Ann Coulter on New Democratic Political Ad

This is a partial transcript of "The Big Story With John Gibson," July 13, 2006, that has been edited for clarity.

JOHN GIBSON, HOST: Republicans are fuming over that new political ad created by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. They say Democrats should be ashamed of themselves for using images of fallen soldiers and flag-draped coffins to raise money for their campaigns.

Let's find out what conservative commentator Ann Coulter thinks. She is the author of the controversial new book, "Godless: The Church of Liberalism." Controversial it is.

So, are you just outraged or annoyed by that commercial?

ANN COULTER, CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR: It has many elements to it. I will start with the outrageous part, what you mentioned, the flag-draped coffins of our soldiers. That's about one step above what the Sunni insurgency, what these terrorists are doing to American bodies — hanging them from trees to be displaying it like that. The left wing has become our own domestic Sunni insurgency, so I suppose that's appropriate.

But if we could go to the comedic elements of the ad. First of all, the big thing is the "new direction" — the new direction — and they keep showingBill Clinton. OK. Then point two, integrity, integrity, integrity. They just mocked up a phony mug shot of Tom DeLay. That is not his mug shot. Remember? He was smiling for the mug shot. He specifically deprived them of this mug shot, so they just mocked one up that makes him look like a shady character.

GIBSON: Are these kind of ads effective nonetheless?

COULTER: Maybe with very, very stupid people. And that is the Democratic base, so there you go.

GIBSON: I mean, the Democratic base is angry, angry, angry. And, you know, a lot of the mainstream Democrats are trying to tone it down because they know how damaging it is. Doesn't this ad play right to that really angry left that really is the heart and soul of the Democratic Party right now?

COULTER: Right, that will make them happy. But I'm not sure that's enough to win the country just to get the people to really hate Republicans and want to do them physical harm. I think they have those people's votes. And I think the flag-draped coffin really is offensive enough that most people would be offended by that. This is precisely why — long before Bush — there is a prohibition on taking photos of the coffins coming home because, you know, people like us assume that Democrats would sink low enough to use them.

GIBSON: FDR instituted the prohibition in World War...

COULTER: Was it FDR? OK.

GIBSON: I believe it was.

COULTER: For 50 years.

GIBSON: For 50 years, yes. So, you think they just floated this out as a trial balloon? They don't intend to really run it?

COULTER: No, I think they are crazy enough to think this is a great ad. Let's talk about those corrupt Democrats. Can someone mock up the DeLay mug shot? That's a sort of famous mock up. They can't fool anyone with that because they were enraged when he smiled for his mug shot. Remember that? They were bitter about it on Air America. They all admitted, we have been deprived of the mug shot we wanted to put on T-shirts. He was smiling happily.

GIBSON: The left wing that hates Bush so much and hates the war. Do you believe that's actually going to take over the Democratic Party?

COULTER: I think it has taken over the Democratic Party. Look what's happening to the one sane Democrat Joe Lieberman in Connecticut. By the way, I don't particularly like Joe Lieberman; he's a liberal. But he does want to defend America from a terrorist, which distinguishes him from the rest of his party. And so what, he gets a primary...

GIBSON: Ann Coulter, the book is called "Godless: The Church of Liberalism". Ann, thank you very much.

COULTER: Thank you.

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