Ann Coulter

She's a talented, intelligent, and attractive woman. I hesitate to say "lady," because that would seem too obvious an exaggeration - much like calling John Edwards "one of America's most respected politicians."

Miss Coulter, though, never shies away from exaggerating in order to make a point, even when a bit more subtlety would be more effective. As Florence King wrote last August in National Review amidst another Coulter controversy:

Wondering what life in America would be like if Coulter used a stiletto instead of a sledgehammer is a tempting but futile excursion into dreamland. ...

At her best, Coulter writes well, but the chief source of her success is that she is a perfect match for the American ideal: smart as a whip but dumb as a post, educated but not learned, sexy but not sensuous, all at the same time. She would not hesitate to choose a sledgehammer over a stiletto because her instincts would pull her back from what the 18th century called “demolishing your enemies without raising your voice.” She would know that if a writer uses a stiletto, a lot of people might not get the point, but they would definitely get the loftiness that accompanies irony and understatement. And so, knowing that being called an elitist spells ruin, she opted for a sledgehammer and raised the roof instead.

And why use a sledgehammer to bust open a mushmelon? There are as many ways to make fun of John Edwards as there are hairs on his perfectly-coiffed head. Edwards is a wealthy Southern trial lawyer, for crying out loud. He owes his rather large fortune to his success in capitalizing upon the misfortunes of others. Even so, in a recent interview Edwards had the gall to denounce his fellow Americans for their selfishness.

While Edwards seems to have made a good living promoting this kind of class envy, I'm not sure how well that message will sell in the upcoming presidential election. Most people look forward to earning their own wealth, not confiscating it from their fellow citizens. As for me, if I'm envious of anything, it's John Edwards's hair. I mean, what can I say? It's just so doggoned pretty.