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Coulter draws applause, protesters

She zings everyone to her left: liberals, professors, students in red shirts.

By BILL VARIAN
Published October 20, 2006

TAMPA - In her latest book, Godless: The Church of Liberalism, the vixenish talking head Ann Coulter reserves a special scorn for university professors, whom she describes as "zealous pagans" who "teach the official state religion of liberalism as the axiomatic truth."

Coulter, the self-described right-winger and bestselling author, stepped into the belly of the pagan beast Thursday to deliver her saucy take on the folly of the liberal left to some of those same professors and their pupils at the University of South Florida Sun Dome.

The university crowd was joined by several hundred, let's say, nontraditional students - adoring fans of all ages who greeted Coulter's quips with applause and ovations and the occasional "We love you, Ann."

Outside, a dozen or so protesters waved signs that read Ann Coulter is a Wicked Witch and No More Blood for Oil, and shouted "Go to Wal-Mart!" at those who dared to engage them.

Jack Smith, 63, a retired insurance agent living in Oldsmar, brought his wheaten terrier, Barnie, who sported a shirt that read "I Pee on Bushes."

Smith got into a lengthy debate with Elizabeth Rood, 67, of Temple Terrace, who stopped to argue with him that the war in Iraq is a war to free its people.

"They all want to be free," said Rood, who has been a Christian missionary in Turkey. "And I want Iraq to be free."

Inside, a crowd conservatively estimated at more than 1,000 filled the floor and lower-level seating of the Sun Dome, and it was difficult to discern whether the reds or the blues carried the majority. Coulter delivered plenty of punch lines, though many fell flat as she appeared to read from a script.

Anyone who has read any of her books, such as How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must), or seen her in one of her constant television political talk show appearances might have known what to expect.

Talking of the left's opposition to the war in Iraq, Coulter offered, "We finally gave liberals a war against fundamentalism. They don't want to fight it."

On the lefty criticism that the United States is holding detainees too long without due process: "Some were held so long they couldn't call into American Idol. Some had to drop out of flight school altogether."

She avoided the subject of pagan professors until a student asked in a question-and-answer session how to deal with liberal teachers who want their views repeated in exam answers.

"Lie," Coulter said, in order to get a passing grade.

Coulter spent part of her time attacking liberal attempts to equate gay rights with the civil rights movement. It was during those comments that a group of 150 or more students near the stage wearing red T-shirts and waving peace signs stood in unison, in advance of a planned protest walkout.

"No, I believe the proper position is on your knees," Coulter said, which drew a round of applause. Then she added, "I would like everyone to notice their protesting black civil rights."

The University Lecture Series, funded with student activity fees, paid Coulter $35,275 to speak at the Sun Dome. The group also has civil rights leader Jesse Jackson and Boondocks comic strip creator Aaron McGruder on tap.

Afterward, Allison Rhodes, 22, a senior from Clearwater majoring in sociology and communications who helped organize the walkout, said she was not protesting the fact that a conservative was addressing students. She said she supports exposing students to diverse viewpoints, just not the way Coulter expresses them.

"I don't think it's appropriate to pay her that much to come and spew hatred and ignorance," Rhodes said.

Coulter fans moved in to replace the departing protesters.

[Last modified October 22, 2006, 13:56:36]