AP cherry picks comments by Coulter; Elizabeth Edwards helps her sell more books (Updated)

Ann Coulter doesn't need any help defending herself. But today the Associated Press and Elizabeth Edwards provide more evidence to Coulter's assertion that there is a double standard when it comes to freedom of speech.


First, the lead from yesterday's Associated Press story:

RALEIGH, N.C. (June 27) - Elizabeth Edwards pleaded Tuesday with Ann Coulter to "stop the personal attacks," a day after the conservative commentator said she wished Edwards' husband, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, had been killed by terrorists.

Except...that's not what Ann said. Here is the transcript of Coulter's appearance on Good Morning America, courtesy of Newsbusters:

CHRIS CUOMO (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) All right. And joining us now is political commentator, Ann Coulter, whose book 'Godless: The Church of - Liberalism," what did I almost say there, liberalism, is out in paperback. There it is. A conservative's conservative, she's had some tough words lately for her own party.

GRAPHICS: COULTER'S TAKE

CHRIS CUOMO (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) But to begin with the tough words, some tough words for you by the three top candidates in response to what you had said, some were calling it a homosexual slur, you said it was a taunt. They all came out when you were talking about John Edwards and said, 'This was wrong. We must deny it." Fair criticism of you or a shift towards the tolerant among the GOP?

ANN COULTER (POLITICAL COMMENTATOR) No, no. There were, I was denounced all over. All over. I think the one that hurt the most was, was from I'mALittleGirlInAPinkPartyDress.com.

CHRIS CUOMO (ABC NEWS) Off-camera) Why?

ANN COULTER (POLITICAL COMMENTATOR) Very upsetting.

CHRIS CUOMO (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) You...

ANN COULTER (POLITICAL COMMENTATOR) Though about the same time Bill Maher said - and by the way, I did not call John Edwards the F-word. I said I couldn't talk about him because you go into rehab for using that word.

CHRIS CUOMO (ABC NEWS) (Off-camera) You say you were you - you were joking.

ANN COULTER (POLITICAL COMMENTATOR) About the - oh yeah. I wouldn't, I wouldn't insult gays by comparing them to John Edwards. Now, that would be mean. But about the same time, you know, Bill Maher was not joking and saying he wished Dick Cheney had been killed in a terrorist attack. So I've learned my lesson. If I'm gonna say anything about John Edwards in the future, I'll just wish he had been killed in a terrorist assassination plot.

So this is what gets posted on the Edward's campaign website:






Why did the Edwards camp post that cleverly edited clip? Fundraising of course! Guess they haven't raised enough Coulter Cash.

Of course that wasn't enough. Next up...Elizabeth Edwards:




Coulter asks why Silky Pony didn't call himself. Ann would have blasted John into the stratosphere had he called, but Elizabeth is untouchable because she has cancer. And don't forget, the Edwards campaign is not above using Elizabeth to scrape together a little cash.

Of course the one who is laughing all the way to the bank right now is...Ann Coulter. Godless just went paperback, and she probably sold 100,000 extra copies thanks to Elizabeth Edwards.

Newsbusters is all over this story, and reminds us that it's awfully ironic that the Edwards campaign is so upset over Coulter's "hate speech".

(Update): Hot Air has the video...even Coulter-friendly Fox News is taking Ann's quote out of context.