I have posted a couple critiques of (the) Jim Engster (Show on local NPR radio) before.
Yesterday I heard a brief promo for his show in which he said he was going to interview conservative commentator Ann Coulter on Thursday (today) morning. He did not mention any other guest. (I have observed that Jim will have a liberal guest without any “opposing point of view” and generally goes easy on that person and what they say. When Jim has a conservative guest either he has a liberal guest to provide an opposing point of view or he will argue with the conservative guest.)
So I thought, “Wow. Well done Jim. Having Ann Coulter of all people but without having someone to oppose what she says.”
I am not a big fan of Ann Coulter. I think she is a bit much and over the top and frankly she is hard to listen to. (Not easy to say that about a fellow Cornell grad – which she is.) During her interview she engaged in lengthy monologues that were exhausting and mildly irritating. But at least Jim had her on the show to talk about her new book…?
Well – sort of.
Jim did two things that unfortunately continued his usual pattern. First – he persisted in bringing up more inflammatory/outrageous statements Ann Coulter had made from several years or even several books ago. She called him on this. “Jim I said that a long time ago… Oh wow that was several books back”. “Yeah but you said it”.
And second – he argued with her. Rather aggressively. Jim pulled out a quote in which Ann Coulter referred to Barack Obama as a “14 year old”. “He’s not 14. He’s close to your age.” “Jim – that’s what we in the English language refer to as hy-per-bo-le.” “That’s not hyperbole. That’s a lie.”
Geez Jim. Get a clue. Surely you have enough sense to distinguish lie (intent to deceive) from hyperbole (exaggeration for the sake of rhetorical effect). Should she have written that? Not in my opinion. Is it excessive outrageous and unnecessary? Yup. But it is not a lie – unless Jim Engster wants to get into the issue of how many real “lies” then Sen Obama has said in public.
Ann finally realized this was a dead-end street. “Jim – get a dictionary before our next interview. It was good talking with you” and hung up. (Which she should not have done. You want to dish it out Ms Coulter? Then show you can take it. Especially from a local radio personality. Stay calm cool and focused and push back when Jim Engster wants to twist hyperbole into “lying”.)
Mr Engster – I thought you were going to exhibit some balance on your show and treat a conservative at least half as well as you treat liberals. Do I think Ann Coulter blew it? Yes indeed.
But so did you.
“That’s not hyperbole – that’s a lie”.
Oh puh-leez.
