. And not come back until she's raised the total amount.
7
The delusional nature of "build the wall" is emblematic of the ability of Trump's true believers to distracted from real problems by an outright lie. Nothing will be fixed by a wall - and much, much more will be destroyed and damaged. What next, moats and crocodiles? Take one look at the conditions in Mexico and then trace the deterioration of that nation along the timelines of OUR war on drugs. We love to blame some "other" for our problems. We better learn to do some honest self-reflection soon or it will be too late.
1
Frank, thank for you a very interesting and respectful interview.
Ann, you have great hair (run fingers through hair, gently shake head.)
1
"I don’t know what more horrible thing you could come up with than violating your central campaign promise that became the chant and the theme of the campaign that he promised at every single rally."
Golly, and here I've been thinking all this time that the theme of his campaign was "Lock her up"
5
No wall from Democrats or Republicans in the house because both parties believe giving the wall to Trump is a winning issue for him and keeps him in office for a second term. Was the lack of budgeting for the wall a quiet way for Republicans to find a way to be rid of Trump?
1
About the Wall:
Pakistan is building and defending fences, (secured by cameras, drones and soldiers) through difficult terrain in the rugged mountains along its border with Afganistan. 800 miles, a billion dollars. And we need $30 billion for our wall?
The best "wall" we could build, and one not causing the significant environmental harms of Trump's Wall, is deportations. Buses. Fast. Millions. Including DACA illegals.
For every deportation, ten new illegals won't invade us.
For those returning after being deported, serious jail time.
For those illegals we want to allow to stay (work permits, never citizenship), hire Americans who lost their jobs and futures to Chinese factories, and have them evaluate, via application forms on the internet, who should stay and who should go. (Anyone who used a stolen Social Security # goes.)
Once someone has been tentatively approved for staying (DACAs included), hire other American citizens to determine the truthfulness of each alien's claims supporting his application for amnesty. Jail term for lying. (Remember, we jailed Martha Stewart for lying? Good enough for her, good enough for illegal Mexicans!)
Simultaneously, we need a simple, workable Guest Worker Program. Not for computer programmers. Rather, for workers in agriculture, food service, cleaning service, meat packing, construction (only when justified), etc.
Do this, and no Wall will be needed.
Then allow genuine refugees to immigrate here, legally.
Why not just take all those unemployed Americans you are going to use to screen and evaluate immigrants and put them to work where workers are needed. Oh, that's right, because they don't want to go out in 90 'heat and pick strawberries for a couple of dollars a day. That job isn't good enough for them, no matter what the pay.
3
“For every deportation, ten new illegals won't invade us.”
Nonsense. If true, there’s be zero illegal aliens in the country today.
1
I never cease to be both amazed and profoundly distressed that moral and intellectual lunatics such as Ann Coulter are on our national stage. One hopes that morality and rational thinking will ultimately guide our democracy, but the fact that ~45% of our citizens consume and believe this type of irrational hate speech boggles the mind. How does a nation that produces so many brilliant, creative, and incredibly good people also produce....this?
4
Who takes Ms. Coulter's opinions seriously? She is just one of the many manufactured opinion makers from the dustbin of history.
3
The fact that people like Coulter exist at all, let alone prosper, speaks volumes about a large swath of our electorate whose minds are fertile and receptive to her mendacity and hate spew. Based on the fecklessness and extremism we've seen from Trump to this point, Coulter's dismay says more about her than anything else.
4
Just because Ann Coulter is now turning on Trump (who I cannot stand) does not make me like her better or want to listen to her. She is not a careful thinker. She is mean-spirited. And she had the bad judgment to support Trump in the first place. She is not worth my time--or Frank Bruni's.
5
What does this desire for a wall mean exactly?
If it means wall-as-metaphor for stiffer banning of outsiders, I would think Trump supporters should be pleased, since ICE has been quite efficiently (and cruelly) deporting immigrants all across the country. If it truly means a physical barrier, then take a trip to the San Diego-Tijuana border to see that there already is a quite-imposing steel barrier that runs from the ocean to miles inland. The border does have long stretches with no barrier, true, but the barrier does exist in many of the places where crossings would otherwise be more common, and I have a feeling that most of the people who reacted so positively to Trump's first calls for a wall don't know that there already is a physical barrier in many places.
If you really want the immigrants out, then the ICE raids and major penalties for businesses who hire illegal immigrants are probably going to give you the most bang for the buck.
If you just want to add-to-the-barrier-that's-already-there-in-places-where-it-probably-won't-be-that-effective-because-the-barrier-has-already-been-built-in-the-places-it's-most-needed, then you're literally just throwing billions of dollars away on a pointless symbol. That, to me, is the dumbest thing about the call by Coulter et all to 'build a [physical] wall," because you're just throwing money away on a project that isn't really a way to bring about the change you want.
3
There's a reason Bill Maher like Ann Coulter and this article makes it clear: she actually stands for something. I find much of what she says cringe-worthy but at least she has the courage of her convictions. She's way more the moral compass of conservatives than spineless Paul and Mitch and repugnant Franklin and Jerry, Jr. Frank, this was a fascinating read. Thanks.
1
Ann Coulter is still a terrible person. She is also still Trump's woman. She is required to be critical of Donald Trump on certain issues. Otherwise, she would sacrifice her credibility with the mob she assembled on his behalf. Unlike Trump, Coulter doesn't have the luxury of telling absurd lies to her audience. She has to maintain some semblance of authenticity. The point is to choose your battles. Her job is to distort reality without transparently contradicting the objective facts. Coulter is a slave with two masters instead of one.
However, I find it interesting that she's attributing the decision to fire James Comey to Jared Kushner. Sounds a lot like legal deflection if you ask me. We now know who Trump is attempting to throw under the bus in the Mueller investigation. At the very least, we know who Trump's base wants thrown under the bus. Coulter is good at reflecting the mob's sentiment if nothing else. Kushner is characterized as an elite democratic liberal with no political background pulling Trump's strings because he's family. Clearly, Kushner is responsible for Comey's firing, not the President of the United States.
There's also a subtle antisemitic subtext but we'll let that slide for now.
What we're witnessing is a shift in the Trump groundswell as embodied by Ann Coulter. The funny part is she's correct on the essential point but for all the wrong reasons. This circumstance sounds strikingly familiar for some reason.
3
Ann Coulter is a peerless attention-getter and not very much else. This may help Trump more than hurt
2
The election was supposed to be about replacing the neo-Liberal establishment (a.k.a. the Ivy League-Investment complex) with something else. Despite his style, Trump is a card-carrying member of the neo-Liberal elite. So, of course, he is going to disappoint devoted Trumpers. The historical analogy here is Julius Caesar. Despite coming from one of the oldest, most esteemed Roman clans, the Julii, he managed to convince the population that he was a "populare", a populist devoted to doing the will of the people. Instead, as dictator-for-life, he accrued power for himself, brought the Republic to an end, and set the stage for an emperor.
1
Trump is a snake-oil salesman. He knows how to keep his devoted followers believing in his con. Already his administration is saying that they're proceeding with building the wall (i.e., by repairing the old one). I'm sure plenty of his followers will buy it.
1
Democrats voted along issues AND the character of the man. He not only did not support our values, but his stances on many issues were fundamentally different than our own. That is why immigration absolutely will not become a bipartisan issue the way it currently is framed. But what even more belies this statement is when she says 'The fact that he’s totally walked away from his central campaign promises does change your opinion of things like that and how you evaluate them' (in reference to Stormy)---this literally gives voice to the hypocrisy this side has been accused of all along. This side was willing to overlook terrible things and terrible character because they thought they could get something they wanted out of it. They made a deal with the devil. And it is only now that he is not upholding his part of the deal that they decry the devil is such a bad person who has done so much harm to so many.
4
It's odd to find myself in agreement with Ann Coulter on much of anything. I'm certainly NOT in agreement with her anti-immigrant raving and least of all her Mexico-bashing. But I am in total agreement with her comments on nepotism.
I don't remember reading any concern about it anywhere in the liberal Democratic echo chamber I normally inhabit, but what originally bothered me about Hillary Clinton running for President back in 2008 was how much like Argentina this was. She was NOT just a female politician ready to finally break the glass ceiling. She was our manifestation of Isabel Peron or Cristina Kirchner Fernandez. So I supported Barack Obama, a choice I've never regretted.
