Ann Hart Coulter (born December 8, 1961) is an American conservative social and political commentator, writer, syndicated columnist, and lawyer. She frequently appears on television, radio, and as a speaker at public and private events.
Coulter rose to prominence in the 1990s as an outspoken critic of the Clinton administration. Well known for her unapologetic conservative political opinions and the controversial ways in which she presents and defends them, Coulter has described herself as a polemicist who likes to "stir up the pot", and does not "pretend to be impartial or balanced, as broadcasters do",[2] sometimes drawing criticism from the right, as well as the left.
She has written eight books, which have sold over 3 million copies.[3] The first book concerned the Bill Clinton impeachment, and sprang from her experience writing legal briefs for Paula Jones's attorneys plus columns she wrote about the case.[4][5]
At the same time, Coulter's syndicated column for Universal Press Syndicate began appearing in newspapers, and was featured on major conservative websites.
Ann Hart Coulter was born in New York City on December 8, 1961, to John Vincent Coulter, a native of Albany, New York, and Nell Husbands Coulter (ne Martin; died 2009[6]), a native of Paducah, Kentucky. The family later moved to New Canaan, Connecticut, where Coulter and her two older brothers, James and John, were raised.[7] She graduated from New Canaan High School in 1980. Coulter's age was disputed in 2002 while she was arguing that she was not yet 40, yet Washington Post columnist Lloyd Grove cited that she provided a birthdate of December 8, 1961, when registering to vote in New Canaan, Connecticut prior to the 1980 Presidential election. Meanwhile, a driver's license issued several years later allegedly listed her birthdate as December 8, 1963. Coulter will not confirm either date, citing privacy concerns.[8] Known for her relatively tall stature, Coulter's height is reported to be 6 feet (183 cm).[9]
While attending Cornell University, Coulter helped found The Cornell Review,[10][11] and was a member of the Delta Gamma national sorority.[12] She graduated cum laude from Cornell in 1984 with a B.A. in history, and received her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1988, where she was an editor of the Michigan Law Review.[13] At Michigan, Coulter was president of the local chapter of the Federalist Society and was trained at the National Journalism Center.[14]
After law school, Coulter served as a law clerk, in Kansas City, for Pasco BowmanII of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.[15] After a short time working in New York City in private practice, where she specialized in corporate law, Coulter left to work for the United States Senate Judiciary Committee after the Republican Party took control of Congress in 1994. She handled crime and immigration issues for Senator Spencer Abraham of Michigan and helped craft legislation designed to expedite the deportation of aliens convicted of felonies.[16] She later became a litigator with the Center for Individual Rights.[17]
In 1999 and 2000, Coulter considered running for Congress in Connecticut on the Libertarian Party ticket [18] to serve as a spoiler in order to throw the seat to the Democratic candidate and see that Republican Congressman Christopher Shays failed to gain re-election, as a punishment for Shays' vote against Clinton's impeachment. The leadership of the Libertarian Party of Connecticut, after meeting with Coulter, declined to endorse her. As a result, her self-described "total sham, media-intensive, third-party Jesse Ventura campaign" did not take place.[19][20] Shays subsequently won the election, and held the seat until 2008.[21]
Coulter's career is highlighted by the publication of ten books, as well as the weekly syndicated newspaper column that she publishes. She is particularly known for her polemical style,[22] and describes herself as someone who likes to "stir up the pot. I dont pretend to be impartial or balanced, as broadcasters do.[23] She has been compared to Clare Boothe Luce, one of her idols, for her satirical style.[24] She also makes numerous public appearances, speaking on television and radio talk shows, as well as on college campuses, receiving both praise and protest. Coulter typically spends 6-12 weeks of the year on speaking engagement tours, and more when she has a book coming out.[25] In 2010, she made an estimated $500,000 on the speaking circuit, giving speeches on topics of modern conservatism, gay marriage, and what she perceives to be liberal hypocrisy.[26] During one appearance at the University of Arizona, a pie was thrown at her.[27][28][29] Coulter has, on occasion, in defense of her ideas, responded with insulting remarks toward hecklers and protestors who attend her speeches.[30][31]
Coulter is the author of ten books, many of which have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list, with a combined 3 million copies sold as of May 2009.[32]
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Ann Coulter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia