Appearing on Friday's CBS Early Show to discuss the release of Sarah Palin's book, 'Going Rogue,' author Ann Coulter told co-host Harry Smith: "[John] McCain...was the media's favorite Republican. So any criticism his side made of Palin was instantly printed and now we finally get the pay back. And I'm looking forward to it."
Coulter made the comment after Smith asked about "the tension and the conflict between" the former vice presidential candidate and the McCain campaign. He went on to remark that Palin "represents a kind of orthodoxy within the Republican Party." Coulter replied: "I'd put it a little differently....I would say she is an authentic American the way most members of the media are not, that certainly Frank Rich and Maureen Dowd do not represent the average American."
Referring to the left-wing New York Times columnists who frequently attacked Palin, Coulter continued: "She can go and be comfortable in very many parts of the country where Maureen Dowd and Frank Rich would never deign to visit, much less be comfortable." Smith clarified: "These are the people who might necessarily be critical of some of the things she has to say." Coulter responded: "Yes, they certainly were."
Smith followed up by wondering: "Does she represent in her philosophy, in her, say, support base, does that represent the future of the party?" An on-screen headline read: "Politics of Palin; Is She A Serious 2012 Candidate for GOP?" Coulter touted Palin's importance, but was unsure of her political ambitions: "It's certainly a part of the future, but, I mean, I don't - it's not like I'm supporting her for president. I don't know who our president is going to be....I think she is a very powerful voice for conservatism and wow she has a lot of appeal out in America."
Coulter added: "I think that has a lot to do with the hatred for her. I think any liberal male took his life in his hands for saying, 'well, I'd never vote for her, but, boy, she's attractive.' Woah."
At the end of the interview, Smith promoted the release of Coulter's book, 'Guilty: Liberal Victims and Their Assault on America,' in paperback. Coulter mentioned: "Oh, I discuss the media's treatment of Palin in here." Smith replied: "I remember that. I remember our conversation about that." On the January 6 Early Show [1], Smith interviewed Coulter about the book and proclaimed: "You're the whiner. You're the one who's claiming victimhood here. That you're the victim o this great left-wing conspiracy....You should - you should have a cross. You should put yourself up on a cross."
Here is a full transcript of Smith's Friday interview with Coulter:
HARRY SMITH: Conservative commentator and best selling author Ann Coulter is one of Sarah Palin's biggest supporters. She is with us live in the studio. Good morning. ANN COULTER: Good morning.
SMITH: Scott Fitzgerald said there's no second acts. I'm wondering if everything that happened with Sarah Palin in her vice presidential campaign was really just an overture and not a first act. And that this really is setting the table for her to run for president. Would you read it that way?
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Politics of Palin; Is She A Serious 2012 Candidate for GOP?]
COULTER: I have no idea if that's what she wants to do, but this is certainly a big second acts in itself. I mean, she has a massive fan base. This book has been number one on Amazon since it was announced. It isn't out yet and we're talking about it.
SMITH: Sure.
COULTER: So she has a popular appeal. I'm sure she'll campaign for other Republicans if she wants to run for office in three years or 11 or 15. Who knows.
SMITH: You don't have a gut check that says this is really about her rise to national prominence?
COULTER: Oh, she has national prominence.
SMITH: Well, right, but as setting - setting some sort of a foundation for a run for the presidency?
[Coulter shrugs shoulders]
SMITH: Really?
COULTER: I'm not Nostradamus.
SMITH [LAUGHS]: I'm stunned.
COULTER: Really?
SMITH: I'm a little stunned. I just thought that you would - that this is what it feels like, it doesn't necessarily mean it's so.
COULTER: I think she's - right now we just see her promoting this book and having mass - I mean, she sends out a Twitter post on the death panels and suddenly that's all everyone's talking about and it gets the death panels killed. That's a little Twitter post when she's just sitting in her kitchen. She has massive influence. What she does with that I don't know.
SMITH: Right. Some of the things in the book are pretty interesting and she says she was billed $50,000 by the RNC for the vetting process.
COULTER: Right, right.
SMITH: When they came to see, 'well is she run-able?'
COULTER: Yeah.
SMITH: And the RNC came back and said 'no, she wasn't.' This sounds very interesting. The tension and the conflict between her and this campaign-
COULTER: Right, right.
SMITH: Were formidable.
COULTER: Right. And, wow, I hope she pays them back in this book and I can't wait to read it. No, I mean, McCain - the - he was the media's favorite Republican. So any criticism his side made of Palin was instantly printed and now we finally get the pay back. And I'm looking forward to it.
SMITH: This - it's interesting because she represents a kind of orthodoxy within the Republican Party, right?
COULTER: Yeah, I'd put it a little differently.
SMITH: How would you say it?
COULTER: I would say she is an authentic American the way most members of the media are not, that certainly Frank Rich and Maureen Dowd do not represent the average American. She has a blue collar union-card-holding husband. She can go and be comfortable in very many parts of the country where Maureen Dowd and Frank Rich would never deign to visit, much less be comfortable.
SMITH: These are the people who might necessarily be critical of some of the things she has to say.
COUTLER: Yes, they certainly were.
SMITH: We're just - we're just fleshing this out for the rest of the audience. And my - my question is, though, in the end, is - does she represent in her philosophy, in her, say, support base, does that represent the future of the party?
COULTER: It's certainly a part of the future, but, I mean, I don't - it's not like I'm supporting her for president. I don't know who our president is going to be. I don't know if conservatives do. I think she is a very powerful voice for conservatism and wow she has a lot of appeal out in America. And the camera loves her. I mean, I think that has a lot to do with the hatred for her. I think any liberal male took his life in his hands for saying, 'well, I'd never vote for her, but, boy, she's attractive.' Woah.
SMITH: Alright, last but not least, guess who's book is out in paper, right? There it is.
COULTER: This weekend. Oh, I discuss the media's treatment of Palin in here.
SMITH: I remember that. I remember our conversation about that. Alright, Ann Coulter, good to see you.
COULTER: Good to see you.
-Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.