Conservatives Meet and Barry Goldwater Weeps

The once proud conservative movement of Barry Goldwater has been taken over by the lunatic right. Yes we have the return of the Swiftboaters.

Remember Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the right-wing goon squad whose defamatory insinuations helped sink John Kerry's presidential campaign? They're back! This afternoon, key Swift boaters George "Bud" Day, Mary Jane McManus and Carlton Sherwood are holding a little reunion, in the guise of a panel discussion at the American Conservative Union's annual Conservative Political Action Conference. The panel topic? "The Left's Repeated Campaign Against the American Soldier."

It's not hard to visualize the right-wing talking points that will emerge from this. The Swift boaters will be dusting off their 2004 scripts and reaching back still further to dredge up their Vietnam-era notes. Expect to see all the old myths revived: The antiwar left spits on returning troops and gives aid and comfort to the enemy. Oh, John Murtha, why do you hate our brave troops?

The reemergence of the Swifties is depressing, but not because they're likely to do much damage to progressive candidates in the next election cycle. "Swift Boat II: The Sequel" will have a different ending from "Swift Boat I" because Americans just aren't that dumb.

And in addition we have this:

Of course, the Swifties' presence on the agenda is hardly the only evidence that the lunatics have taken over the asylum at CPAC. Other giveaways include some unintentionally humorous agenda items: Oliver North — he of the Iran-Contra scandal — will be presenting the "Defender of the Constitution Award," for instance, while right-wing attack blogger Michelle Malkin, whose work has been repeatedly criticized for its cavalier attitude toward facts, gets the "Accuracy in Media Award."

But of course the Toxic Twig, Ann Coulter, is getting the most attention.

"I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word 'faggot,' so I - so kind of an impasse, can't really talk about Edwards."

Members of the audience seemed startled, then many clapped, and she proceeded to open the floor to questions, reported EditorandPublisher.com

Even many, if not most, on the right have condemned her comments. Rick Moran admits that Coulter is the Right's problem and asks for some help to get her silenced.

I urge everyone – right and left – to take the following actions:

1. Never write another blog post about Ann Coulter no matter how outrageous, cruel, or bigoted her language.

2. Immediately write the Presidents of Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN demanding that they refuse to schedule Coulter on any show for any reason on their networks.

3. Write the editor of Human Events and demand that they drop her column.

4. If her column appears in your local newspaper, write a letter to the editor demanding that they drop her column.

5. If you see her writings in any on line or print publication, write the editor and demand that they stop carrying her columns.

6. Any upcoming forum in which she is scheduled as a speaker or panel participant, write a letter to the organizers and make it clear that the reason you are not attending is due to Coulter’s presence.

Because I love this country I'm inclined to help Rick out with this one. She not only makes the conservatives look toxic but the entire country.

Update
Rick has posted a letter he wrote to CNN.

Update II
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