Coulter Mocked by Top Columnists Group, and Argento Named Prez

By: Dave Astor Ann Coulter was mentioned and criticized several times by speakers at the National Society of Newspaper Columnists conference here. Then she received the NSNC's ultimate mention and criticism -- winning the annual Sitting Duck Award for easiest column target.

The NSNC noted that it gave the prize to the columnist/author "for cheapening political discourse in America." The statement did add: "We award the Lame Duck reluctantly, because we know Ms. Coulter is desperate for any kind of attention."

Coulter, whose column is distributed by Universal Press Syndicate, is known for inflammatory comments that include references to killing or deporting people with whom she disagrees.

Mike Argento of the York (Pa.) Daily Record, meanwhile,was elected president of NSNC here.

Argento, who succeeds Suzette Martinez Standring, was previously vice president. The new vice president is Samantha Bennett of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Both Bennett and Argento were elected to two-year terms.

The next annual NSNC conference will be held in June 2007 in Philadelphia. Chairing that meeting will be Stu Bykofsky of the Philadelphia Daily News.