Fernando Leon/Getty Images In the wake of conservative pundit Ann Coulter's tweet, "I highly approve of Romney's decision to be kind and gentle to the retard," following Monday night's presidential debate, several famous faces have voiced their feelings on such a remark and Coulter.
"@AnnCoulter You disgust me," tweeted Sophia Bush. "That man is the president of this country. (& I'm sure all of the disabled children in America appreciate you.)"
Comedian Patton Oswalt also responded, posting, "Ann Coulter died of prostate cancer in 2002. Her Twitter account's a sentient emu skeleton with a swatch of eyelid skin stretched over it." He later added: "If Ann Coulter's calling the President a 'retard' it means he won/is going to win. She's our un-pettable Punxsutawney Phil."
Holly Robinson Peete also spoke up, writing: "As a mom of a son with autism the words Retard or retarded are like nails on a chalkboard. A lot of people say it benignly esp kids...So when a grown woman deliberately uses it publicly over and over you just have to wonder if there is a chip missing ya know?"
Singer Michelle Branch tweeted as well, saying, "I don't care who you are. The "R" word is so absolutely disgusting," and Oscar winner Marlee Matlin noted, "Despite our differences, it's NOT ok to use the "R" word. Consider millions of developmentally challenged Americans. It's just UNBELIEVABLE."
Glee star Lauren Potter, who, like her character on the hit FOX show, also has Down Syndrome, tweeted, "Thank you to everyone who has taken a stand against the R word tonight!"
Even Coulter's fellow conservative commentator, Michelle Malkin, expressed outrage, tweeting, "What a stupid, shallow thing to say, Ann."
Meanwhile, the Special Olympics told E! News: "We are disappointed in her [Coulter] regular use of the word despite our constituents regular appeals to her for compassion, and welcome an open invitation for her to be involved in an educational meeting with our athletes to understand the demeaning use of the R-word in everday speech."
And the R-word campaign, which encourages people to stop using the word "retarded," tweeted, "It's very disappointing that Ann Coulter continues to choose hateful and disrespectful language in her discourse."