Erick Erickson

{{bronze}}{{hatnote|Were you looking for the significantly more reasonable [[Psychology|developmental psychologist]], {{wpl|Erik Erikson}}?}}[[File:Erick Erickson by Gage Skidmore.jpg|thumb|right|165px|The wild Erickson in its natural habitat: an echo chamber.]]{{pundits}}{{cquote|[[Dunning-Kruger effect|The difference between people who believe in the 2nd coming of Jesus]] and those who believe in global warming is that [[Biblical literalism|Jesus will return]].|||Erick Erickson,<ref>https://twitter.com/EWErickson/statuses/418778830786949120 {{broken}}</ref> getting it wrong on both counts}}
'''Erick Erickson''' is the managing editor of the conservative blogging platform '''RedState''' (''Where everything is slavery.).<ref>Yes, [http://www.redstate.com/2015/10/26/yes-the-arguments-for-abortion-do-parallel-the-arguments-defending-slavery/ the arguments for abortion DO parallel slavery!]</ref>

A leader in [[Wingnuttery|grassroots conservatism]] thanks to his [[Asshole|frank rhetoric]] and [[Astroturfing|willingness to fundraise]], he was an important figure in the [[Republican Party]] during the [[Obama]] Presidency, rising to prominence in 2009 and 2010.<ref>[http://washingtonindependent.com/72887/cons10-9 The Washington Independent: Erick Erickson] January 1, 2010</ref>

==In real life==
Erickson was a city councilman in Macon, [[Georgia]], which made him more directly involved in [[politics]] than most bloggers. It also gave observers a chance to gauge his opinions in a [[real world]] setting, as in September 2009 when around 130 Macon policemen attempted to [[Trade union|unionize]].<ref>[http://www.macon.com/breaking/story/861157.html More than 100 Macon police officers express interest in forming union]</ref> In his response, Erick son of Erick speculated about the possibility of ''[[Fractal wrongness|dissolving the police department]]'' entirely in retribution, contracting with the local sheriff for law enforcement.<ref>[http://www.peachpundit.com/2009/09/29/i-may-need-to-draft-legislation/ I May Need To Draft Legislation], Peach Pundit, September 29 2009</ref>

Unfortunately, Erickson also missed almost half of the full council meetings in 2010 as well as numerous committee meetings. In January 2011, Erickson announced his intention to resign his position before the end of his first term.<ref>[http://www.macon.com/2011/01/06/1399941/erickson-to-quit-macon-city-council.html Erickson to quit Macon City Council for Atlanta gig], Macon.com, January 6 2011</ref>  So much for the [[Puritan]] work ethic.

===[[SWAT-ting]]===
In May 2012, someone called the Bibbs County Sheriff claiming to be Erickson and claiming to have shot Mrs. Erickson &mdash; the Police responded accordingly, and discovered this was a tasteless prank.<ref>[http://www.11alive.com/news/article/244127/3/911-Hoax-Conservative-Blogger-Erick-Erickson-target-of-SWAT-ing "9-1-1 hoax snares conservative blogger"] 8 June 2012 </ref> This was a stupid idea, neither funny nor ''legal''.  The fool that pulled this only fed Erick Erickson's [[Persecution complex|persecution complex]] and made his critics look very bad.

==On the Internet==
RedState is Erickson's main platform for disseminating his views. The site has many columnists<ref>[http://www.redstate.com/front-page-writers/ Front Page Writers] RedState</ref> and moderators. Despite Erickson's claimed [[libertarian]] sympathies, [[hypocrisy|dissenting opinions are suppressed]].<ref>[http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2010/03/cnn_and_right "CNN and the right: Erick Erickson's Insult Problem"] The Economist</ref> Through Red State, Erickson has initiated ''several'' campaigns of note.

===Operation Leper===
Erickson's first project was a joint operation with [[Michelle Malkin]]. The Operation was aimed at "tracking down all the people from the [[McCain]] campaign now whispering smears against then-[[Sarah Palin|Governor Palin]] to Carl Cameron and others… It is our expressed intention to make these few people political lepers."<ref>[http://www.redstate.com/erick/2008/11/05/operation-leper/ Operation Leper]</ref> The "Operation" promptly went nowhere and was more or less forgotten by the time his next project rolled around.

