[Note: Update added]
On Sean Hannity’s Wednesday radio show, conservative commentator and “Mugged” author Ann Coulter laid out what she viewed to be the proper criteria for the Republican Party’s 2016 presidential hopefuls.
At the time, she ruled out rising-star Texas Sen. Ted Cruz as a potential candidate unless the United States were to absorb Canada’s three most western provinces due to eligibility questions stemming from the fact that Cruz was born in Calgary, Alberta. However, as Coulter later pointed out via Twitter, Cruz would be eligible, since his mother is a U.S. citizen.
TED CRUZ CAN RUN FOR PRESIDENT!I worried on @seanhannity @ his Calgary birth, But his mother was a US citizen, so he was born a citizen.
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) February 14, 2013
Beyond that, Coulter also wants the next GOP presidential candidate to live up to certain gender and appearance standards.
“Look — the general principles on choosing our next president, and like I say we’ll throw them all in debates and see how they perform because that’s an important — that’s important how they appear,” Coulter said. “Got to be a governor — maybe a senator, but definitely governor or senator. No members of the House. Even the governors — they’re much better if they come from bigger states and preferably purple to blue states. [They] cannot be freakishly short or freakishly funny-looking. And I would say three years from now, and only I can say this — I think no women right now. We can’t do anything fancy. America has not had a woman president yet.”
Host Sean Hannity responded by offering former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and New Hampshire Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte as possible presidential contenders.
“I like a lot of them,” Coulter replied. “I just think — I mean many of them are young governors in any event, or new governors. I just think this is really important. The wind will be at our back in four years, unlike this last election. We can’t blow it this time and we can’t waste time on — as you know, I loved Herman Cain. I was hoping he would stay in the race, perhaps be a vice-presidential candidate, have a prominent role at the convention. I think next time we want to have a short primary. We can’t beat up on one another. That hurt Republicans a lot this time. And I just think no businessmen unless you then go on to become a governor.”
Coulter mention Republican Maine Gov. Paul LePage, which she described Maine as “an incredibly blue state,” fitting the “purple to blue state” criteria. Other GOP names from those sorts of states she said that were also possibilities included Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Florida Gov. Rick Scott, citing them as having “broad appeal.” But she also gave her former favorite candidate New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie a shout-out by saying he has to be in the running, despite not being strong on guns and illegal immigration.
In addition to Cruz, Hannity’s list included Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. But Coulter found fault with that list.
“Without naming names, several of the candidates violate the ‘not freakishly short or funny looking’ rule, and definitely the no-woman rule,” she said. “I think you’ll figure that one out.”
