Yikes! Our segment on Ann Coulter's questionable language regarding the emphatically heterosexual John Edwards kept a lot of you up all night, commenting. First of all, deep breaths, everyone. Second of all, I think it's fascinating how many of the most enraged comments make reference to Coulter's physical appearance (if you've not seen her, she's a tall, thin, long haired blonde -- the Paris Hilton comparisons aren't totally far-fetched -- but only in physicality). It's not uncommon for masters and mistresses of polemic to be criticized for their appearance, rather than their...er...polemic, be they Rush Limbaugh or Michael Moore. With Coulter, the fact that she's a woman seems to elicit even more vitriol--vaguely sexual--vitriol, and ironically, given her comment, it's vitriol that seems to owe something to Coulter herself.

What is it about these people that reduces us all to sniveling playground insults? Listen, I hate to sound like a prude, and I've certainly called public figures both great and small names myself. But you've got to admit, it's a bummer that when we're mad at someone like Coulter for ostensibly lowering the bar for public rhetoric, many of us respond at just the level she's set.

9:02 - March 6, 2007

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