Controversial New York Times best-selling author and conservative pundit Ann Coulter shared her views on domestic and foreign policy as well as the Republican Party’s chances in the 2012 election in a speech Wednesday in Funger Hall.
Sponsored by the Young America’s Foundation, Coulter took repeated jabs at President Barack Obama and members of the Democratic Party, often eliciting laughter and applause from the audience.
“The only good thing about liberals being involved in foreign policy is keeping them out of domestic policy,” Coulter said.
Coulter said liberals often complained about the Bush doctrine of foreign policy – and made fun of former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin when she couldn’t describe it in a television interview. She challenged them to define the Obama doctrine.
“Can Obama define it? I’ve seen him make speeches and I don’t think so,” Coulter said. “It’s not that they can’t explain their approach to foreign policy, but if they said it out loud, Americans would boil them in oil.”
Describing the ongoing international effort in Libya, Coulter lamented the fact that France initially took point on the operation.
“Being out-muscled by the French is like being the most virile castmember of the TV show Glee,” she said.
Coulter blasted billionaire Donald Trump, who has been making waves as a possible contender for the Republican presidential nomination, calling him “a clown” for questioning whether or not Obama was born in the United States.
Regarding the recent debate over the budget that threatened a government shutdown, Coulter said Republicans “inadvertently stumbled across Democrats’ weak point” during the negotiations: Planned Parenthood.
“The Republicans say we’re also going to cut, like, $20,000 from Planned Parenthood, and the Democrats explode, ‘No, no! We’ll give you anything, we’ll cut $40 billion. Not Planned Parenthood!'” Coulter exclaimed.
Students were visibly delighted to hear Coulter discuss visiting her brothers on campus while they were students at GW.
“I didn’t even know you had books at this University!” she said in response to a question about whether she was “a regular partier in Thurston Hall.”
During the question-and-answer portion of Coulter’s appearance, freshman Phil Ryan asked why she felt gay couples should not be afforded the same marriage rights as straight couples.
“You have no fewer rights than heterosexuals have. You can get married, it just has to be to a girl,” Coulter said. “It has nothing to do with being anti-gay.”
Ryan appeared upset at Coulter’s response and flipped her off as he returned to his seat.
Sophomore Jessica Antretter said she was very excited to hear Coulter’s speech.
“She speaks the truth and says what we’re all thinking,” Antretter said. “That’s what I love about her, she’s very honest.”
