By Hunter Walker 5/04/12 4:14pm

Provocateurs

Ann Coulter (Photo: Getty)

Ann Coulter Responds To Furor Over Her Blind Man Joke By Making More Blind Man Jokes

Conservative commentator Ann Coulter caused an uproar this afternoon after she posted a Tweet mocking Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng for his blindness, but she has no regrets. Ms. Coulter told The Politicker she thinks the Tweet was funny and she’s surprised people were offended on behalf of the blind rather than mad at her for being insensitive to the plight of people living in China.

“Wow.  I felt worse about making light of communist hellholes known for slaughtering their own people, but it still made me laugh,” Ms. Coulter said when we asked her about the controversy.

She also shared another bit of blindness-based humor with us. Read More

By Hunter Walker 5/04/12 2:21pm

Fighting Words

Ann Coulter (Photo: Getty)

National Federation for the Blind Spokesman Slams Coulter For ‘Tasteless’ Comment

Chris Danielsen, a spokesman for the National Federation for the Blind, was not amused by Ann Coulter’s crack making fun of Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng’s blindness.  Ms. Coulter mocked Mr. Chen with a Tweet this afternoon.

“Couldn’t we just tell that blind Chinese dissident that he’s in America now?” she wrote.

Mr. Danielsen told The Politicker comments like Ms. Coulter’s have a damaging effect on the blind community. Read More

By Hunter Walker 5/04/12 10:31am

Educational Opportunities

Chen Guangcheng (Photo: Getty)

Chinese Dissident Escapes By Studying Abroad

Chen Guangcheng, the blind Chinese activist who wanted to hitch a ride out of Beijing on Hillary Clinton’s plane, is college bound. The State Department struck a deal with the Chinese foreign ministry to have Mr. Chen come to America for a university fellowship.

“If he wants to study abroad, he can apply through normal channels to the relevant departments, according to the law, just like any other Chinese citizen,” a Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said in a statement.

Soon after, the State Department announced a deal for Mr. Chen to come study at an as-yet-unnamed university and said the Chinese government agreed to accept his study abroad application.  Read More

By Hunter Walker 5/03/12 10:20am

Foreign Affairs

Hillary Clinton (Photo: Getty)

Chinese Activist Wants To Hitch a Ride With Hillary Clinton

Chen Guangcheng, the blind Chinese activist who made a daring escape from the home where he was living under armed guard late last month wants Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to fly him to America. Mr. Guangcheng, who is currently in a Beijing hospital recovering from a broken foot he sustained during his late night dash, asked for Ms. Clinton’s help in an interview with the Daily Beast.

“My fervent hope is that it would be possible for me and my family to leave for the U.S. on Hillary Clinton’s plane,” Mr. Guangcheng said. Read More