Michelle Malkin is none too happy with Ann Coulter, whose remarks about Democrat presidential candidate John Edwards made her the center of attention at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Note that Malkin mentions the word “faggot” several times (eight, to be exact) without using it. If you read what Coulter said, you’ll see that she mentioned the word “faggot” once without using it. The only difference I can see is that Coulter, but not Malkin, mentioned the word in connection with an individual (John Edwards), and thereby conversationally implied that the term applies to Edwards. So what are the rules? Apparently, you can mention the word as often as you want, provided you don’t imply that it applies to anyone in particular. You must never use the word.

Addendum: Here is what Coulter said, according to The New York Times: “I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word ‘faggot,’ so I—so kind of an impasse, can’t really talk about Edwards.”