I did support Hillary Clinton in 2016 as the lesser of the evils. At least she'd established more of her own political cred in the interim. But this background fact--her being a former President's spouse--still bothered me.
3
I like many people here who follow the news knew what Trump was about, what kind of president he would be etc. That wall was never going to be paid for by Mexico but his base bought into it hook line and sinker. And I would wager that Coulter knew that too, but it’s a such a strong visual that appeals to so many who feel they have been left behind. That was the political fashion of the day back then when another man occupied the WH.
Now some 15 months later it is all too obvious that wall will never be funded and Trump never really cared, he just couldn’t help himself during the rallies. Coulter on the other hand is an opportunist and plays her game of chess several moves ahead to stay relevant, sell books and get herself on tv. What was once fashionable about chanting “build the wall” has now been replaced with “you promised us a wall.”
I’m not a big fan of Coulter but she is savvy enough to know when the ship is sinking and when those lifeboats start filling with Trump’s base who finally reached a last straw whether it will be the wall, or Mueller, or another sex scandal she will back in the fashion pages as another masterful designer and a new Spring collection of musings and rants.
You got to love free speech. It cuts both ways.
4
Despite so much she found abhorrent about Trump in the early days of his presidency, Ann Coulter was "cheerleading" for him in her tweets.
Why do I doubt that she has now anything useful to say about "how you get away from tribal politics"?
2
So interesting how both Trump and Coulter are so obsessed with what these imaginary "Manhattan sophisticates" think. Not so surprising, I suppose, given she's a denizen of the affluent Upper West Side.
As much as I despise everything this woman is about, she's doing a good job in saving her 'reputation' and career.
I'd like to point out that, it is the Republican House that refuses to fund the wall.
The problem is, they will never commit to any comprehensive immigration reform, as long as amnesty is part of the equation. You can also throw in, their distain for any type of infrastructure spending.
From there, you have the absurd problem of deporting 10-12-15 million people and the affect it would have not only on our economic outlook, but our moral standing.
The 2103 bipartisan Senate bill S744 is proof.
2
Ann Coulter is just like Trump. She’ll say anything to get attention and just longs to be liked.
Neither belong anywhere near positions of governing.
3
He should have asked her why Trump still has 90% Republican support even though he hasn't built a wall. And also, what the wall would accomplish if it were built, other than a symbolic waste of billions.
1
If these people want a wall let them pay for it themselves. Coulter has plenty of money from her mean girl books. Limbaugh, Alex Jones and the Fox talking heads have all become rich from hawking their agenda that wants a wall. The Kochs and Mercers can afford it. Trump Inc can start a private charity.
5
So... a wall that people can tunnel under or fly over is all it takes to buy Coulter's allegiance? She will excuse anything and everything else - the lies, the insults, the sheer chaos of the man - if only we spend billions on a symbolic wall. She sells her support too cheaply, but I guess that's about what it is worth.
3
Ms. Coulter’s prognosticative abilities are indeed formidable. If only her considerable intelligence weren’t so misdirected. Trump’s “Wall” was destined to be nothing more than a campaign chant, and in any case, wouldn’t have solved the immigration issues that motivate her conservative passions.
Congratulations to Ann Coulter on keeping 'the wall' as the litmus test for Trump and his presidency. Of course, a wall already exists along many parts of the border and comprehensive analysis confirms extending it the whole length of the border would do little or nothing to control the influx of drugs or immigrants. But, if not building it will cause so many Trump voters to wake up to the fact that they've been suckered, hooray.
Up to this point, they have not been awakened by having their health care destroyed, the reduction of social benefits that so many of them depend on, the "tax cut" that is a hit on the poor to feed the wealthy, the degradation of the air and water arising from cutting out those 'needless regulations', Trump's business tie and debts to Russia, or his general malfeasance as a 'leader'.
Awakened Trump voters who finally get they've been had? Bring it on.
6
Did Trump supporters really know and not care that Mexico would never pay for the wall? In this corner of the country, across the Cascade mountains from near socialist Seattle, that was definitely NOT the drumbeat that was heard on the streets. His supporters ate up Trumps’s inflated promises like a starving person at the local Legion Hall’s all you can eat night.
Has anyone stopped to question who would erect this ridiculous wall? The coal miners of West Virginia? The displaced workers in Ohio, Pennsylvania and elsewhere in the US? That would be a pretty long commute to the Mexican border. Do you think it would require hiring the very people Trump and Coulter, among others, want to keep out?
These are strange times indeed. Thanks Mr. Bruni for being so patient during this interview. I could never have done it.
6
I visited family in the heart of Trump country, the rural Midwest, during the holidays. While there, my mother and I decided to go out one evening for dinner. We chose a Mexican restaurant, Tequila's, because, in an area replete with fast food and fried chicken joints, this spot was the most authentic and healthy. I was surprised by the number of Mexicans that had moved into town, one known for being unfriendly to minorities (I'm black and was born and raised there.)
Our dinner was fresh, colorful, and delicious, but it held my attention much less than our fellow diners. The restaurant was crowded to capacity, incoming patrons overflowing into the waiting area, and every one of them were working-class whites. From as far as I could see, with the exception of the Mexican serving staff, my mother and I were the only people of color in the whole building. We were surrounded by diners dressed in camouflage jackets, baseball caps, steel-toe boots. They came as couples, as families, as groups of senior citizens. They chowed down on traditional Mexican dishes unheard of at Taco Bell, and their conversation and laughter rose to the rafters, mingling with the mariachi playlist. I was astonished. "These are the same folks begging Trump to build the wall with a mouth full of enchiladas?" I asked Mama. She laughed. I was pained by the falseness of it all, the absolute love of Mexican food and culture, while simultaneously hating the people. Racist schizophrenia.
13
Coulter: "But that is the issue of the Former Trumpers. We are voting on the issues, not the man, and I think that is how you get away from tribal politics."
Sorry, Ann! trump makes the issues tribal by his tweets, by his proclamations against minorities, by his disdain for women whom he treats like trash, by his treating the people he brings into office and then treats like disposable items as he bully them with absurd tweets.
trump is ALL ABOUT tribal politics and so is the GOP. Voter suppression and a citizenship census question is clearly tribal politics - not issues.
6
Coulter is still vile, no matter what she says or does from here on out. She has profited from her own hate-mongering for years.
What I don't understand about all these border wall xenophobes is why they think punishing/creating obstacles for *individuals* who want to exploit loopholes in US labor laws is the thing to do. You don't want illegals working here--tell construction, agribusiness, etc. to stop employing them. Punish the business owners, who are the actual perpetrators. It's not rocket science.
2
So much rage. Turn off the audio and watch the body language. There's something more going on here than just political opinions. This person has been badly damaged by something in the past. There's a terrible sadness and hurt in the eyes.
1
My first question for Ann Coulter in response to one comment made during this interview would be -- How many "American" winners of the Nobel Prize were actually immigrants born elsewhere vs native born citizens?
1
Thank you for this article. I had alway thought of Ms Coulter as a one-trick pony. I now know she lacks a pony.
6
'I mean, sure, I called my book 'In Trump We Trust', but we are voting on the issues, not the man!'
Kudos, Ms. Coulter - comedic gold.
2
Ann Coulter is like many extreme right-wing columnists. She is adept at turning a phrase, expressing outrage and outrageous opinions, pretending to speak for "Joe the Plumber" while being part of the elite. It's easy to advocate policies that hurt other people while not being responsible for anything.
11
Should we be thankful that trump has shattered the dreams of an overt racist whose main priority is keeping America white?
Or should we just remind ourselves of how horrible a person has to be in order to be upset that trump isn't "trumpy" enough?
4
Et tu, Brutus?
4
According to the 2018 UN World Happiness Report. The report ranks countries on six key variables that support well-being, income, freedom, trust, healthy life expectancy, social support and generosity. This year's top ten:
1) Finland
2) Norway
3) Denmark
4) Iceland
5) Switzerland
6) Netherlands
7) Canada
8) New Zealand
9) Sweden
10) Australia
Ms. Coulter, Before you draw some bigoted xenophobic conclusions as to why these countries rank as they do, probably the fact that they are predominantly wealthy and white with few immigrants, the following results of the report may surprise you.
Finland also had the happiest immigrants, a special focus of this year's report. In fact, 10 of the happiest countries were also 10 of the top 11 spots in the rankings of immigrant happiness.
