This is a rush transcript from “Hannity & Colmes,” August 23, 2007. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated
ALAN COLMES, CO-HOST: We now continue with Ann Coulter and Steve Murphy.
Steve, let me just — on John Edwards let me just point out. Before we talk about the she-devil, and I talk to the she-devil, let me just point out that John Edwards did not control Fortress. He didn’t control what their corporate policy was.
And as soon as he realized there was a problem, he offered to give his own money, which I think should be embraced by the people who want to criticize John — let’s get the full story out there about what John Edwards is doing. I know you don’t like him, Steve. I don’t think his campaign is going anywhere.
STEVE MURPHY, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Hey — hey, I think that. Let me say this. Methinks the lady doth protest too much.
ANN COULTER, AUTHOR: Ha!
MURPHY: This is great for her, and it’s great John Edwards.
COLMES: Yes.
MURPHY: I wish she wouldn’t do it. Her book sales go up. He’s able to get more online support from the liberals who were supporting him. It’s a symbiotic feud.
COLMES: And here’s the mistake John Edwards made. He should ignore you. He shouldn’t talk about you. You know, he gives you exactly what you want. Right?
COULTER: I don’t know. I think being called a she-devil by a trial lawyer is meant as a compliment. I thank him for that. But I just want to take, you know, the opportunity with this show to say, “No, John I will not date you.”
And yes, you’re right…
COLMES: I don’t think that was a request.
COULTER: … my book sales sailed up…
COLMES: I don’t think it’s a flirtation.
COULTER: … every time he attacks me. And like I say, he’s sinking like a rock. The more he attacks me, the more he goes down in the polls. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m actually pretty popular with the American people. So his core does love a catfight.
COLMES: I don’t think you’re very popular, Ann, with the very people who might like to vote for — in a Democratic primary or might vote for John Edwards or any other Democrat for president.
COULTER: Well, apparently, they think this is a little weird. I mean, this would be like Mitt and Ann Romney going around, like stalking Bill Maher. It’s a little weird, Alan.
COLMES: You think you’re being stalked?
COULTER: Apparently, Democrats don’t like it either, because he’s sinking like a rock. In fact, he has been since somebody told him I joke about him.
COLMES: By the way, after you called him the “F” word, and then you said, “If I say anything about John Edwards in the future, I’ll just wish he’s been killed in a terrorist plot,” is that hate speech?
COULTER: That’s not my full sentence.
COLMES: Is that hate speech?
COULTER: No, that’s not the full sentence. The full sentence was, at about the same time, the media was going crazy over my totally great joke. Bill Maher was wishing that Dick Cheney had been killed in a terrorist attack, so I’ve learned my lesson. The next time I say anything about John Edwards, I’ll wish he was killed in a terrorist attack.
COLMES: Maher saying it doesn’t justify your saying it. Is that hate speech?
COULTER: Well, then you just said it.
COLMES: No, I’m quoting. I’m quoting here.
COULTER: On your theory, you just said it.
COLMES: Answer me.
COULTER: Yes, I was quoting Bill Maher, Alan.
COLMES: I don’t — do you see it? I don’t see it that way. Steve, you want to straighten this out?
COULTER: It’s not a question of how you see it.
MURPHY: I hate being put in a position of defending John Edwards, who was, you know, our opponent, but it was Ann who started this feud with those outrageous statements.
I mean, you can’t drop the “F” bomb on somebody in a speech to a Republican conservative organization and then say he’s at fault for calling you a she-devil? Look, I’m telling you this is a feud that’s perpetuated to the advantage of both of them.
COULTER: And it was just 20 minutes on Obama, 20 minutes on Hillary. I didn’t even think John Edwards was interesting enough for 20 minutes of jokes. He got one joke.
COLMES: The only thing John Edwards shouldn’t have done is — he should have ignored it. He should have risen above it. He should ignore Ann Coulter and not talk about it.
COULTER: And by the way, I would never call him a she-devil, though I might call him a she.
COLMES: Steve Murphy, he should have been quiet. He should have ignored her.
MURPHY: Of course.
COLMES: So not only is he an — the “F” word, but he’s a woman now, Ann? Is that what you’re saying?
MURPHY: He’s doing this for his benefit. Just like she’s doing it for her benefit.
COULTER: What? My benefit?
MURPHY: I don’t blame either one of them.
(CROSSTALK)
SEAN HANNITY, CO-HOST: I actually think we’ve got the emergence of new Rosie-Donald Trump feud here.
Ann, but his wife called into a television program that you are on. He’s attacking you after he lectures you about the use of language. I mean, I find it fairly humorous that a presidential candidate, you know, he’s not mentioning — He doesn’t have the courage to mention Hillary Clinton, but boy, he’s going to go after that Ann Coulter. As if that’s going to help him, you know, win the presidency.
COULTER: It’s like I say. It’s psychotic. It would be like Mitt Romney stalking Bill Maher.
MURPHY: Now he’s a psycho.
COULTER: It’s not helping him, though it is helping my book sales, and the idea that this is — that I’m responding, you invited me on tonight. You started this.
HANNITY: No, I think you should respond.
COULTER: I’ll watch my Amazon sales go up on Friday, and they did.
HANNITY: And I’m not surprised. And by the way, full disclosure, Steve, you are working for the — for the Richardson campaign.
MURPHY: Bill Richardson, Yes.
HANNITY: You know, one of the things I find amazing, Edwards, in a speech — finally, he wrote a new speech after five years. It’s an amazing thing. We got away from the two Americas speech.
But in the new speech, he attacks Hillary Clinton. It’s clear he attacks Hillary Clinton, but he won’t admit it. Michelle Obama attacks Hillary Clinton. We all know who she’s talking about. They won’t admit it.
Why are they all afraid to mention Hillary Clinton by name when they have, you know, differences with her?
MURPHY: You got me. I don’t know what you get out of — go ahead, you answer it, Ann, because I have no idea.
COULTER: Because if you attack Ann Coulter, you don’t end up with your cat killed or your tires slashed. Or being audited by the IRS, as happened to, oh, Kathleen Wiley, Paula Jones, all the other ones who attacked the Clintons. Of course they’re afraid.
MURPHY: All these attacks, these nameless attacks don’t get anybody anything. This country is in a total mess right now.
HANNITY: But wait a minute. Here’s the thing…
MURPHY: We’re in terrible shape. Here and abroad, the voters want the candidates to address how they’re going to get out of that mess.
HANNITY: All right.
MURPHY: That is why John Edwards is dropping. He’s not dropping because he’s attacking you, Ann. He’s dropping because he’s not attacking the issue.
HANNITY: Let me throw this to Ann Coulter. Ann, the A.P. had a story last week. They interviewed 40 prominent Democrats, every region of the country. And they all said that their internal polling shows that Hillary Clinton, if she’s the nominee, is going to be a drag on the ticket. They’re all scared to death.
Only one guy from Indiana, a guy by the name of Crook, would speak out and go on the record. The other 40 Democrats, the A.P. cited, for fear of retribution, they don’t want to attack Hillary Clinton or the Clinton machine publicly. I mean, they seem to instill real fear in people.
COULTER: Right, and if you attack the Clintons publicly, make sure all your friends know that you are not planning suicide, that you’re not careless when you drive a car.
COLMES: By the way, Ann, how do you know Michelle Obama was not attacking Rudy Giuliani, which had talked about family values? She said nothing about Bill Clinton. You have no evidence that that’s what she was attacking…
COULTER: Because we’re in the primary now.
(CROSSTALK)
MURPHY: Three wives, Ann. The Republicans are the ones with three wives.
COLMES: All right, we thank you both very much for being with us.
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