Cases in MDS: Coulter Endorses Clinton

I snuggled into bed early last night to watch politics on cable. The Democratic debate was good, so good, in fact, that Ann Coulter on Hannity and Colmes came out later and endorsed Hillary Clinton over John McCain in the general election (via YouTube):

This can't be good for the anti-McCainiacs.

What a circus! Maybe all clarity has indeed broken free from the far-right punditocracy, and we're indeed witnessing the total ravings of an unhinged fringe.

Are there any forces of reason left on the far right of the radio dial?

This morning's New York Times suggests some conservatives haven't jumped ship:

Senator John McCain has long aroused almost unanimous opposition from the leaders of the right. Accusing him of crimes against conservative orthodoxy like voting against a big tax cut and opposing a federal ban on same-sex marriage, conservative activists have agitated for months to thwart his Republican presidential primary campaign.

That, however, was before he emerged this week as the party’s front-runner.

Since his victory in the Florida primary, the growing possibility that Mr. McCain may carry the Republican banner in November is causing anguish to the right. Some, including James C. Dobson and Rush Limbaugh, say it is far too late for forgiveness.

But others, faced with the prospect of either a Democrat sitting in the White House or a Republican elected without them, are beginning to look at Mr. McCain’s record in a new light.

“He has moved in the right direction strongly and forcefully on taxes,” said Grover Norquist, an antitax organizer who had been the informal leader of conservatives against a McCain nomination, adding that he had been talking to Mr. McCain’s “tax guys” for more than a year.

Tony Perkins, a prominent Christian conservative who has often denounced Mr. McCain, is warming up to him, too.

“I have no residual issue with John McCain,” Mr. Perkins said, adding that the senator needed “to better communicate” his convictions on social issues.

Richard Land, an official of the Southern Baptist Convention and a longtime critic of Mr. McCain, agreed, saying, “He is strongly pro-life.”

“When I hear Rush Limbaugh say that a McCain nomination would destroy the Republican Party,” Dr. Land added, “what I want to say to Rush is, ‘You need to get out of the studio more and talk to real people.’ ”

Readers can review the debate over McCain Derangement Syndrome, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

See more at Memeorandum.