The most striking finding of the report is the remarkable consistency between the happiness of immigrants and the the happiness of the ocally born. Although immigrants come from countries with very different levels of happiness, their reported life evaluations converge towards those of other residents in their new countries and are integrated into the host country far more readily then other
Immigration contributes to the soul and well-being of a nation.
PS: The United States landed in 18th place in the Happiness Report.
14
So let me get this right, Ms. Coulter is attacking Trump for his failure to get his crackpot Wall through Congress? "Crackpot": expensive, ineffective and environmentally detrimental. Even the Republicans in Congress don't want this dog. But sure, join the anti-Trumpers, Ms. Coulter.
5
OMG. Thanks Frank. Ann Coulter blabbed that Assault, Influence Peddling, Dishonesty, were all irrelevant if Trump would just Build a Wall to keep out shorter, darker people. And keep the nepotism on the down low. She laughed, gesticulated, jiggled her foot.
She even used her deep voice. Now, can someone put that witch back in her cave? Block the entrance. Leave enough space to shove in live mammals for her to devour.
16
What Ann doesn't seem to realize is that Trump'sole purpose for running for President was to market himself. He is interested only in lining his pockets and those of his family. That's what the nepotism is all about. She is right that his base should call him out on that. Peter Thiel should call him out on that. Ann should wake up and realize that Trump never planned on building a wall. It was the one issue he realized could help put him over the top and the one that got him on Television the most often. Trump tells people what they want to hear and after he gets what he wants from them he moves on. Ann, dear girl, you have been duped by a con artist.
16
Yes, this article made me think. He never thought he’d actually be president. He thought he could parlay himself into the next Alex Jones, out Limbaugh Limbaugh. And he just might wind up there eventually.
2
I don't know how you sat in the same room with her, Frank. I honestly don't. She...preens.
12
“It’s just creepy.” Yes, Ann, it is and always has been. If you mounded up all the things about Trump that are, well, not creepy so much as plain horrifying—and that is a big mountain—all you’d have to do is pull out just one of them from way back, the Birther movement, to explain what this man is—a liar and a racist. You don’t even have to like Obama to know this. Okay, so
A) if he listened, they wouldn’t be there
B) it’s also Donald who wants to be popular in the Hamptons
C) (for Mr. Frum) they may have seen her on TV, but I’d venture most Trump voters, even the puny little 77,000 that put him over the top, did not read her book
D) perjury and obstruction, hoo boy, leading to
E) why does someone pay money and do an NDA about something that didn’t happen
F) Trump’s core fan base may have voted for him because of the wall, but the large number of traditional Republicans who just couldn’t vote for Clinton do not care about this stupid wall. To spend an enormous amount of our taxes on something purely symbolic and totally impractical, when that money could actually be put to good use, is almost criminally unpatriotic, not to mention ludicrous, which is probably the main reason it isn’t going to happen.
9
We need a reality tv show for former Trumpers, sort of like the former Scientologists. The conned never learn, but maybe if they see others come out on TV, ya never know. There’s nothing wrong with being a fiscal conservative, but this woman is a hate filled conn artist supreme.
8
If we become a nation of Ann Coulters we will need not only a Mexican wall but a wall on the Canadian border as well. How else to keep any intelligent person from escaping a nation where hatred of the other has become THE guiding principle of life.
9
So I get it. Coulter is angry because Trump is no longer allowing his base to mainline a constant and uncut stream of hate and authoritarianism. Forget that he still is peddling stuff that is 90% pure: she wants to hard stuff, now.
Either that, or she has calculated now is a good time to start creating some distance and shifting to calling Trump a FINO (Fascist In Name Only).
Never too early to jump on the next far right self-promotion angle, right Ann? Those book titles aren't going to just write themselves!
I give her two weeks before she pens a column saying Trump is no better than George Bush. And those eagle-eyed Trump base people will lap it up, and she gets a few more bucks on her speaking / carny routine.
8
Ann Coulter, truly one of the most annoying people in recent times. Fine for you to talk with her for 20 years but it irks me that you'd think the rest of us would want to listen to her nonsense.
8
Ms Coulter cannot sell books unless she claims the world is all mucked up.
3
I refuse to believe that Ann Coulter is some kind of intellectual. Anyone who believes that a wall along the Mexican border cannot be serious. And Ms. Coulter is as half-baked as the "president" that she admires. I wish that she and Former Trumpers would "self-deport." That's if any country will have them. I'm really tired of narrow-minded people with their "keep them out" worldview. It's as if they, and they alone, have any right to any good thing. Get a life, Ms. Coulter.
15
This woman suffers from the same pathetic need for attention as Trump himself. Her accusation:“he just wants applause from The New York Time,” fits her even better than him. She seems to crave approval from those she pretends to despise (Hamptons glitterati included). She certainly shares his delusional narcissism; perhaps there’s a cabinet position awaiting her...
14
"If he played us for suckers, oh, you will not see rage like you have seen." IS THIS AN ACCURATE QUOTE, OR MIGHT SHE HAVE ACTUALLY SAID, "You will see rage like you have not seen" ?
3
With dozens of conservative think tanks out there, Ann Coulter is the best Columbia University (or perhaps its College Republicans club) can do? Is this a university or a mud wrestling contest? William F. Buckley, Jr. is rolling in his grave.
5
Where Ann Coulter is concerned I'll admit that I find it exceedingly difficult to abide by the Times' requirement for civility in commenting. At the risk of violating that policy, I'd just like to say that Ann Coulter is possibly the stupidest and most unprincipled woman on the planet.
14
I share this world with some very strange people.
4
Not sure why you are giving Ann Coulter so much attention.
6
It is hard to believe how someone can be so proud of their shameful beliefs of hatred and bigotry and spout it out to the world. The wall, the wall, the wall. Ugh. She has an ugly soul. All the peroxide in the world and gym workouts will never make her a beautiful person.
11
OK, I misjudged Ms. Coulter based on her past exposure. She isn't stupid. She appears very deeply angry--a form of lowest common denominator. You want more anger, follow her ranting. You want a decent life in a functional world, steer clear and find a way to serve the common good.
449
Stoic philosophers thought anger was a form of temporary insanity. This would be true of Coulter except for temporary part.
45
Stephen Hawkings, Astrophysicist. “The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression,” the astrophysicist said. “It may have had survival advantage in caveman days, to get more food, territory or a partner with whom to reproduce, but now it threatens to destroy us all.”
The human quality the scientist would most like to magnify was empathy. “It brings us together in a peaceful loving state.”
28
You are correct - she is a very deeply angry person. I wonder why..............
6
Coulter is gullible just like all the others who Trump has flim-flammed. His unreliability was obvious before he ran, while he ran, and now that he is in office. That Coulter now feels suckered says more about her than about Trump.
6
Grown women who want to be taken seriously shouldn't flip their hair during interviews. (Being a grown woman who admittedly flips her hair now and then, I believe this a sign of insecurity.)
3
Three huge pictures of Ann Coulter in one article. That’s kind of disturbing.
10
Such a miserable woman. How does she endure it all? If she was in a family that lost its breadwinner to Homeland Security, she'd really have something to "whine" about.
2
A. Ann Coulter really believes Donald Trump is a gentleman? B. There is no B.
5
These extremists deserve each other.
2
Hey, AC, it's called being duped. Your tunnel vision (er, wall vision) is blinding you and many, many others. Therein lies the problem. Your veneer is so thin that, when poked, there's nothing substantive left (or, should I say right?).
3
She seems quite tired. Is she unwell?
2
This offers Coulter way too much space. I'm sorry you have been discussing politics with her for 2 decades. She is not smart, she is opportunistically clever. The close-up images are a ridiculous favor to someone who has so little to say. Her appearance of intelligence or thoughtfulness as carefully crafted by and for the camera is farcical given the idiotic claims she makes about political issues. It perpetuates the undermining of any sense that governing means anything beyond who can shout the loudest or get the most attention.
6
It is baffling to me that this woman -- whose favorite thing about Trump is the wall that most sane people find idiotic, and who blindly doesn't believe the mistresses that most people find credible -- has such a strong following. Why?
