Ann Coulter: Slander

Ann Coulter  is an American lawyer, conservative social and political commentator, author, and syndicated columnist. She frequently appears on television, radio, and as a speaker at public events and private events.

Well-known for her conservative political opinions and the controversial ways in which she defends them, Coulter has described herself as a polemicist who likes to "stir up the pot" and does not "pretend to be impartial or balanced, as broadcasters do."

While attending Cornell University, Coulter helped found The Cornell Review. She graduated cum laude from Cornell in 1984 with a B.A. in history, and received her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1988, where she was an editor of the Michigan Law Review.

At Michigan, Coulter was president of the local chapter of the Federalist Society and was trained at the National Journalism Center.

Her second book, Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right, published in 2002, became number one on The New York Times non-fiction best seller list. In Slander, Coulter argues that President George W. Bush was given unfair negative media coverage.

This book is a searing indictment of how the liberal media bias distorts and filters the way Americans get their news.

Coulter points to the various ways in which publishing houses, studios and news networks filter conservative views. It’s no coincidence that there are next to no pro-life directors in Hollywood. Nor is it surprising that reporters drone on and on about the “religious right” but never the “atheist left.” Thanks to Lexis Nexis, Ann Coulter could win that argument in a court case.

Coulter writes, “Leaving nothing to chance, liberals also hide conservative books. The hiding-books trick - long well known to conservatives - eventually became comical enough to be written in the New York Times”. Moreover, since the opening of online stores, conservative book sales have skyrocketed. It’s becoming harder to censor moderate and right wing views.

Bernard Goldberg's book Bias, which will also be reviewed here,  actually lays out a much stronger case that Slander does, but Slander is a much more enjoyable read.

Coulter uses her sharp wit to slice and dice liberal hypocrisy and double standards.

To paraphrase Ms Coulter...

"Conservatives get angry when you lie about them. Liberals get angry when you tell the truth about them."

Overall, a highly recommended book coming from on of America's most gifted and prolific Conservative writers.