Ann Coulter was hired by USA Today to write a daily column on the DNC Convention. Michael Moore will be the author of columns during the RNC Convention.
Coulter’s article wasn’t accepted by USA Today editors. They wanted to heavily edit it, and she wasn’t willing to allow her byline to be used for what, essentially, isn’t her article. So, it’s here at Townhall.
Was she censored?
Private organizations can choose not to run any piece they want not to run. Censorship is when the government tells them not to run something they have chosen to run. They may have reneged on a deal. They may be scum. Whatever they are, it’s not censorship, since they’re not the government.
Comment by Jeremy Pierce — July 26, 2004 @ 8:27 pm
Of course she wasn’t censored–Mr. Pierce up above provides the explanation. USA Today was dumb (gosh, I can’t wait to see what trash they’ll print by Moore), but it’s not censorship.
I have to say, I have a feeling that you (Bunker), sir, don’t think it’s censorship either.
Comment by Carla — July 26, 2004 @ 9:54 pm
Nope… for reasons already given. If Ann was smart (and I think she is), she should be in a position to sue for breach. She probably won’t though.
Comment by Bill — July 26, 2004 @ 10:08 pm
A lawsuit by Coulter will get about as far as “Fox News/ O’Reilly V. Franken” suit did. Which is to say she would be laughed out of court (as of right now). On the other hand if the “Mc Paper” publishes anything remotely similar from Moore, then they will have a problem. As I see it, expect to see the “Mc Paper” spike a column or two more from Coulter, then watch them spike a like number of Moore columns. I read that peice of bile she was calling a “humor column”, and my high school paper editor would have thrown me off the paper for turning in such specious crap. Let us face it she is no PJ O’Rourke when it comes to writing chops.
Comment by Bubba Bo Bob Brain — July 26, 2004 @ 10:19 pm
Coulter is a Troll. Please don’t feed the Trolls.
I am rfidtag and I approve this message.
Comment by rfidtag — July 27, 2004 @ 8:56 am
It’s not censorship. That column is lame.
Moore’s will be just as bad.
What did USAToday think they were going get out of this two?
The idea is OK, but why not get Jonah Goldberg vs. Matthew Miller or something like that?
Comment by John Rogers — July 27, 2004 @ 9:02 am
I’ve always thought that a “George” show, between Will and Stephanoplolous would be a great debate show. They are both extremely reasonable people, and even disagree with their professed party’s policies on many occasions.
Too good to be true.
Comment by Slice — July 27, 2004 @ 12:13 pm
Oh, and to answer the question, just editing. I am sure that she was given several guidelines for her writing, and she probably exceeded what they had asked for, judging by the words she was using.
This falls into the same category that we have already discussed. Readers would stop going to “USA Today” with this sort of banter. Therefore, they were going to put stuff in there that would not be quite as confrontational.
The hiring of these two was just a media stunt to get more people to read the paper. Good to get people riled up, but probably not much substance out of either.
Comment by Slice — July 27, 2004 @ 12:24 pm
Thanks for the responses. It is not censorship, nor are her First Amendment rights being violated. I’m not even sure the column was spiked, as was reported. From what I’ve heard and read, she was unwilling to make the changes the editors wanted, and they all agreed her columns would not be run.
I think it would have been interesting to see her columns and then Moore’s, but I don’t have a say in the matter!
Comment by Bunker — July 27, 2004 @ 4:32 pm