Conservative celebrity Ann Coulter on
Monday defended GOP gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino's anti-gay
remarks.
In an appearance on Fox News' O'Reilly
Factor, Coulter defended Tea Party favorite Paladino for telling
a group of Orthodox Jewish leaders in Brooklyn that his opposition to
gay marriage stems from not wanting children “brainwashed into
thinking that homosexuality” is acceptable.
“I think someone on this network
should [defend him],” she told host Bill O'Reilly.
“I think it's a little offensive to
merge gays and gay left-wing activists. That was the only thing he
was condemning,” Coulter claimed. “That's all he did!”
“He's speaking to Hasidim
[conservative Jews] … it's like going to Chicago. You say, 'Go
Cubs,'” she added.
Referring to the fact that for Paladino
to win the election he needed to reach out to independents, O'Reilly
countered that “everybody but you in the world agrees this ain't
gonna help the guy.”
New York City Council Speaker Christine
Quinn also weighed in on the issue. Speaking to MSNBC's Contessa
Brewer on Monday, the openly lesbian lawmaker linked anti-gay
speeches to hate crimes and claimed that Paladino had “hurt
people.”