===Strike Force===
By 2009, Erickson had realized that real change would require him to harness the full power of his web community. With that in mind, he 
created
 set up the Red State 
[[Red Dawn|Wolverines]]
 Strike Force.<ref>Lest you think we're kidding about the name, [http://images.redstate.com/strike2.jpg here's the actual logo].</ref>  Members of the Force would periodically receive assignments from Erickson himself. The first "mission" was a simple request to vote for Red State as "Best Conservative Blog" in the 2008 Weblog Awards<ref>[http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=15551 Balloon Juice: My first mission as part of the Red State Strike Force]</ref>, a mission carried out with great skill by the members.<ref>[http://2008.weblogawards.org/polls/best-conservative-blog/ 7th in a field of 14!]</ref>

Most subsequent missions involved the Force members buying and sending random tchotchkes to politicians, including Silly Putty eggs, rubber balls, and bags of rock salt. Erickson failed to mention that all the purchase links go through his Amazon page, meaning he profited from his "missions".<ref>
[http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2009/01/14/redstate-strike-force-theyre-our-men-if-they-cant-do-itwell-actually-nobody-will-be-too-surprised/ TBOGG: RedState Strike Force. They're our men. If they can't do it. Well, actually, nobody will be too surprised.] January 14, 2009 - Of course, given the cheap goods he ordered his men to purchase, it's unlikely that Erickson saw too much cash.
</ref>

===Tragic: The Gathering<small><small><ref>Name first used [http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2009/05/12/tragic-the-gathering/ here]</ref></small></small>===
Seeing the success of large scale meet-ups like [[Daily Kos|YearlyKos]]/Netroots Nation, Erickson attempted to organize his own meeting, dubbed the Red State Army Gathering<ref>[https://redstate.kimbia.com/Atlanta Still not kidding]</ref>  The event was moderately successful… in that it attracted about 1/6th as many attendees as the first YearlyKos.<ref>[http://www.redstate.com/erick/2009/07/31/the-redstate-gathering-happens-this-weekend/ RedState: The RedState Gathering Happens This Weekend]</ref>

==On CNN==
That's right.  Erickson spent almost three years as a commentator on [[CNN]],<ref>[http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/16/erickson-joins-the-best-political-team/?fbid=18cNC8W05db Erickson joins the Best Political Team]</ref> eventually departing to join more like-minded individuals at [[Fox News]].<ref>[http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/01/erick-erickson-leaving-cnn-for-fox-155520.html "Erick Erickson Leaving CNN for Fox"], ''Politico''.</ref>  He admitted that "before I went to CNN I was oblivious to the fact that there are ways to say things, without sacrificing or compromising my view or principle, that come off as more respectable and honest without invective than how I might have otherwise said them... CNN made me mindful of that."<ref>[http://www.redstate.com/2013/01/29/moving-on/ "Moving On"], ''RedState.''</ref>

Someone at CNN was probably fired for this.{{fact|joke}}

==Influence in the 2012 presidential election==
RedState (which is ultimately controlled by Erickson) maintains an editorial policy of "conservative in the primary and the Republican in the general".<ref>http://www.redstate.com/2014/05/20/mcconnell-for-senate/ "McConnell for Senate" "At RedState we are always for the conservative in the primary and the Republican in the general election. Mitch McConnell will be that Republican and we will help him."</ref> In practice, this means editors and readers spew lunacy about their preferred candidate and obsess over [[No true Scotsman|ideological purity]], then fall in line once their [[Plutonomy|social betters]] have picked the most palatable candidate.

Erick Erickson was less than thrilled with [[Mitt Romney]]'s "inevitability"<ref>[http://www.redstate.com/diary/erick/2011/11/08/mitt-romney-as-the-nominee-conservatism-dies-and-barack-obama-wins/ Mitt Romney as the Nominee: Conservatism Dies and Barack Obama Wins] -8 November 2011</ref> and until the bitter end, endorsed fellow [[Georgia]]n [[Newt Gingrich]] for the [[2012 Republican Party presidential nomination|2012 Republican nomination]].<ref>[http://www.redstate.com/erick/2012/01/18/rick-perrys-final-act-king-maker/ Rick Perry's Final Act: King-Maker]</ref>

On the campaign trail, Romney tried Erickson's "[[We are the 53 percent|47 percent of Americans don't pay taxes]]" canard, and it only made people like Romney less. It would seem that Erick Erickson and his ideas are only clever inside his [[echo chamber]].<ref>[http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2012/09/conservative-bloggers-are-losing-election/56966/ Conservative Bloggers are Losing this Election]</ref>

In the wake of the 2012 Vice-Presidential Debate between [[Joe Biden]] and [[Paul Ryan]], Erickson made various whiny remarks about moderator Martha Raddatz, prompting CNN talking-head Soledad O'Brien to reply, "you have lost your mind."<ref>[http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/10/12/soledad-slams-red-state-editors-moderator-critique-you-have-lost-your-mind/  Soledad slams Red State editor’s moderator critique: ‘You have lost your mind’]</ref>

