I asked why Farah was lying about the incident? "Well, Ann Coulter is a big draw, but it's also expensive to bring her in to do a speech. On the other hand, by doing this Farah can get lots of publicity of WND, publicity for his convention, and he gets to come looking he's taking a big moral stand -- all for free," my source told me.

"Farah didn't actually drop Coulter from anything because they hadn't reached an agreement for Coulter to show up and speak in the first place. In other words, the story that's being reported everywhere is, at its root, a complete scam by Farah."

Let's Get Ready To Rumble

"Ultimately, as a matter of principle, it would not make sense for us to have Ann speak to a conference about 'taking America back' when she clearly does not recognize that the ideals to be espoused there simply do not include the radical and very 'unconservative' agenda represented by GOProud," said Joseph Farah, editor and chief executive officer of WND.

"The drift of the conservative movement to a brand of materialistic libertarianism is one of the main reasons we planned this conference from the beginning." When asked by Farah why she was doing it, Coulter said: "They hired me to give a speech, so I'm giving a speech. I do it all the time."

Farah then asked:

"Do you not understand you are legitimizing a group that is fighting for same-sex marriage and open homosexuality in the military - not to mention the idea that sodomy is just an alternate lifestyle?"

Coulter responded:

"That's silly, I speak to a lot of groups and do not endorse them. I speak at Harvard and I certainly don't endorse their views. I've spoken to Democratic groups and liberal Republican groups that loooove abortion. The main thing I do is speak on college campuses, which is about the equivalent of speaking at an al-Qaida conference. I'm sure I agree with GOProud more than I do with at least half of my college audiences. But in any event, giving a speech is not an endorsement of every position held by the people I'm speaking to. I was going to speak for you guys, I think you're nuts on the birther thing (though I like you otherwise!)."

Farah went on to talk about the dust-up at CPAC earlier this year when GOProud was allowed to be a sponsor which caused some conservative groups to withdraw from participating. "GOProud is about infiltration of the conservative movement and dividing it from within with twisted and dangerous ideas way out of the mainstream of American public opinion. Ann Coulter is, I'm afraid, validating this effort for money. I support her speaking to people with whom she disagrees on college campuses. That's a good idea. I do it, too. But if you see the way GOProud is exploiting its coup in getting Ann Coulter to speak to its HOMOCON event, you begin to understand what a mistake this is for a conservative icon like Coulter."

Not wanting to go too far over the top - and probably recognizing that her columns draw traffic to his website -- in sanctioning of Coulter, Farah allowed that she would remain a weekly WND columnist: "There's a different standard for columnists and speakers at our conference," Farah explained.

"We boast the broadest ideological forum of commentators in any news or opinion publication or website anywhere on the planet - and we will continue to do that. We think people should hear all points of view discussed openly and honestly. However, this conference is a serious event designed to provide some real leadership for those who are serious about changing the direction of this country. There is simply no room there for compromisers or for people who accept money from those determined to destroy the moral fabric required for self-governance and liberty."

According to Kilian Melloy of Boston's Edge, "After WND published passages from the email exchange, Coulter told another news site, The Daily Caller, that `[T]his was an email exchange [between] friends and even though I didn't expressly say 'OFF THE RECORD' and I believe everything I said, he's a swine for using my private emails politely answering him,' a WND follow-up article reported on Aug. 18 `[W]hy would he do such a despicable thing?' added Coulter, going to on to say it was `for PUBLICITY.'

Kilian pointed out that "Coulter went on to question Farah's commitment to the conservative cause, writing that the editor `could give less than two sh-ts about the conservative movement -- as demonstrated by his promotion of the birther nonsense (long ago disproved by my newspaper, human events, also sweetness & light, american spectator and national review etc, etc etc).' Added Coulter, `He's the only allegedly serious conservative pushing the birther thing. [F]or ONE reason: to get hits on his website.'"

Peter LaBarbera came immediately to the aid of Farah saying that Coulter's hurled a "baseless charge at Farah, "who showed his commitment to conservative principles by dropping Coulter. But what's odd is that it comes after Coulter admitted to Farah that she's doing the GOProud speech pretty much for the money (i.e., as just another speaking gig)."

Added LaBarbera, "We at AFTAH have an idea: how about if Coulter donates her GOProud speaking fee to two worthy pro-family organizations whose mission (we hope) Coulter agrees with more than that of the phony 'conservatives' over at GOProud, who put 'gay rights' above traditional values." LaBarbera then suggested that Coulter donate the proceeds from her GoProud appearance to anti-gay group the Center for Military Readiness, and to "ex-gay" organization Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays.

Finally, the mild-mannered and always under rhetorical control American Family Association's Bryan Fischer checked in on the Coulter controversy. In a blog post titled "Ann Coulter, Glenn Beck go AWOL in the culture war," Fischer called Coulter a "deserter in the culture war and in the battle for sexual normalcy."