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Insider Report: Ann Coulter: Schwarzenegger, Kerry, Coulter, More Special From NewsMax's Most Informed Sources
Headlines (Scroll down for complete stories):
At the installation Mass of Donald Wuerl as the new Archbishop of Washington, a papal nuncio gave Holy Communion to Sen. John Kerry – despite earlier Vatican pronouncements that pro-abortion politicians must be denied the sacrament. The Catholic News Service, the official news service of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, reported: "During the Mass, Kerry, who supports keeping abortion legal, received Communion in the hand from Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States and Pope Benedict XVI's representative to the U.S. bishops." LifeSiteNews.com, a pro-life news service, said on its Web site that it had "formally requested a clarification from the office of the apostolic nuncio. No reply was sent from Archbishop Sambi's office though LifeSiteNews.com was informed that the nuncio received the request for clarification." LifeSiteNews.com also spoke with Mark Adkinson, communications assistant of the Archdiocese of Washington, who indicated that the incident was "likely not intentional."
Story Continues Below
In April 2004, the Vatican's leading prelate on the Sacraments, Cardinal Francis Arinze, stated flatly that unambiguously pro-abortion politicians should be denied Holy Communion. And in July of that year, Cardinal Ratzinger – the future Pope Benedict XVI – told U.S. bishops in a letter that pro-abortion politicians who will not alter their stand or abstain from Communion after being instructed by church leaders "must" be refused the sacrament. But the subject remains controversial. Just last week, a committee chaired by former Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick concluded that bishops should decide for themselves if they will allow pro-abortion politicians to receive Communion.
2. Schwarzenegger Mimics Clinton's ‘Triangulation'
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is taking a cue from Bill Clinton's "triangulation" policy and cobbling together a coalition of GOP loyalists, moderate independents, and a few disaffected Democrats as he heads for the November election. The term "triangulation" came into the political lexicon during the Clinton presidency when Dick Morris served as chief strategist. Morris sees triangulation as way for one party or candidate to steal their opponent's chief issues, but do so in framework consistent with core beliefs. Likewise, Schwarzenegger is seeking to keep Republicans on his side in his race against Democrat Phil Angelides while wooing independents and moderates who will be crucial to his re-election hopes in his decidedly blue state, the Sacramento Bee reports. On illegal immigration, for example, he has reached out to the right by rolling back driver's licenses for illegal aliens and opposing a Democratic plan to expand health care to illegal immigrants. He also toured the California-Mexico border to denounce "the failure of the federal government to secure our borders." At the same time, he has outraged conservatives by budgeting more money for local health programs that don't require children to disclose their immigration status. According to the Bee, "Schwarzenegger often infuriates those on the right, but he's betting that conservatives will vote for him rather than see the governorship go to the unabashedly liberal Angelides. Nor is Schwarzenegger trying to please liberals; he knows that his pro-business, anti-tax increase policies will always make him a pariah to union leaders and environmental and consumer activists." The strategy appears to be working. Polls show that independents, who are expected to comprise about 20 percent of November's voters, are returning to Schwarzenegger after deserting him during his unsuccessful ballot measure campaign.
3. Congressmen Speak About Ann Coulter Ann Coulter is an "intelligent, thoughtful journalist" – or a "tireless book peddler." It depends on whom you ask in Washington. Or rather, it depends on which political party you belong to. With Coulter's latest best seller "Godless: The Church of Liberalism" creating waves of controversy across the country, the influential publication The Hill asked several members of Congress: What is your opinion of Ann Coulter? Among the responses: Rep. Kenny Marchant, R-Mich.: "Ann is an intelligent, thoughtful journalist who communicates the message of conservatives very effectively with a flair for entertainment." Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Fla.: "Well, she certainly has a way of crawling out there on the edge of the limb sometimes, doesn't she? I'm just glad I'm not on the other end of her sharp tongue." Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn.: "Ann Coulter is tough as nails and strong-minded. She probably falls into the category of a person with a lot of credibility that needs to be careful what she means. She's very smart and does her research, but words matter." Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif.: "While she is a tireless book peddler, she is completely irrelevant to any real political discourse. Next topic, please." Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.: "Ann Coulter is a poster child for the continued vitality of the First Amendment – living proof that our Constitution guarantees the right to speak, no matter how offensive and indefensible one's comments are." Editor's Note:
4. Clear Channel's One Second Commercial? Clear Channel Radio is toying with the idea of offering the shortest-ever radio spots – just one second long. The thought behind the spots, called "blinks," "is to find new uses of radio for advertisers who are continually asking us to demonstrate that our medium can successfully extend brands, can successfully reach the consumer with touch-points that are new and surprising," Jim Cook, senior VP-creative for Clear Channel Radio, told Advertising Age. Clear Channel put together a few examples of how blinks could be used. One places the McDonald's jingle between two hip-hop songs. A blink created for BMW's Mini Cooper has a horn honking and a man's voice saying "Mini." "Other audio mnemonics that could use blinks are the Intel chime and the NBC bells," Ad Age reports. The economic impetus for a one-second ad is clear: According to one industry expert, the spot could be sold at a 200 percent to 300 percent increase over what one-thirtieth of a 30-second ad might cost. But Jim Gaither, director-broadcast at the Richards Group ad and public relations agency, is skeptical. "You can't use a one-second campaign for something that generally has not been advertised before," he said. A better idea, according to Gaither: A three-second spot.