Although Mitt Romney lost, some of Erickson's favored [[Tea Party]] candidates won, such as [[Ted Cruz]], now a US Senator for [[Texas]] and an all-around rotten individual.<ref>[http://www.redstate.com/2012/04/16/we-need-ted-cruz/ We need Ted Cruz - April 16, 2012]</ref>

==Influence in the 2014 mid-term election== 
Erickson has decried one Florida Congressional candidate named Jake Rush<ref>[http://www.jakerushforcongress.com/ Rush's campaign]</ref> who was challenging tea party incumbent Ted Yoho.  The reason?  [[RINO|Insufficient piety]], as evidenced by Rush's passion for [[Dungeons and Dragons|live-action roleplaying]].<ref>[http://www.redstate.com/2014/04/01/satan-witchcraft-role-play-and-challengers/ "Satan, Witchcraft, Role Play, and Challengers"], Erick Erickson. RedState, April 1, 2014 (Amazingly enough, not an April Fool's Joke)</ref>

==Influence in the 2016 election== 
In 2016, Erickson -- deeply concerned about how Trump's "immorality" and "deviancy" was contrasting with his conservative Christian values -- became one of the more prominent pundits of the "Never [[Donald Trump|Trump]]" conservative movement... even banning Trump from a Red State Gathering after Trump made tasteless remarks concerning [[Megyn Kelly]]'s menstrual cycle. <ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/09/23/heres-what-i-decided-after-several-pastors-begged-me-to-reconsider-my-nevertrump-stance/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.099b4f6fcc71</ref><ref>https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/aug/08/donald-trump-black-balled-by-conservatives-over-menstruation-comment</ref>

==Influence in the 2020 election==
In 2019, Erickson -- deeply concerned about [[Fun:Liberal_boogeyman|liberal boogeymen]] or something -- endorsed Donald Trump.<ref>https://theresurgent.com/2019/02/11/ill-be-voting-for-president-trump-and-vice-president-pence-in-2020/</ref>

==Religion==
Jesus only wanted us to care for poor Christians.  [[Wishful thinking|How does Erickson know?]]  Cutting aid programs that help ''all'' poor people is quite acceptable to Erickson.<ref>[http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2017/03/17/jesus-was-a-selfish-asshole-says-noted-bible-scholar-erick-erickson/ Jesus Was a Selfish Asshole, Says Noted Bible Scholar Erick Erickson]</ref>

==Radio Show on WSB==
As if Atlanta traffic isn't bad enough and doesn't make you want to end your life for being stuck in it, someone at WSB Radio apparently thinks we haven't suffered enough and gave Erickson an afternoon radio show called "Atlanta's Evening News With Erick Erickson." Erickson delivers a disorganized mess of a show where he uses no notes nor anything written down, and you can only conclude he got this gig because he plays golf with the owner of WSB or something. He proceeds to regurgitate his tired conservatism and blasts Democrats for the entirety of the show and calls that 'news.' There should be a study on abandoned cars on the side of the road and listeners to the radio show and see if the two correlate.

==Oh, and if you were waiting for the quotes==
When dealing with an intellect of the caliber of Mr. Erickson, it's often best to let his own words speak for themselves. The following is a greatest hits collection of Erickson's wit and wisdom. (For more, just read the titles of his blog posts.)
 
*"If the right were to blame for the tragedy at the Holocaust Museum,<ref>{{wpl|James von Brunn|Here's the killer, if you want to see for yourself}}.</ref> Markos Moulitsas, [[Keith Olbermann]], [[Harry Reid]], and Barack Obama must be positively scrubbing the blood off their hands after the tragic murder of Pvt. Long in Arkansas last week and wounding of Pvt. Quentin Ezeagwula. [[Psychological projection|I’m surprised leftwing bloggers can type with all the blood on their hands]]."<ref>[http://www.redstate.com/erick/2009/06/10/blood-for-blood-ashes-for-ashes/ Blood for Blood. Ashes for Ashes], RedState.com</ref>

*"In fact, exit polling by and large shows that John Edwards, by staying in the race, is taking votes that would otherwise typically go to Barack Obama. [[Just asking questions|Is this a racist ploy]]? Is John Edwards in league with the Clintons to make sure white voters, who don't want to vote for [[Bill Clinton|Clinton]], have a white alternative to go to, lest Barack Obama get more traction?"<ref>[http://archive.redstate.com/stories/elections/2008/democrats_the_party_of_the_klan Democrats: The Party of the Klan?], RedState.com</ref>