3
"He promised something insanely stupid, but because I hate liberals and want to stick fingers in their eyes I backed him. Now he cannot get this insanely stupid thing done, and that disappoints me, but I still hate liberals, and I will like him again if he can do the insanely stupid thing." Can anyone tell me why the above two sentences do not 100% summarize that inane interview? As other comments here point out, Coulter has no logically consistent point of view -- "we knew Mexico would never pay for it, but we don't care about that, we only want a wall" -- and that fear of the Other and of Age sure seem to explain a lot about her.
5
Another anti-Trump article. Would we have read an article about Ann Coulter praising President Trump in the liberal media? Highly unlikely.
The Roseanne reboot show had over 8 million viewers probably due partly to the negative press on a daily basis. The show was successful because it portrayed opposing points of view about Donald Trump. It was not just an anti-Trump show but debated two political viewpoints that have been missing in our dialogue lately. This show has been given the green light for producing even more episodes. Is it any wonder why since there is no other show portraying the political scene fairly? I never watched the original series or watched the first episode but will be tuning in the next time it airs. I want to see and hear some positive things about my president not just the negatives. Obviously, I am not alone as the current Roseanne show proves.
1
Ann Coulter reveals her dark soul in this video. She admits she would turn a blind eye to deliberate illegal conduct if trump would only build a border wall. Shameful.
3
The woman has a sick fixation with that wall. Thanks for giving her space to talk, because it helps us defeat her and Trump. The Left needs to be merciless in finding ways to further divide the evil people we face. But until Parkland, I did not see much 30s style spine on the Left.
2
Well, well, well. I stand corrected. I was wrong. There are people out there that are crazier and more ignorant than Donald Trump.
9
I can't shake the idea that building a wall isn't just an ineffective way to deal with a non-existent problem, but it makes us look like the East Germans. They were cowards too.
7
Referencing labor issues AC says, this is "not my area of expertise". So if she doesn't understand labor issues how can she possibly be an expert on immigration, which if anything, is about labor issues? Unless of course she is yet another bigot on the face of our society who has become immensely successful selling her bile to "shallow ignoramuses".
Sincerely,
Clay Sorrough
7
Why are there so many photographs of Ms. Coulter? This isn't a fashion shoot, this is commentary.
6
Why is this complicated - get the money from the Mexicans and start building and if rich people want so desperately want to fund a wall - pay for it yourselves.
1
Please don't normalize hate by giving Ann Coulter a platform and masking it as "political conversation."
The amount of hatred espoused by Coulter over the years is beneath & the amount of hurt she has caused the country is beneath the high level of honest journalism we need from the NYT these days.
The world is on the brink, overtaken by violence and dehumanization, and you provide a megaphone to one of the loudest voices that has driven us to this point?
8
"Trump's Trumpers"? I'd call them Trump's Chumps.
If only we had tougher immigration rules against the Australian Rupert Murdoch migrating here to start FOX News and the end of peace.
11
Interesting interview. Ann Coulter is not a stupid person. Do you suppose this might have something to do with her trying to "talk to Trump directly" in an indirect way?
1
The article quotes Colter as stating: "If you (Trump) played us for suckers, oh you will not see rage like you have seen." Yet another example of her genius for spouting gibberish that is presented as somehow being newsworthy. Granted, it could have been a misquote, but it's hard to tell, ain't it.
3
Trump is a "shallow, lazy ignoramus" - that's the only intelligent thing I've ever heard Coulter say. Mind you, I rarely pay attention to her, because I don't find it good for my general sense of well being to listen to people who spew so much hatred.
She's right that immigration is the issue. The problem is, the more you incite people about immigration, the more extremists you create, and the more stalling in Congress. We were almost at a reform bill under GWB, but the extremists who want to kick everyone out and not let anyone in killed it.
4
Poor Ann Coulter! Trump has betrayed her, just like all the others.
She represents everything that is wrong with our country - she's bitter, divisive, and foolish. I don't understand why the Times gave her such a prominent platform. She's not an important thinker; she's just a bomb-thrower.
7
"A Face in the Crowd", the 1957 movie about a corrupt politician duping his followers, I feel is what will probably happen to Trump. If you play those people, your die hard Trump supporters, for suckers, you'll face their wrath.
She sticks to what might be the absolutely stupidest part of the Trump campaign for these simple reasons
1. Mexico will NOT pay for it.
2. It will NOT keep us safer
3. It would NOT have a appreciate affect on illegal immigration or drug traffic.
It was was, and is, a dumb idea and if that was the reason she supported him, wel ,,,
3
So many things...in no particular order.
Re; The Kush; “Every time I take this guy’s advice, disaster ensues?” It doesn’t seem to be hitting home. Why? Because it’s a relative."
No,because Trump thinks he knows better then everyone else. You can make a credible argument to him, but he already had his mind made-up. End of discussion. Trump knows best.
“Mr. Trump would like a copy of your book.” Really? The guy lives in NYC, is allegedly rich, and could have had one in his hands in under an hour, instead he wants a FREE COPY! Kinda telling about his character,no? MAGA also means supporting writers, etc.
"I actually think he probably is a gentleman - is home, at 9 p.m. sitting in bed eating cheeseburgers." Maybe now at 70,but thats NOT his history! I know many older, successful men who were former philanderers, who are now home (alone) at night. But their minds are still the same. Still look at women as inferior and objects. Being "retired" from the game, doesn't change a players mind-set.
"I wish Trump would give something like a fireside chat." OMG! Me too, that would be hilarious! But it would be anything but comforting! Does she not listen to his attempts at extended talking?
"We have been betrayed over and over - with presidents promising to do something about immigration. If he played us for suckers, oh, you will not see rage like you have seen." Yes be full of rage, at your selves! At your gullibility. Stop being angry at the wrong people. Its you/others!
4
She and Trump are both spotlight-seeking vulgarians and hypocrites. Detestable, damaging people.
3
The Wall and always been a symbol, a metaphor that was supposed to magically clarify, purify and protect.
Stepping outside of magical thinking, more effective strategies would be a solid program for guest workers and verification enforcement of employment contracts. Why blame the guy who accepts work for half pay and no benefits instead of the one who refuses to pay living wages to Americans?
6
Guest workers don't vote democratic
Okay, this is way too much time spent on Ann Coulter. She adds absolutely nothing to the national discourse on anything. I used to describe her as the snarky high school student on the national scene but the high school students in Florida and elsewhere convinced me they are way above her. Why do all these Trump supporters like him but don't like what he does or anyone he appoints? Haven't they yet realized that what they see is what they get?
8
"His instincts were very good. I think he should take credit. His instincts are amazing."
I don't understand why his people continue to call it "instincts".
Just watch Fox News every day, read Breitbart every day, and copy paste the most passionate voices out there, and you get Trump's rhetoric.
"The wall" is a mere symbol of the worldview behind that rhetoric.
Part of the Trump voters took it seriously and thought he really would build a wall. And apparently, if we have to believe Ann Coulter here, a wall is ALL that they care about, even if Trump's own chief of staff and general already publicly explained why it's NOT the best way to protect the southern border.
Nepotism, selling America out to Wall Street, destroying our healthcare and planet, massively increasing the deficit through tax cuts for the wealthiest that nobody wanted ... apparently, according to Coulter, it's perfectly fine to support a president who's doing all of these things, as long as his decision on national security is NOT what has been proven to be the most efficient solution, when it comes to the southern border, but merely a symbolical solution.
I don't think Coulter represents most conservatives or even most Trump voters.
But after ten years of doing reality TV, Trump has learned how to improvise a speech that will tremendously please his audience, and that's about it.
Steve Bannon was right: the Trump presidency is over, when it comes to achieving his campaign promises.
3
All you need to know about Ann Coulter - if you need to know anything - is she approved of Donald Trump when he was simply ``being a coarse vulgarian.'' Coulter is just another leaf-blower who has turned the national dialogue into an ignorant, annoying rant.
2
Has the Mexican War terminated yet, and how? Are we beaten? Do you know of any nation about to besiege South Hadley [Massachusetts]? If so, do inform me of it, for I would be glad of a chance to escape, if we are to be stormed. I suppose [our teacher] Miss [Mary] Lyon would furnish us all with daggers and order us to fight for our lives...
— The sixteen-year-old Emily Dickinson, writing to her older brother, Austin in the fall of 1847, shortly after the Battle of Chapultepec[171]
My source is Wikipedia so maybe it's all fake facts. But yes Emily the Mexicans are now besieging South Hadley but fortunately Miss Lyon will be furnished with an assault rifle, so no need for a dagger.
