Ann Coulter pushes buttons, again

NBC disputed that, saying that Coulter was bumped so the program could devote more time to covering the developments in the Gaza Strip, for which host Matt Lauer interviewed former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. “We’ve had Ann Coulter on ‘Today’ many times, but because of the news in Washington and the Middle East, we decided to cancel her appearance on Tuesday morning,” said NBC spokeswoman Megan Kopf. “Understanding the media as well as she does, we are sure she knows this happens from time to time.” After Coulter’s complaints — and coverage on the Drudge Report, which reported that NBC had banned her for life, which the network denied — she was invited to appear on “Today” Wednesday. That adds up to a media bonanza for Coulter, who also appeared Tuesday on the Fox News morning program “Fox & Friends.” It was her interview on “The Early Show” that has so far generated the most attention. Smith, who is known for his even-keeled, affable demeanor, noted in his tease for the segment that Coulter called him “certifiably insane” in her book. “Perhaps I am, for having her on the program this morning,” he added. In their interview, he objected to her criticizing him in her book for asking Sen. Edward Kennedy last year about whether Barack Obama was a target for assassination, saying, “that was a legitimate question to ask.” When Coulter responded that all would-be or successful presidential assassins were “anarchists, communists, liberals, they were some form of basically Obama’s base,” Smith urged her five times to “take a breath.” “I’m breathing fine,” she responded. Smith said that as he read her book, “the more I kept thinking, well, you’re the whiner.