Kudos to Stanley Kurtz at The Corner for having the courage to say what so many others have been thinking:

Why all this fuss about Ann Coulter? Truth is, in life–in bars, in restaurants, in offices, on the phone–we all use vulgarity. When CPAC invited Coulter, it was simply empowering someone who talks without the veils of spin and PR and plastic discretion that politicians must learn. Yet the very skills that make a good polemicist like Coulter–provoking people with passionate, authentic opinion–are considered a handicap during a presidential campaign. CPAC took a bold step by inviting a conservative firebrand like Coulter. The best conservative spokesmen thrive on a discourse built in opposition to the mainstream, allowing conservatives to commune in ways not permitted by media and political gatekeepers. The vigorous dialogue promoted by people like Coulter is probably closer to real conversations than politicians’ sanitized talking points. In the end, campaigns prefer discipline over authenticity, while many conservative activists do not. So Republicans should focus on tapping the energy of people like Coulter, while managing their passion.

Jason Mattera of the Young America’s Foundation also weighs in with a defense of Coulter on Fox News.

UPDATE — 5:25 p.m.: I guess I should have read Stanley Kurtz’s entire post. In fact, he was using the first paragraph to mimic the Nation’s defense of John Edwards’ now-fired bloggers. My bad.