1
Coulter is not mad about ‘the wall’ because she thinks building it will benefit the country, she’s acting mad because the act benefits “her”. She’s created a “win/win’ for herself: she pokes liberals in their ‘whining’ eyes if it gets built and if it’s not, she derides ‘the great pumpkin’ and gets premium exposure in the NY Times. This woman is a human Tiki Torch always looking for an angry mob to further incite.
My introduction to the lovely Ann Coulter was an article I read during my first tour in Iraq where she mocked Max Cleland’s Vietnam War injuries — ““lost three limbs in an accident during a routine non-combat mission where he was about to drink beer with friends. He saw a grenade on the ground and picked it up. He could have done that at Fort Dix. In fact, Cleland could have dropped a grenade on his foot as a National Guardsman …. Luckily for Cleland’s political career and current pomposity about Bush, he happened to do it while in Vietnam.” I used to think political polemics could not get more vile. Then the electorate had the temerity to elect a smart, elegant, genuine man as President…who happened to be black.
Coulter is also obsessed with exposure of any sort and perpetuating a so called smart and ‘hot” (I don’t get it) image: ‘I was at the gym’; Was the photo shoot a prerequisite for the interview? did she choose the photos?.
5
The ultimate con...Ann taken for a ride.
3
Ms Coulter is nuts. A wall is Insanity. While 40% of our kids live in poverty, the Arctic melting at alarming rates, the species dying off like never before, and swirling plastic whirlpools the size of Texas in our oceans, people like Ms Coulter push for walls, instead of cleaning up our environment/ These are backwards, angry, heartless people. They need to be kept in the minority by progressive minded adults/
7
I wish you’d asked her some direct questions about DACA recipients in your conversation about the wall, Frank.
I’ll venture Coulter would love to swing a pitchfork loading women and children into trains headed back to our southern border.
2
Surprisingly lucid interview and comments.
Perhaps, the NYT in print offers something the bread and circuses non-stop diatribe on Fox "News" and AM hate radio don't adequately convey?
1
It’s all business for Ann, but her schtick in the Age of Trump is just ridiculousness. Mitt beat her to it!
I'm just a simple minded Canadian, but what exactly does she think building a wall will accomplish? Is she just committed to a $50 billion symbol or does she believe the wall is a means towards an end? If so, could she make the end she hopes to achieve explicit? It would then be possible to have a rational discussion about whether the 'end' is desirable and whether the wall is the most effective and efficient way to achieve that end.
3
Democrats, please don't gloat. We're only about one-third of the way through the nightmare and things can only continue to go downhill as long as Trump sticks around. Ann and Friends will be back when it's time to vote.
5
What's fascinating me about this interview is that Ann Coulter can deny facts blythely when she wants to and then will take a hearsay from the Wolff book as fact when it suits her. This is what is terribly wrong with conservatives and the Trump presidency today. Perhaps also our media complex. Too many people pick and choose opinion over fact to make themselves more relevant. It would be helpful to examine why this is happening so often in our society. It seems we've lost our common baseline of agreement for discourse.
9
Coulter's inverse relationship with truth is why she was one of the subjects of Al Franken's 2003 book "Lies and the lying liars who tell them."
Nothing new. Still repugnant.
Jesus said there will always be poor. What the Gospels fail to note is that there will always be hate. It will wear many different clothes, be justified by various rationalizations, but the motive remains the need to hate.
Before the concept of race entered the language heretics, blasphemers and non-Christians justified hatred of one group toward another. Today its race, sometimes its class, other times it's ethnicity, politics, etc.
Ms Coulter shows that her spin on this hatred is largely about class. Her references to the Hamptons and cafe society, her deflection about the cabinet being the richest in history (what has generals and Patton to do with that?) speak of a theme about class. The cliche of the wealthy out of touch liberal class versus the down to earth, honest, decent hard workers who are not lucky to be wealthy. A strange theme sung by someone who grew up in the wealthy Connecticut suburbs.
Ms Coulter's theme of betrayal reminds me of the Nazi theme of betrayal that they used in their propaganda to increase their membership in the Reichstag. Claims that Germany lost WW 1 because the German army was betrayed by Germans who supported the new political idea - democracy (translate that to out of touch liberal class).
Same kind of propaganda. All that changes are the particulars.
7
"Look at me trying to bargain for people I actually do not represent and appropriate their voice to try to extort a sitting president on a deeply personal racist agenda without really daring to criticize him."
4
This lady is only concerned with transactions, There is no philosophical underpinning here. This is a white supremacist: and for this interview a polite and engaging white supremacist.
2
I'm glad you made the video recording. It shows that she's playing and joking, something I wouldn't have got from the transcript alone. She talks about politics like she's chatting at a cocktail party, being vivacious and opinionated in the way of a woman who's accustomed to charming men that way. She's enjoying the exchange.
3
I don't understand the obsession with the wall. Coulter does know, doesn't she, that a good portion of the border already has a wall. Walls are useless. What is her grievance with people from Mexico and Central America who come into this country through our southern border? I try to understand Ann Coulter and I fail. She still comes across as someone who is playing a role,a coarse angry role, that seems to pay really well.
15
she is a provocateur who relies on media bandwidth to sell her books. who knows what her TRUE feelings are? it's all an act, designed to enrage and burnish her brand. why give her the platform?
7
Ann Colter seems to think that forgiving Trump of his Hollywood Access tape and his boorish behavior is just a game to obtain a useless wall on our southern border and that Trump lied when he said to us that Mexico would pay for it for political gain.
How many times has Trump lied to us and now Colter gets mad when Trump does the same to her. When you back a person whose every utterance and tweet seems to be a lie you can expect to be abused and lied to.
Thank you, Ann Colter, for our liar in chief. You deserve Trump and he will be your downfall.
10
Ann Coulter complains that women didn't accuse Trump of sexual misconduct years ago. At that point, he was just a blowhard businessman. Does she get that these women might be more concerned about a groper becoming the President than just continuing as the star of The Apprentice?
10
Oh but they did accuse him years ago.... he was just not that important for anyone to care. He’s still not that important. He just can’t get away with paying them for anymore.
Ann Coulter, like Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, Sean Hannity and so many others, is making a very good living off of selling hate to what is apparently a very large number of Americans. She can't really be dumb enough to think that a wall is a good idea, even though a very large number of Americans think so.
7
I am not a fan of Ann Coulter and this interview reaffirmed my opinion.
"If Trump does not build a wall he'll loose his supports"
Trump's legacy 'The wall'…again. If not built Ann will no longer be a Trump fan, because of "the wall"….really?
Let me get this straight, A $15 billion to $25 billion Wall, that we will pay for will do 'a really great job' curtailing illegal entry into the US. Why the need? Donald John cites this leak of illegal immigration as the core cause of extreme economic inequality, violence in our streets, drug smuggling, and "will stop a lot of things".
Oh what a ingenious idea and while I have your ear, I have a really great bridge to sell you.
What planet does Ann Coulter, Trump and his posse of followers live on? Oh that's right, the white nationalist one.
"Smart is as smart does" and given the chaotic mess we are living to include "the Wall", these people ain't smart.
2
Coulter is a naive ditz if she really believes Trump was really sitting on his bed eating hamburgers instead of "perch[ing]" when he allegedly accosted or otherwise harassed all these women in a sexual manner. In what pose does she believe she would find him if she accepted an invitation to his hotel room? Hunched over a Double Mac 'n' Cheese with a Supersized sack of fries? Or perched, with a magazine portrait cover in hand? The only reason I can think of that Trump wouldn't want to share his sack (and I'm not talking potatoes) with Ann is she is actually taller than he is and that would reinforce his inferiority complex.
As for the wall, if anything, Coulter's racism makes Trump's look like puppy love. She may look like a tall, blonde, cool drink of water, but there is nothing sweet and nourishing about this woman. She is venom from the sole of her shoes to the tip of the longest hair on her head.
I do kind of wish Trump would hit on her. They deserve each other. I mean that in the nicest way, of course.
10
I would rarely say these words, but, to Trump's credit, Ms. Daniels said her activity with him was consensual. However, I strongly believe that he has grabbed other women's parts without their consent.
I like to read. An occasional picture provides data on the life stage and social status of the subject I'm reading about. But an HD video of Ann Coulter does not compute. I am not a bot.
2
Gemli said it best with his puddle.
