Ann Coulter really likes to promote herself, and she really likes to get herself photographed with Marines in uniform. Her fans at Free Republic expend a great deal of effort aiding her in these twin endeavors:

Recent photo at a party for her new book.

Photo from last year.

More photos from last year (scroll a bit).

The last two links are from a party that followed her appearance on Craig Ferguson's Late, Late Show on NBC. The Freepers say they had a big contingent in the audience, pointedly including uniformed Marines:

Perhaps [Ferguson] decided NOT to attack her as aggressively as he intended -- when he found out that there were a LOT of "Ann Coulter fans" in the audience -- including TWENTY Marines, just back form Iraq, in their full dress uniforms.

Hmmm -- what do Marine Corps regulations say?

1. Members of the Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve, including retired Marines, are prohibited from wearing the Marine Corps uniform while engaged in any of the following activities, functions or circumstances unless specifically authorized by the CMC (Public Affairs(PA):

a. Soliciting funds for any purpose from the public outside of a military base or establishment.

b. Participating in any type of show or event which is commercially sponsored for advertising purposes, where it could be implied or construed that the Marine Corps "endorses" the product advertised.

c. "Endorsing" commercial products in such ways as to involve the uniform, title, grade or rate, or in any way establish or imply their military affiliation with such products.

d. Appearing or participating in any event in public that would compromise the dignity of the uniform.

(Emphasis mine.)

Ann Coulter's books are commercial products, as is Ann Coulter's overall work as a pundit. Is somebody inviting these Marines to TV show tapings and after-parties and encouraging them to show up in uniform to spread the notion, highly beneficial to her career, that she's the voice of The Few and The Proud? If so, why do the Freepers besmirch the honor of our troops?

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BY THE WAY: Do I need to point out that a woman who goes out of her way to pose with Marines who've served in the Iraq War has a goddamn nerve criticizing Max Cleland, John Murtha, Cindy Sheehan, and the Jersey Girls as unattackable?