What would we do without Digby?

He discusses why the Republicans are starting to rally around Ann Coulter. I hadn't remembered this until Digby reminds us:

Reagan also used to say the hippies "look like Tarzan, walk like Jane and smell like Cheetah." That's not so different than Coulter saying, "my pretty-girl allies stick out like a sore thumb amongst the corn-fed, no make-up, natural fiber, no-bra needing, sandal-wearing, hirsute, somewhat fragrant hippie chick pie wagons they call 'women' at the Democratic National Convention."

Here are some quite recognizable examples of just how Republicans have used Coulter and Coulter-like media figures to paint liberals. Trust me, you'll recognize them all:

Al Gore needed to be taught how to be an "alpha male." He doesn't "know who he is."
John Kerry "flip-flops" like a flaccid penis.
John Edwards is "the Breck girl."
Howard Dean was "hysterical."
Barack Obama is "Obambi."
Bill Clinton was "a pervert."
Hillary Clinton is a lesbian.

Bush even did it with John McCain who was "wild-eyed, crazy and had a black love child". A different meme, but a quick easy voter guide to the candidate from which McCain has yet to recover.

Of course Digby's right. The meme of casting Democrats as weak wristed wimps is an old one. To throw Coulter under the bus for her faggot comments would be a repudiation of a political policy that has stood the test of time (see below post on Chris Matthews). Coulter is merely the spearhead of the effort, someone who they can be distanced from while embracing at the same time. They'll fein distancing themselves somewhat, at least officially, while continuing to get her speaking gigs, columns, and air-time. Of course the media, liking a good "shock value" appearance will drink the kool aid as well.

This is, again, why I wrote to Eric Alterman earlier that the response to Coulter by the left needs to be loud, proud and muscular. That's the only way to counter the meta-message of the conservatives. To do nothing is to let it burrow in the consciousness .... further.