I've often wondered if Coulter and the rest of them really believe all the stuff they spew. Could it be she knows it's all crazy talk and says and repeats it for the sole purpose of creating and maintaining a huge following of low information bigots that give her a sense of power, and a lot of revenu she would otherwise not be able to generate?
5
Ann Coulter - why do you want the wall? Because it was merely a campaign promise. Most businessmen and women that I talk to on the Southern border think this is ridiculous. Who will pick the fruit? Who will fill the construction trades? Who will do the landscaping? The list goes on. Young white men will not do this hard work at current wage levels. Americans will not pay for young white men to do this work at higher wages. Where is your head?
3
Ann may get her wish on the Wall - in a pigs eye. But, if so, she will end up in California, down on her knees, in a Strawberry Patch - picking berries. Or maybe a step up from there picking Apples in Washington (State). Point is, immigrants work hard, their kids go to our schools and many do well. Throughout history, immigration has been good for our country.
4
Nothing shouts "Land of the free and the brave" like an ugly, disgusting wall.
Ann, have you looked at a map to see all those coastal borders? Do you really think desperate people seeking peace and possibilities haven't heard of boats? This wall idea is a completely irrational symbolic gesture. The money would be better spent investing it in businesses in Mexico and further south; people come here for work. Give it to them there instead. Republicans are reactionary. Want to stop the refugees in Europe, for instance? Stop bombing them.
4
A physical boarder wall will be about as effective of keeping illegal immigrants out of the country as the Maginot Line was at keeping the Germans out of France. The will always be an Ardennes Forest somewhere. Ms. Coulter seems to want a Gen. Patton, yet he once quipped that “fixed fortifications are monuments to the stupidity of mankind.” We need a sensible immigration policy; unfortunately, sensible policymaking seems for too elusive a concept for this Administration or Congress to grasp.
I really don't know how you could sit and have a conversation with that woman. I would not and could not do so.
9
That was perhaps the most enjoyable column I've read in week, Frank, and I came away with two conclusions.
The first is that it never ceases to amaze that Coulter and her buddies knew Trump was a serial liar long before most voters did. Yet, somehow, they conveniently and foolishly concluded that he wouldn't lie to them. That is wishful thinking taken to the extreme.
Second, she now concludes that he is a "shallow,lazy ignoramus." Yet, she wasted no time ripping into those of us who had come to the conclusion way back in 2015! It gives me great pleasure to ask you, Ann, what took you so long? It wasn't that long ago, you stated, in a book title no less, "If Democrats Had Any Brains...." Well, I can tell you this, we recognized a con artist long before you did....
5
Hey Ann, BIG bombshell here -- Trump lies! His central campaign promise to build a big, beautiful wall was just another whopper. Trump ran a great campaign, admittedly, but he had a lot of help getting elected -- from the Russians for one, from James Comey for another -- but its been a disaster from Day One. He was never going to be any good at running the country. Anyway, at least you're able to admit that his presidency is a trainwreck. For Democrats, for Republicans... for everyone except the top 1%! To make up for it, help get him out in 2020, we can't stand another 4 years of this wrecking ball.
2
But, just this week at his rally he told his supports how great things are going with the building of the wall.
The lying is just down - right sickening.
1
Can we build a circular wall and put Ann Coulter in it?
14
If she cares so deeply about issues, why is she so obsessed with offending and angering liberals? This was always the thing that bewildered me about Coulter's persona: She presents herself as someone with ideas, but everything she actually says is just an attempt to troll.
1
Channeling Ethel Mertz, "I think she's snapped her twig."
5
She wanted Donald. She got Donald. Now that she has him she does not want him anymore. She
Currently is being featured as a star in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 5 under “Borderlkne Personality Disorder.” She shares at least two characteristics with Donald, neither is capable of empathy and both know how to make themselves the center of attention.
5
Dear, dear Ann. How ironic. Nobody can put the "fear of God into him" because he doesn't believe in anyone except himself!
1
Is it just me? The chant I remember the most was ' lock her up'.
3
If Ann Coulter wants to stop illegal immigration from Mexico or any other non-white country, she needs to advocate going after the employers.
2
Donald Trump honest and "a gentleman"?? Wow. Not sure what planet she's been living on, but it doesn't appear to be Earth. Like the Ivanka wig, though. Trump must have told her she's intelligent and beautiful and reminds him of his daughter.
5
Add Ann Coulter to the list of unmoored public figures who twist in the political wind just like Roseanne Barr and, yes, ... Donald J. Trump.
4
Trumpers will never desert Trump, period.
The thing is, Ann's not in it religiously. The evangelicals that elected this person think he is the King David of our time and god's chosen vessel to bring about the end times. There's literally nothing he can do to sway them. Didn't build the wall? Who cares he changed the embassy to Jerusalem, even though that will most likely never actually happen....keeps trying to squash gay rights and promote religious bigotry - that's the language they speak. You're talking about a group of people who literally BELIEVE science is the devil tempting them. The fact that they even think they have a choice to believe or not believe scientific fact - and that that changes anything - tells you all you need to know about how likely it is that a rational argument about the GD wall will change anything.
1
Our country has no common culture, no glue to hold it together, America is disintegrating.
Nothing lasts forever.
3
"I don’t think people understand what an intellectual godparent of Trumpism you (Coulter) are." Frank, that was just plain cruel.
2
Could we please stop calling this type of thing "conservative". Conservatism is empirical, fact-based, and tempered. What passes for conservatism these days is shrill, ideological, and very childish. Its proponents have so cowed the media into giving it a platform on the basis of "equal time". That is sort of like having Satan give a rebuttal after Sermonette (now a relic) just to be "fair".
3
Quite right. They should be called Regressives.
The great Wall of Liberty and Freedom is now slated to become Coulter's Maganot Line.
1
Nothing warms my heart more than to watch a betrayed, vengeful absolutist like that woman you interviewed, all bent out of shape.
Tell me more please, but wait until I'm done microwaving my popcorn!
5
Ann Coulter embodies all that is truly reprehensible about the European land thieves who came to the US, exterminated and robbed the native population, and now act like they were rooted in the land. And, of course, much of the US is also stolen from Mexico. People like Coulter are simply marinated in hatred. The idea that they ever exercise anything other than rage, hate and fear is completely alien to them. And this is the woman who is the "muse" to Donald Trump.
2
Why does anyone pay any attention to what she thinks?
5
The proposed wall by Emperor Trump's Vichy regime, if it is to be built of concrete, would have a lot in common with Coulter's head.
4
When you put her on the podium, you lose your credibility, for she is a circus side show. Both she and you know it. We have lost our way..
4
It seems that the mighty-minded Ann Coulter was conned by Donald Trump. Let her join the multitude.
I have just uncovered the pure definition of "loose cannon"!
1
Putting aside the content of this interview: hello? what's with the closeups of her face, hair, and shoes? If the Times were interviewing, say, William Buckley (if he could stop spinning in his grave long enough) would we have these shots? C'mon.
5
Ann will do and say anything for attention.
5
So, in short, Ms. Coulter is upset because Trump has not drawn enough immigrant blood and has done little to stop the rise of the non-white political power in this country, and she pulls out her knives.
What a vicious, evil, person.
5
Mean, nasty and clueless is not attractive. This little fracas is a stunt, for attention. She's throwing her hat in the swamp, for the NEXT White House Communications Director. Just saying. A perfect match.
4
The Times has lately written several articles about how access to Trump was turned to financial benefit. The harm is abuse of his office and possible conflict of interest. Here, Ms. Coulter is using her access to the Times for financial benefit -- that is, the promotion of her Trump book. Mr. Bruni even accommodates her by referencing the book in his editorial -- I wonder if he got paid for that. The harm here is abuse of the Times' integrity and the possibility of a conflict of interest.
2
Coulter never discusses the merits of a building wall other than it would fulfill a campaign promise. It is symbolic to her and to Trump's base but meaningless in terms of necessary policy. It's a shiny object. The majority of Americans don't want a wall, and certainly don't want to pay billions to pander to Ann Coulter and a minority of voters. Time to put the Wall discussion behind us and focus on sensible immigration solutions to protect our borders. This was a useful interview...
2
What's the big deal with The Wall? Buying a few hundred -- or thousand -- more drones would be far more effective. It's not like Israel where terrorist bombings were becoming an almost daily occurrence. Even there, we see Palestinians crossing daily without visas to work. The 9-11 gang flew and drove right in. There's also the thing called water that we have on three sides. Underwater wall? The whole thing was a campaign slogan.
