ABC's "World News Now," a news program that airs at 3:30 am Eastern, when most people in the U.S. are fast asleep, replayed Jake Tapper's earlier "World News" report on the war of words between Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of Democrat presidential candidate John Edwards, and Ann Coulter during its broadcast on Thursday.
At the conclusion of the report, hosts Taina Hernandez and Ryan Owens (pictured at right) had a brief exchange, in which Owens proposed an "Ann Coulter blackout," similar to a "Paris Hilton blackout" that the program apparently has, and Hernandez, as a counterproposal, joked, "Or we can pit them together in some kind of skinny death match." At the end of Owens and Hernandez's exchange, and as the weather report began, someone in the control room at ABC queued-up Elton John's "The B**ch is Back."
Video (1:11): Real (1.93 MB) or Windows Media (2.18 MB), plus MP3 audio (463 kB).
I guess ABC News isn't above the "politics of hate," or to paraphrase Elizabeth Edwards' words to Ann Coulter, "the debasing of political dialogue."
Below is the transcript of the Hernandez-Owens exchange on Thursday morning's "World News Now:"
RYAN OWENS: "Ok. I have an idea."
TAINA HERNANDEZ: "Ok?"
OWENS: "You know how we have a Paris Hilton blackout? "
HERNANDEZ: (Laughs) "Yes?"
OWENS: "How about an Ann Coulter blackout?"
HERNANDEZ: "Ah, no Coulter cash for us."
OWENS: "No."
HERNANDEZ: "No. All right. Or we can pit them together in some kind of skinny death match?"
OWENS: "Skinny death match?"
(Unidentified person off-camera) "Or go to jail together."
OWENS: "Here's your weather."
HERNANDEZ: "Or go to jail together. That's Peter. Here's your weather."
[Hat-tip to FreeRepublic.com poster L.N. Smithee's thread.]
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
That's just great, they not o
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 10:56 ET by shannon20That's just great, they not only want to silence Ann, they want to jail her. Did US turn into Cuba overnight? See what happens when we go to sleep.
Ooo! Paris v. Ann! If anyth
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 10:59 ET by balboaOoo! Paris v. Ann! If anything ever screamed for PPV, it's this. Have it in one of those ultimate fighting octagons.
I'd rather see Ann and Nancy
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 14:21 ET by FastEdI'd rather see Ann and Nancy - The Hate Speaker vs. The Grandmother Speaker. Cash in this corner, vs. cash in the pocket.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
Lol. That's pretty good. I do
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 15:52 ET by balboaLol. That's pretty good. I don't know that either would be very good in a cat fight. That could be a pretty good discussion: What female politicians, pundits, etc., would you bet on at Fight Club?
If the MSLM is against it, it
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 11:02 ET by EdhenryIf the MSLM is against it, it should be good for America.
I am thinking of a number... How many books authored by Ann Coulter we can buy in the next few months. Godless makes great gift for graduation, b-days, Christmas, all Jewish Holy days, thank you for letting us stay the weekend, I am sorry gift, hello gift, nice to meet you gift, for that uninformed liberal brother-in-law. You also need a back up book in case yours gets used a coffee coaster.
Keep it up, drive by media!
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 11:06 ET by jdhawkKeep it up, drive by media! The more Ann Coulter is vilified the more her name is known beyond conservative circles.
Please don't just hold up one of her books when doing a story about her. Use as a backdrop all of her books. The more the merrier.
The more she is well known the more some on the left will actually pick up one of her books, read her syndicated column, or tune into her when she is on Fox and others. Heck, they might even learn something!
By the way, Coulter trounced Edwards' "I am hiding behind my wife's skirts" wife upon her "surprise" telephone call to the Matthews' show.
There must be a much lower
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 11:09 ET by Chris NormanThere must be a much lower threshold for what passes as humor in the wee hours. I'm happy I was sound asleep.
The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.
- Arabian Proverb
No lie there - we gets some o
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 14:22 ET by FastEdNo lie there - we gets some of our best laughs from some of our fav posters -
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
So those leftist media types
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 11:35 ET by rbosqueSo those leftist media types are upset with Ann because she resorts to personal attacks on Edwards? Then they personally attack Ann.
Childish ABC, very childish. Is that what they teach in left-wing journalism 101?
Hey how about a "Dumbass
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 11:40 ET by HadEnoughHey how about a "Dumbass Death Match" sarting with you Mr. Owen
Faux spin:"Childish ABC,
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 12:55 ET byFaux spin:
"Childish ABC, very childish. Is that what they teach in left-wing journalism 101"
hmmm, fox never insults?...too funny...another example of repubs loving to give it out but can never take it!
A free press is one of the first things to go in a totalitarian government. Montana Lyons
Um, lets see, Anne would prob
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 11:54 ET by amberUm, lets see, Anne would probably be packing, it would be a very short match.
am,Ann wouldn't even have to
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 11:58 ET by drillanwram,
Ann wouldn't even have to draw the weapon. All she would have to do is ask Hilton a G.E.D. question. Hilton would go into a spastic confused frenzy and stomp off to cry on her Mommy and Daddy's shoulders.
I suppose if I proposed a Lar
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 11:56 ET by drillanwrI suppose if I proposed a Lardo Death Match between Michael Moore and Rosie the MSM would be demanding 1) a public apology and 2) I enter anger management, sensitivity training, public service AND rehab
But then there'd be the docu-
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 14:25 ET by FastEdBut then there'd be the docu-movie - Rolling in Viewland - how the earth was flatened.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
She sounds like a lesbian per
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 12:05 ET by bassndudeShe sounds like a lesbian pervert to me...
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!
I have always thought of
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 12:55 ET by JDWI have always thought of 'The Bitch Is Back' as sen Clinton.
"Or we can pit them together in some kind of skinny death match."
According to Mr Taupin's lyrics, "Times are changing, now the poor get fat".
In these days of target Ann Coulter, the Edwards campaign v. Fairness Doctrine doesn't work. News media will not debate Ms Coulter instead hides behind immature comparisons. And if sen Clinton were fairly exposed to the public she would be considered a bitch.
JDW
News media: Scoreboard for terrorists
“Skinny death match”Altho
Thu, 06/28/2007 - 14:08 ET by Dave High“Skinny death match”
Although I would prefer mud wrestling myself and think it would be far more appropriate given the match-up, I can get on board with the skinny death match thing. I would put my weight behind Paris. While Foul-Mouth Annie is adept at ducking pies, I think Paris’ street smarts would win the day. Paris would go straight for the jugular. But wait, on second thought, Annie’s Adam’s Apple may thwart the attack .... hmmmm .... better to rethink this, I suppose. Beauty, brawn ... beauty, brawn .... Okay, I am now going with Foul-Mouth Annie because she’s a man, baby!
Regards, Dave High
Truth is to conservatives as salt is to snails.
It's funny that this story
Fri, 06/29/2007 - 11:16 ET by JasonCIt's funny that this story is up today, because I was just thinking about how unbelievably similar and complementary Coulter and Hilton actually are. They both come from wealthy families and are blissfully clueless about the working class (as evidenced by Hilton's TV show The Simple Life and pretty much everything Ann has ever said about people who couldn't afford to go to college) yet they act as if their success has nothing to do with their silver spoon upbringings.
They are both famous for little more than their ability to be famous and look like coke-addled starlets while they do it. Ann's writing, like Paris' acting/singing, is an avalanche of embarassing misstatements and sensationalism. For both of these women, their "work" has to be bolstered by their own wretched personalities, as it apparently cannot stand on its own. Anyone who puts a glamour shot of themself on the cover of a book that purports to be a serious political commentary cannot possibly expect to be taken seriously, except perhaps by people who think pro wrestling is real.
On that note they both appeal to the kind of people who find supermarket tabloid headlines edifying.
They both love to play the victim card.
They are both absolute media whores who cry foul as soon as the media is "unfair" to them.
"If their sins were as scarlet, they are now white as snow" Isaiah 1:18
Ann also drive liberals crazier than an outhouse rat.
Fri, 06/19/2009 - 02:21 ET by JWFSo much so they ramble on and on and on and on and on and on about her embarassing misstatements and sensationislm and wretched personalities and media whores and blissful cluelessness and silver spoons.
Sincerely,
a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.
What else are we supposed
Fri, 06/19/2009 - 06:16 ET by JasonCWhat else are we supposed to do, critique and discredit her books and columns? But then what do we do for the other 23 hours and 55 minutes of the day?
Whatever, braveheart.
Fri, 06/19/2009 - 07:14 ET by JWFThe only person you mention more than sportpolitics is Ann Coulter. Your personal average of time spent obsessing over Ann Coulter adds up to way more than 5 minutes.
She is mentioned in 16.5% of your posts.
Sincerely,
a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.
Yes, but that extra time is
Fri, 06/19/2009 - 08:17 ET by JasonCYes, but that extra time is spent on the sensationalism and silver spoon references, as you indicated.
Wow, 16.5%. Arriving at that figure must have involved a lot of archive surfing.
I was just
Fri, 06/19/2009 - 07:27 ET by PeskyDaneI was just thinking...
And that was clearly your first mistake. Not your strong suit, pal. Stick to something you know.