Ann Coulter attends the premiere of "Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!" in Los Angeles in this July 22, 2015, file photo. IF YOU GO
What: Conservative author Ann Coulter will visit the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus to give her speech, "America Under Obama: How to Recover and Save Our Country." When: Oct. 5, noon to 1 p.m. Where: Roland Hayes Concert Hall Admission: Seating is first-come, first-served basis. To request a ticket, contact Sheri Carmichael at sherian-carmichael@utc.edu.
Famed author and conservative columnist Ann Coulter is coming to Chattanooga to discuss what she calls the political misfortunes America has experienced under President Barack Obama's administration.
Coulter's speech, "America Under Obama: How to Recover and Save Our Country," aims to tackle the following questions on Oct. 5 at the Roland Hayes Concert Hall on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus:
* What happened to America?
* Why has "the most prosperous nation on Earth" lost respect?
* Is it the social issues, poverty, welfare and income inequality?
* Or was it former immigration policy, which franchised "millions of foreign voters more amenable to statist policies and a declining America?"
* Does the country have the means to recover?
* Or is it too late?
The author of 10 New York Times best-sellers, Coulter has cultivated a reputation for controversy, said UTC spokesman Chuck Cantrell. "But I think that (university officials) were looking for someone who would be thought-provoking, someone who would spur good conversation and discussion," he said.
This is her second visit to the university as part of the Burkett Miller Distinguished Lecture Series, he said.
From noon to 12:45 p.m., UTC professor Michelle Deardorff will provide a political counterpoint for 15 minutes. Like Coulter - and Obama himself - Deardorff has a background in constitutional law and teaches courses related to political theory and civil liberties.
Afterward, the audience can ask questions, Cantrell said.
A Connecticut native, Coulter graduated from Cornell University and received her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, where she edited the law review journal. She is best known for guest appearances on popular TV shows and her popular conservative column for Universal Press Syndicate.
Deardorff, a professor of political science, is co-writing a book that focuses on pregnancy and the American worker.
Contact staff writer Zack Peterson at zpeterson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6347.