SOME LOCAL GOP LEADERS STAND WITH COULTER AFTER "FAGGOT" SLUR

Last Friday, West Palm Beach-based conservative commentator Ann Coulter spoke at the 34th annual gathering of the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, and shook up the political world with the following comment made while she was opining about the various Democratic presidential hopefuls:

"I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate, John Edwards, but it turns out that you have to go into rehab if you use the word 'faggot,' so I'm - so, kind of at an impasse, can't really talk about Edwards, so I think I'll just conclude here and take your questions,"

Needless to say, use of the anti-gay slur brought almost universal condemnation from responsible leaders from both political parties...almost. While one has to give Governor Charlie Crist credit for his response when asked --- he said, “It sounds outrageously inappropriate.” --- a couple of local GOP leaders seemed ready to stand by the shock-blond.

Tampa Tribune political writer William March asked for reaction to Ms. Coulter's remark at the Pinellas County Republican Party's Lincoln Day fundraising dinner Saturday, and got these reactions:

Hillsborough County GOP Chairman David Storck: “If the gal from the Dixie Chicks can call the president names, I guess Coulter has a right to say what she wants.”

Pasco County Republican Executive Committee Chairman Bill Bunting: “I have a lot of respect for her and I stand behind her. I wish she’d be the speaker at my dinner.”

First, while the gal from the Dixie Chicks may have pushed the boundries with her comments regarding President Bush, she didn't call him a faggot. These individuals would have been in the chorus condemning Ms. Coulter loudly if she had referred to U.S. Senator Barack Obama with the 'N' word. What's the difference? There is NONE!

There is simply no place for such garbage in the political process.

BTW: While I am sure there are many decent people in West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County, is there just a coincidence that Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh make their homes there???

And the Belfast Telegraph includes a brief list of Coulter's more crazed remarks:

* MUSLIMS: "We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity."

* VOTING: "It would be a much better country if women did not vote. That is simply a fact. In fact, in every presidential election since 1950 - except Goldwater in '64 - the Republican would have won if only the men had voted."

* DEMOCRATS: "In the history of the nation, there has never been a political party so ridiculous as today's Democrats. It's as if all the brain-damaged people in America formed a voting bloc."

* BUSH: "The thing I like about Bush is I think he hates liberals."