Howard Dean on Ann Coulter: The First Amendment Doesn’t Protect ‘Hate Speech’

‘Ann Coulter used words you cannot use on television to describe Jews, blacks, gays, Muslims, immigrants, and Hispanics’

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The First Amendment does not protect the speech of people like Ann Coulter.

That's the claim from former Democratic presidential candidate and governor of Vermont, Howard Dean.

Dean this week created a firestorm when he tweeted of U.C. Berkeley's decision to cancel a scheduled speech from Coulter: "Hate speech is not protected by the first amendment" [sic].

The comment drew widespread mockery, even earning a "False" rating from left-leaning Politifact. 

Dean is now doubling down on the claim. 

Appearing Sunday on MSNBC, Dean said "it's actually true" Coulter's brand of speech is not protected by the First Amendment. 

"First of all, okay, several things to think about," Dean began. "One, the United States has the most far reaching protections on speech of any country in the world. Two, it's not absolute. Three, there are three court cases, Supreme Court cases, that you need to know about."

"One, the most recent, is a John Roberts opinion that said the Phelps people, that church out in Kansas, had the right to picket horrible offensive signs military funerals," Dean continued. "Two, in 2002, there was a Supreme Court said that cross boarding was illegal because it would incite violence. Three, a case in 1942, the Chaplinsky case, said that speech was not criminal if it included fighting words that were likely to incite violence."

Dean seemed to claim that FCC laws governing television content also applies to speeches at public universities.

"The right loves to be able to say anything they like, no matter how offensive it is," Dean said. "Well, Ann Coulter used words you cannot use on television to describe Jews, blacks, gays, Muslims, immigrants, and Hispanics. I think fits the Chaplinsky standard that it's fighting words likely to incite violence and Berkeley is within its rights to make the decision it puts their campus in danger if they have her there."

"I'll be the first to admit, it's a close call, close call," he concluded.

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