1
Ann Coulter is shrewdly smart. Her 180-degree turn on Trump is just another self-promotion.
1
The Wall is a metaphor for Racism. Coulter, Bannon this.
As does Trump.
3
Ann Coulter says that Trump supporters care nothing about his sexual behavior but it was interesting that she drew the line when Trump said: "You remind me of my daughter." She did find that creepy! Finally, a little morality crept in.
2
While China is building thousands of miles of 200 mph bullet trains, including one going all the way to Europe, Trumpers want to waste billons of dollars on a ridiculous wall that will keep out good hard working people who will do the brutal work that no Americans want to do , or could be tunneled under the same way existing fences are tunneled under with ease.
Our biggest problems have nothing to do with Mexican immigrants, illegal or otherwise . Are Anne Coulter and other one issue ( wall) Trumpers just pure racists ? I cant think of any other reason for the obsession with a wasteful useless wall.
2
So Ann Coulter would have no problem with Trump selling Ivanka Trump merchandise from the Oval Office if he would build a wall (even if not paid for by Mexico). Does that not represent the simple minded, gullible, uninformed typical Trump supporter?
4
Coulter's obsession with 'the Wall' is the outstanding weakness of Trumpian thinking. It's improbable, fantastical, racist, and mind-mindbogglingly expensive to the taxpayers.
1
Why does Ann Colter believe that Trump did not do what so many women have claimed he did? Is it because of Trump's stellar personality or is it because he shares her bigoted views of immigrants? she says that they only appeared at the time of the election, but Trump has been committing assaults on women by his own admission, abusing his wives through infidelity and his daughter by craving his daughter on the Howard Stern show. Is a Mexican Wall worth supporting a Liar and misogynist for president betraying your humanity along the way?
2
Coulter is as gullible as she is hateful, apparently. How can she not know that data analysts fed him all of his talking points during the campaign? How can she argue that she thinks the women alleging Trump abused them are collectively less credible than he is in one sentence, and then use the next to point out that he lies like a glued down rug? If the women are not telling the truth, why did Trump pay them off? Way to generate publicity for a hate monger to sell more racist books on tape to the Jersey shore crowd, Frank.
8
This really sheds light on the thinness of the support for Donald Trump and the intellectual vacuousness of his base. A, The wall was and is an idiotic notion. We have airplanes now; this is not 14th century China. B, He's made a career of stiffing people who expect him to honor his promises. C, He's an infamous liar. His lies are legend, prolific, outrageous, flamboyant, as natural to him as breathing. I will never understand why the car-salesman flavor of the delivery seems to negate them for people like Coulter---though in her case perhaps there is a sense of kinship. I'm just a receptionist, what do I know. I suppose it's hard to admit you've bought a lemon, especially when everyone else was pointing at the puddle of oil between the tires while you were haggling over the price.
3
"We want a wall, we don’t care who pays for it."
Maybe you should pay for it if you want it so darned bad and you are indifferent to who pays the price.
4
After reading this column I finally see exactly what the term "nasty woman" means. Thank you Mr. Bruni.
3
Yo Ann...slightly less than half of undocumented immigrants enter from Mexico, so the "wall" won't resolve the problem--especially 1,400 miles of it would traverse almost completely unpopulated desert. Even ICE thinks it a waste to build it in those areas. Stop ranting and get informed.
5
It's amazing that the Wall is the cross she would choose to die on. The Wall is a completely idiotic idea, a complete waste of money and resources which will not reduce the number of people entering this country without documentation. This is trying 13th century technology to address a complex modern issue. Former Trumpers are evidently as clueless as Trumpers.
4
I was not going to watch the video, but I chose to. The body language, the nervous chuckles, and the actual language indicate that Ann Coulter is out of touch with reality. Folks, you can be intelligent and still be stupid. If all the Trump voters want a wall so bad and are willing to ignore all the real problems this country has to solve, then we are in real deep you know what.
4
Trump lies as much as five time a day. Why doesn't Coulter have a problem with that?
2
To sum up: She and presumably others wanted Trump to be the racist they were waiting for, because they're racists themselves. Now they're finding he's not racist enough. They still don't care about any of the other ways he's tearing America apart and betraying the promise of America--but they're angry that this shallow, malleable reality show star they've helped install in the presidency won't continue embracing their hatred of non-white people.
3
That Ann Coulter now feels betrayed by Trump's bait and switch is truly precious. And she thinks she's defending the interests of the (white) American working class against Mexican "rapists"? The working class that has fallen for Republican bait and switch again and again since Reagan. Never learn...
Remember that the other Trump rally chant was "lock her up!" Which might be coming for her long before her precious wall if she keeps trashing Trump's darlings Ivanka and Jared.
2
Yes, Trump is not the politician who is going to lie to you. Finally! You have Trump, too rude to be a politician, who is going to lie to you.
So, Ann Coulter is worried about a wall on our border. It would be a symbolic wall that would scream, "We're a nation of xenophobes!"
1
SO NOW Anne Coulter, Wicked Witch of the Far Far Far Far Far Far Right has said that Trump is a shallow, lazy ignoramus. Why is she so nice to him and so nasty to everyone else? She greeted him as President Schumer, thereby bestowing a promotion. Even. Never say never though. I thought I'd never agree with anything she says. Well, I guess she's shifting her party affiliation? I agree with her description of Trump, though given how dangerous it is, her appraisal is far to benign.
1
Bruni fails again. His interview was babble. Why didn't he ask this willfully ignorant woman why there is this fixation with a physical wall that is not cost-effective when there are other, more effective options that Trump could implement in minutes.
Trump is the commander in chief. If he were to order a continuous air interdiction operation with manned and unmanned sensor and attack aircraft, deploy minefields and persistent cluster munitions, we could easily kill a large proportion of border violators -- enough to deter many others -- especially if we left wounded men, women, and children to die. (All of this would be be many violations of the Law of War, but neither Trump nor Coulter have ever shown concern over such issues.)
Of course, Trump won't do this. The Wall, Coulter, and Trump are theater. They exploit the non-existent border menace to hold their coalition of the ignorant together.
3
Roseanne a Trump supporter; Coulter a critic. I can't keep up.
Big laughs about this most divisive of right-wing trolls longing for Trump to bring the nation together over immigration. Hasn’t she heard: “Sauron does not share power” ?
1
It's somehow refreshing to hear that Ann Coulter is still the narrow minded anti-American that she always appeared. To give her a voice is to expose her venality and banality. Hopefully enough people will read, watch and listen and recognize what a danger to us all she and Spanky the President are.
2
Dear Mr. Bruni,
You must be "an extremist whisperer". This was the first time I have seen Ann Coulter where she was not spewing hate, name calling, or eviscerating some foe. You must be a magician. You got her to speak to an issue. Thank you. It was an interesting interview.
Manhattanite proves that having an ivy league education doesn't necessarily make one smarter.
Too funny. A wedge of republicans are mad because the "stuff they want" is not forthcoming. A wall. A useless symbol, but for $25,000,000,000.00 so no you can't have it. They should have asked for a tax deduction for fencing in your own home and installing a guard tower with cable and half bath. They would have gotten that. Coulter is like a 70s wife who asked for a pearl necklace for xmas and got a vacuum cleaner.
2
Why do I prefer the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard or the wail of a coyote or the smell of cat urine. The message is always a bad smell or a screechy sound. I had forgotten about Ann, NYT, did you have to remind me ah it is OK I guess.
3
What a hateful, mean-spirited woman. Years ago a friend of mine said he thought (he admired her) that she just liked to make people mad. That's a great life goal, that. She liked Trump because she thought he was like her, but he's not. He really is Archie Bunker with a nuclear button.
3
Not enough milk and sugar to cover those two flakes. Trump and Coulter seeing no problem in contradicting earlier held opinions. Trump of all people knows that former Trumpers will always be in his camp. Coulter was not persuasive. When push comes to shove, Coulter will be back in his corner. She, like Trump, blows with the wind. Clinton's sexual behavior was very bad, Trump not so, he was in bed at nine. What a bunch of malarkey. Frank, I don't know how you didn't throw up in this discussion.