5. We Heard . . . THAT Ann Coulter has told friends she is predicting that Rudy Giuliani will soon "flip" on abortion and become pro-life. The former New York City mayor has been staunchly pro-choice, a stance that political strategists say undermines any chance he has of capturing the GOP's nomination for president in 2008. Ann expects that Rudy will do a 180-degree turn on abortion and become pro-life – but will it wash with Republican voters? Some note that President Bush's father, George H.W. Bush, made a similar change of position. THAT Dr. David Millstein was found stabbed to death in his Mountain Home, Ark., residence in mid-June. Why is this of interest? Millstein was married to Lois Parks, the widow of Bill Clinton security aide Jerry Parks, who was also murdered. Those who follow the adventures of the Dixie Mafia should know that in September 1993, Parks was shot dead by someone who pulled alongside his car in rural Pulaski County. The murder was never solved. Parks ran American Contract Services, which supplied bodyguards for Clinton during his presidential campaign and during his transition into office. Parks' wife claimed that after Parks' murder, federal agents confiscated his files and computer. THAT men would rather have dinner with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice than with Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts, or Faith Hill.
A Beta Research Corp. survey commissioned by Esquire magazine offered 1,083 American men over age 25 a list of 14 women and 14 men and asked to pick three of each as their most preferred dinner guests. The results: 35 percent chose Rice, 33 percent named Oprah Winfrey, 30 percent selected Jolie, and 21 percent chose Sen. Hillary Clinton. The Washington, D.C.-based publication The Hill reported the results. Jay Leno led all men. The "Tonight Show" host was chosen by 37 percent, narrowly beating out President George Bush, who at 36 percent was tied for second with Bill Clinton and George Clooney. THAT Oscar-winner Michael Douglas has settled a federal lawsuit against three Florida video companies he accused of improperly using his image and voice. In the suit filed in February, Douglas said he was offered a deal to host an educational show called "Learning About . . ." After the "Wall Street" star taped his footage in December 2004, it turned up in another offering, "Simple Living," an infomercial with ads for Mrs. Fields cookies, Hershey's candy, Wells Fargo online banking, TurboTax, and other products, according to the lawsuit. The filing states that Douglas is "extremely careful and cautious" regarding the use of his name and likeness for commercial purposes for fear of hurting his image, the South Florida Business Journal reports. A judge issued an injunction barring the three Boca Raton companies from using the footage again. THAT CNN anchor Anderson Cooper takes a playful poke at veteran newsman Dan Rather on his "Celebrity Playlist" of songs available at iTunes. Cooper's 15-track mix includes a song by REM titled "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" The title refers to a bizarre incident involving Rather in 1986. Rather said that while walking along New York's Park Avenue, he was attacked by two men who punched and kicked him while repeatedly demanding: "Kenneth, what is the frequency?" "Lest there by any doubt that Cooper gets the reference, his liner-note quip accompanying the selection says, ‘Might be tempting fate to pick a song inspired by the mugging of a news anchor,'" the trade publication Broadcasting & Cable reports. Rather was recently dumped from CBS and "60 Minutes" – while Cooper will begin contributing to the show this fall. Editor's Notes:
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