'Obama Girl' Sings Back to Coulter

Ben Harris
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

NEW YORK

Nearly 4 million people have heard her voice on the Internet video smash "I Got a Crush on Obama," in which a sultry admirer confesses her love for the presidential candidate.

Another 3.5 million have watched her video "My Box in a Box," a parody of a Justin Timberlake number from "Saturday Night Live."

Leah Kauffman

Now Leah Kauffman -- who wrote the lyrics, and sang on the Obama and Box videos (while someone else was seen on screen) -- has moved in front of the camera to battle conservative flame-thrower Ann Coulter's recent assertion that Jews should perfect themselves by becoming Christians.

In "Perfected," a video released last week on YouTube, Kauffman responds to Coulter's recent comments with humor.

"Instead of responding with anger," says the Temple University senior, "I responded with satire."

The video, produced by the Web site BarelyPolitical.com, had been viewed more than 280,000 times as of early Tuesday, only five days after it was first posted.

The site paid Kauffmann a sum she won't disclose, though she insists that it's not "extravagant."

In the video, Kauffman mocks the right-wing firebrand by pretending to want to be just like her: a liberal-baiting purveyor of hate.

"When I was growing up, I was very insecure," croons Kaufman in the video's opening lines. "Didn't know where I fit into this world. As I grew older, I found my place and finally my nose grew into my face. Then I saw Ann Coulter on the TV screen, and she said if you want to be perfect you should be just like me.

"I know I'm just a Jew, but we could be best friends forever," she continues.

"Wanna come over later and watch 'Seinfeld' together. You could teach me to hate liberals, The New York Times and what they say. ... I would do anything to be just like you. FedEx me to heaven like a perfected Jew."

A Philadelphia native, Kauffman began performing at her synagogue, Beth Sholom Congregation in Elkins Park.

This weekend, she will premiere selections from her yet-to-be-released CD "Modern Monster" at a club in Philadelphia. She's been working on the tracks with money made from her political songwriting.