The "Perfected" Jew

Slash-and-burn columnist Ann Coulter shocked a cable TV talk-show audience Monday when she declared that Jews need to be "perfected" by becoming Christians, and that America would be better off if everyone were Christian.

Coulter made the remarkable statements during an often heated appearance to promote her new book on advertising guru Donny Deutsch's CNBC show "The Big Idea."

In response to a question from Deutsch asking Coulter if "it would be better if we were all Christian," the controversial columnist responded: "Yes." "We should all be Christian?"

Deutsch repeated. "Yes," Coulter responded, asking Deutsch, who is Jewish, if he would like to "come to church with me."

Deutsch, pressing Coulter further, asked, "We should just throw Judaism away and we should all be Christians?" She responded: "Yeah."

Coulter deflected Deutsch's assertion that her comments were anti-Semitic, matter-of-factly telling the show's obviously upset host, "That is what Christians consider themselves: perfected Jews."

From my reading, Coulter was simply stating standard Christian doctrine—with a little extra edginess to get Deustch wound up. Looks like it worked, and now she’ll sell some more books as a result.

Note that I am not “defending” Ann Coulter’s statement; I think it was another deliberately offensive comment from someone with a long history of making deliberately offensive comments, to promote her books.