*"I did not realize the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] [[Affirmative Action President|had an affirmative action quota for it]], but that is the only thing I can think of for this news. There is no way Barack Obama earned it in the nominations period."<ref>[http://www.redstate.com/erick/2009/10/09/barack-obama-wins-nobel-peace-prize/ Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize: He’s Becoming Jimmy Carter Faster Than Jimmy Carter Did], RedState.com</ref>

*"Van Jones was just a black guy. With a black President, resources did not need to be brought to bear to defend him. Kevin Jennings,<ref>[http://www.kevinjennings.com/ This guy]</ref> however, is not just a gay man but a man who believes in the full [[gay rights]] agenda, where [[Pedophilia|men and boys can have sexual relationships]] free of prudish moral people frowning."<ref>[http://www.redstate.com/erick/2009/10/08/common-decency-suggests-we-should-not-have-to-deal-with-this-but-we-must-now-confront-a-white-house-supportive-of-nambla/ Common Decency Suggests We Should Not Have to Deal With This, But We Must Now Confront A White House Supportive of NAMBLA], RedState.com</ref>

*"[[PIDOOMA|Sarah Palin is disdained because she had a Down Syndrome child and all the forty something first time moms dropping their kids off (assuming it’s not the nanny doing it) at Birch Wathen Lenox, Trinity, and Dwight before going to work at their six-figure jobs know that smart women abort Down Syndrome babies — there’s a great clinic in SoHo where you can shop fashionably before the 'procedure'.]]"<ref>[http://www.redstate.com/erick/2010/08/18/the-elite-become-fringe-we-will-remember-come-november/ The Elite Become Fringe. We Will Remember Come November], Redstate.com</ref>

*"As the Clintons and their supporters continue their destruction of the Democratic Party, [[psychological projection|we see the latest salvo fired]] from the thighs of ugly nags. From the nether regions that see no men, New York's National Association of Gals is out bashing [[Ted Kennedy|Teddy Kennedy]] for endorsing Barack Obama instead of Hillary Clinton."<ref>[http://archive.redstate.com/stories/elections/2008/betrayal_of_the_female_reproductive_organ Betrayal of the Female Reproductive Organ], RedState.com</ref>

*''(In reference to new laundry detergent regulations)'' "At what point do the people tell the politicians to go to hell? At what point do they get off the couch, march down to their state legislator’s house, pull him outside, and beat him to a bloody pulp for being an idiot?"<ref>[http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/05/phosphate-memories/?_r=0 Paul Krugman's blog post at the New York Times]</ref>

*"What gives the Commerce Department the right to ask me how often I flush my toilet? Or about going to work? I'm not filling out this form. I dare them to try and come throw me in jail. I dare them to. Pull out my wife's shotgun and see how that little [[Census#Census|ACS]] twerp likes being scared at the door. They're not going on my property."<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/05/eric-erickson-threatens-t_n_525106.html Erick Erickson Threatens To 'Pull Out Shotgun' At Census Worker], The Huffington Post, April 5 2010</ref>

*"The nation loses the only [[goat]] fucking child molester to ever serve on the [[Supreme Court]] in David Souter's retirement."<ref>[http://twitter.com/ewerickson/status/1665491468 His Twitter page!]</ref>

*Erick Erickson commenting on a Pew poll that found that female breadwinners make up 40% of American households with children: “I’m so used to liberals telling conservatives that they’re anti-science. But liberals who defend this and say it is not a bad thing are very anti-science. When you look at biology — when you look at the natural world — the roles of a male and a female in society and in other animals, the male typically is the dominant role. The female, it’s not antithesis, or it’s not competing, it’s a complimentary [sic] role.”<ref>[http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/erick-erickson-female-breadwinners-are-antithetical-to-nature-video]</ref> His comments display profound ignorance on the natural world and many complexities of gender roles (humans alone also have hugely varied gender expectations throughout cultures). When faced with criticism he responded with this: "Many feminist and emo lefties have their panties in a wad over my statements in the past 24 hours about families."

*"The left has decided anyone who wears a Make America Great Again cap is de facto racist. They don’t judge people based on the color of their skin, but on the color of their caps trading one bigotry for another."<ref>https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/1087484664749740032</ref> Never mind that the public behavior of those wearing MAGA hats shows it to be practically the modern equivalent of wearing Klan robes.

==See also==
*[[Proll]]
*[[Red state]]
*[[Wingnut welfare]]

==External links==
*[http://www.redstate.com/ Red State]
*[http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201003280008 A very uncomfortable interview with Howard Kurtz] - Highly recommended

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

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