2
Ann, Ann, Ann. Are you genuinely surprised that Trump has let you down? I hate to say we told you so, but...we told you so. If you truly believed his promises, your judgment is even more questionable than I had thought. Perhaps what has you the most upset is that Trump is making you and his other most vocal and public supporters look like fools.
1
Who cares what Ann Coulter thinks. Name me one substantive thing the woman has done for society other than being yet one more talking head chattering her drivel to anyone who will listen? Her time has passed, give it a rest Ann nobody cares.
4
Why are so many of "45's" voters angry white people?
What about the majority of Americans who do not approve of this president?
2
I rather enjoyed it and was informed by it. I could see HER POINT OF VIEW, and from that the basic tenets of the world which she and those who share her view inhabit. And I think that basic tenet is: "white is right." All else flows from there.
Thanks for the shop talk, but I’ll stick to Jerry in cars having coffee with other comedians. Some of the cars are cool at least.
1
Ann Coulter is the woman Trump deserves. But I'll bet hers is bigger than his.
14
Ann Coulter in private, "polite" company admits that her rhetoric is all for show. She's good at following the $, and the advertisers who are abandoning her now have put her in emergency mode hence her visit to the NYT.
5
To all those posting who claim she is intelligent -- seriously? No one with half a brain ever believed this country was going to build a wall across its southern border, much less have Mexico pay for it. I, for one, am pretty sick and tired of being led by a man, supported by a minority of Americans, who apparently don't care about the facts or reality.
3
As with many populist revolutionaries, they will end up eating their own.
1
Ann once said that the first time she heard George W Bush, she swooned. With Donald Trump, she swooned. She may be intelligent, a lot of people say she is, but Ann's got lousy taste in political leaders.
Fool her once, shame on you. Fool her twice, shame on her. There, I fixed it.
2
Terrific column. Thanks.
She is disappointed....so what? The people she represents are also disappointed. It is their fault because they voted for the politicians that trump was supposed to remove as part of "The Swamp".
trump conned those people, and now they are disappointed? Who cares?
2
"But something switched Nov. 8. Suddenly it was: “Please like me, Goldman Sachs.”"
Aaah So Donald Trump is a clone of Barack Obama. I get it. Nothing could have made the truth clearer than one single comment from Ann Coulter. Most of us know this anyway. Does Ms. Coulter realize what she REALLY SAID?
2
Frank, this is the seminal work of the Trump era to date. If Trump loses Ann Coulter, he's toast. Burnt toast.
203
Just the wall. That’s all you wanted?
I love watching conservatives playing tools like Frank and making them hope for things that will never happen.
But Democrats, PLEASE work for removing the Second Amendment, this is JUST the time~
Ann. Coulter contributes nothing to a discussion but vitriol and mendacity. Snark is not intelligence. Ms. Coulter is as her president* often says, ‘sad’.
8
Coulter is one of those fanatic extremists who really think that the wall to prevent immigrants looking for a better life (an honor for the US) is the solution. Well, Trump lost the American vote by three million votes. Get over it!
1
Coulter should follow Laura Ingraham's lead and take a week off from any and all platforms she currently enjoys pontificating from. And why is Laura stepping away? Because most of her program's sponsors have canceled their advertising accounts. Happy spring, everyone!
6
This whole concept of a wall is not going to fly!
The drug or human smugglers can easily resort to drones if not tunnels.
1
Coulter and Trump are similar in that they will sell their souls to get attention.
3
Ann Coulter looks kind of deflated, for she has nothing left but her obsession with this wall, despite the fact that history is telling that walls do not work? Walls have kept people in or out for a few generations and then they collapsed. One can see the remnants of many of these walls all over the world. Why are we so ignorant and do not see this.
Ask Hadrian how his wall worked out.
This is sensationalism, not journalism. Giving bigots a platform was what got Trump elected.
If the media had relegated Trump's antics to entertainment, with just a small mention, he'd not have beaten 17 seasoned Republicans and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The absolute worst thing you can do to Trump is make him inconsequential. This interview achieves the exact opposite effect. It gives the little bigoted man a view that he's still got a chance to do the absolute worst things he'd promised, and gain back confidence from his clan.
2
I guess even Coulter has limits, but obviously only when she's angry with Trump about something else. "'I've got to tweet it.' It's just creepy." Yes, telling a Porn Star you're having sex with that "You remind me of my daughter," is definitely creepy. It seems without Coulter fine moral compass we'd never know that incestuous compulsions are wrong. Needless to say, if was any other politician, they'd be gone. This "outer-borough" boy also knew that Trump would win and also picked the states he would win in. Growing up working class in deep Brooklyn, I know people who support the wall. None seem are the least bit bothered by the irony that all of their families arrived in America at some point in the 20th century. Many from Eastern Europe just stepped off the boat. They say they want that disgusting wall, when what they really want is everything it stands for. However, as Coulter explains, Trumpers will stick with him no matter what he does as long as they get "The Wall." What is the destruction of the republic, let alone representative democracy, compared to that wall? Don’t be fooled by Coulter, "The Wall," like statues of White Supremacists, is more than just a wall. In "Adios, America!" Coulter implicitly proposed a "white homeland," now it's explicit. Stephen Bannon's "Platform for the Alt-Right" was adopted by Trump as the centerpiece of his immigration policy. It perfectly aligned with the white nationalist movement. It was originally drafted by Ann Coulter.
4
Ann Coulter is nothing but another demagogue and narcissist, like Trump. She's another carnival barker, like Trump. I doubt she cares about the wall. I suspect she cares about selling books and getting media attention and having Klieg lights focused on her...like Trump. She loved Trump's vulgarity and thinks his grotesque campaign of attacking a former tortured US POW, a couple whose son was killed fighting for this country, a disabled person, was heard admitting to seriously sexual assault, etc., was "the greatest campaign ever", while at the same time she expresses concern about the degradation of American into a Third World nation, or banana Republic (which would also make her support of Trump make no sense). And if she's so smart, why is she only now figuring out what so many of us have known forever about Donald Trump that he's a conman, uses bait-and-switch all the time, lies constantly.....Based on that nonsense alone, Ann Coulter now has less credibility in my eyes than she ever did, and I didn't think that was possible. That Ann Coulter and Donald Trump and the like have the attention of major media and millions of Americans is the only evidence we need that a large portion of the American public has opted to dive right into the toilet such people insist on imposing on this country so they can further enrich themselves. Coulter is as full of bait-and-switch as is Trump. Coulter IS Trump.
3
If he wants the wall so bady, and if it is that critical to his illegitimate presidency, he should pay for it out of his own personal funds. Only 20% of the American population voted for him, so he has zero mandate for this wall. I do not want MY tax dollars going to pay for any idea of his, at all.
2
Michele he has no funds. He owes the Russkie oligarchs big time. That´s why he could not release his tax records. He is a conman trying to keep juggling before the inevitable fall. Planning to throw them one by one into the fire to keep self standing - Jared is over and headed to jail, next go the older sons, next Mel.
Ah, you gotta love extremists. The more they get what they want, the more they are emboldened to cry that it's just not enough for them, and they end up with nothing.
1
One has to be impressed by her single-minded obsession with that wall, if nothing else.
The guru of the far right says that "He could sell Ivanka merchandise from the Oval Office if he would just build the wall".
Who wants to buy and wear the cheap stuff of his darling daughter anyway?
It is so much easier for the vulgar wannabe Banana Republic autocratic Dotard to fill his coffers by completely ignoring the Emolument Clause in The Constitution.
2
Who is Anne Coulter? An enigma, and a contradiction.
Unquestionably brilliant, a radiant performance artist yet one who often comes across as all flash and thunder. A bomb-thrower. Often over-the-top. Too clever by half. Insouciant. A fearless self-promoter attracted to the limelight like moth to flame. Lives by her wits and sheer audacity itself.
Also, frequently undermined by her own words, eruptions of her own self-confidence, projected to her audience as unabashed certainty. Doubters aren’t merely wrong, they are heretics. Only she knows. When she stumbles, it’s from ideological overreach. Tripped up by Republican conservatism itself, a philosophical desert. A contrivance. A skein of wishful thinking about an America that never was constructed as a rampart to defend the richest few from the poorest many, The Great Unwashed. Hence the siren song of “The Wall”.
Otherwise, someone cold, distant. Occasionally, a harpy. Sneering, domineering, snide and cruel to the point of being repellent. Insufferable.
A stinging nettle.
2