by Eric Martin
I admit that I waver between "what did you expect" cynicism and shocked discuss in reaction to news of the recent hire of Erick Erickson by CNN. On the one hand, John Cole is right that CNN already has some pretty awful on-air talent (Stephen Hayes anyone? - not to mention CNN was Glenn Beck's home prior to Fox's poaching). On the other hand, Erick Erickson is really, really, really terrible. And not good. Shall we peruse some of his greatest hits?
Steve Benen rounds up some of the classics:
The problem here is with Erickson himself.
For example, it wasn't long ago when Erickson explained his belief on why the left has a stronger online presence than the right. He attributed it to an asymmetry in free time, since conservatives "have families because we don't abort our kids, and we have jobs because we believe in capitalism."
This is the same Erickson who recently called retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter a "goat f--king child molester," referred to two sitting U.S. senators as "healthcare suicide bombers," praised protesters for "tell[ing] Nancy Pelosi and the Congress to send Obama to a death panel" (he later backpedaled on that one), and described President Obama's Nobel Prize as "an affirmative action quota."
And perhaps my personal favorite was the time, just last year, when Erickson was angry about new environmental regulations relating to dishwasher detergent. He told his readers, "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?"
There was a point when major professional outlets would look at a voice like this as an "extremist," to be shut out of the mainstream of America's civil discourse. CNN, however, considers this record of radical rhetoric, and concludes it should pay him to offer on-air political commentary.
The David Souter slur was a particularly nice touch. Echidne links to some more recent material - his reaction to the Tebow Super Bowl Ad. Methinks Erick has some issues with women:
Erickson...tweeted during the Super Bowl, "That's it?!?! That's what the feminazis were enraged over? Seriously?!? Wow. That's what being too ugly to get a date does to your brain."
Oh, and you know what else? They should get back in the kitchen! Yeah! "Thus ends the credibility of all pro-abortion groups. Thanks Mrs. Tebow for that. Ugly feminists return to their kitchens."
The conservative blogger, clearly determined to wedge every cartoon anti-feminist smear from the 70s into a great illustration of why booze and social media don't mix, continued "That's not smog in Miami. It's bras burning from the sheer stupidity of the pro-abortion crowd's reaction to the Tebow ad."
What will all those crazy, ugly feminists do next, to occupy all the empty time not spent on dates? What they do best: castrate.
"Next the feminist groups will lash out at all the commercials praising manly men. They'll trot out Lorena Bobbit to spade/neuter your man." [emphasis added]
That should play well with the soccer mom crowd.
Then there was the time he accused that news organization of "convey[ing] terrorist propaganda." The news organization being...CNN (via). And it's not like he has a great grasp of American history, or civics for that matter.
But other than that, heckuva job CNN! The most trusted name in news. Or something.
It just goes to show that there is money in those 5 million people who spend their time watching cable news. Beck, this guy, they are just Howard Stern on politics, big money.
Posted by: Marty | March 16, 2010 at 05:38 PM
Yeah, that's about right.
Posted by: Eric Martin | March 16, 2010 at 05:39 PM
What's the over/under on the number of comments on this thread before we get some variation on "Olbermann's just as bad"?
Posted by: Uncle Kvetch | March 16, 2010 at 05:46 PM
I'll take the under at 5.
because Olbermann's just as bad.
Posted by: Marty | March 16, 2010 at 05:52 PM
Shoot, I'm surprised we haven't heard it yet. Maybe Brett is offline?
Posted by: Eric Martin | March 16, 2010 at 05:52 PM
Well, there goes that. Marty, do you have any evidence, or is this another "gut feeling" type thingy?
I don't watch Keith all the time, and I know that he can go overboard at times, but I'd like to actually read the quotes that compare with Ericksons if you have them. Otherwise, you might want to be a bit more circumspect about comparing Keith to Erickson.
I mean, Erickson said some pretty vile things.
Posted by: Eric Martin | March 16, 2010 at 05:53 PM
BTW, I would have no idea if Olbermann is good or bad, I was just wanting to win the under.
Posted by: Marty | March 16, 2010 at 05:54 PM
And perhaps my personal favorite was the time, just last year, when Erickson was angry about new environmental regulations relating to dishwasher detergent. He told his readers, "At what point do the people tell the politicians to go to hell?
My favorite, too, since a genesis of this was local; a big chunk of the salmon run was being harmed by detergent pollution--that's just a billion dollar industry there...
Posted by: gwangung | March 16, 2010 at 05:55 PM
Damn you Marty!!!!!
;)
OK, I retract it all (my comment that is). I was got.
Posted by: Eric Martin | March 16, 2010 at 06:06 PM
Moe Lane quit Redstate yesterday because of Erickson's cracker hate act, saying "I just can't do this anymore."
Moe was even more upset than when he took collected the kitty's bullets and left Obsidian Wings to pout.
Posted by: John Thullen | March 16, 2010 at 06:13 PM
I'm not a fan of Olbermann – remember when his "Special Comments" were supposed to be only rare occurences? He definitely can go overboard and be very one-sided.
But Beck, or this Erickson guy, they seem to be either hucksters (Glenn Beck might be the greatest comedian who ever lived) or they're crazy. That kind of hateful vitriol... I don't think Olbermann compares.
Posted by: Patrick | March 16, 2010 at 06:19 PM
So Erickson spent time in Dubai?
That's quite an al Qaeda through-point for money.
Also goat smuggling for those given to goat-effing.
Does the Macon City Council, the Republican Party, and CNN really know who this guy is?
Posted by: John Thullen | March 16, 2010 at 06:20 PM
Moe Lane quit Redstate yesterday because of Erickson's cracker hate act, saying "I just can't do this anymore."
Oh, boo hoo. Moe Lane never did anything to discourage that kind of behavior from editors, contributors or commentors, and did everything he could over the last 8 years to fan the flames. He's a despicable person.
Posted by: Phil | March 16, 2010 at 07:15 PM
Oh, boo hoo. Moe Lane never did anything to discourage that kind of behavior from editors, contributors or commentors, and did everything he could over the last 8 years to fan the flames. He's a despicable person.
Actually, Thullen was being facetious, as is his wont. In fact, Lane is pleased as punch that CNN has big-upped his buddy. Lane also gives mad props erstwhile white supremecist Robert Stacy McCain (writing in the always moderate American Spectator) to vainly attempt an asinine (and, ultimately, incoherent) tu quoque about Eason f*cking Jordan (yep, it's 2003 till infinity in Outer Wingnuttia).
Yeah. F*ck Moe Lane with Dan Riehl's strap on.
Posted by: matttbastard | March 16, 2010 at 08:00 PM
I'm not sure what it is, but there is something about Erickson that makes me want to give him a swirlie. Or maybe a wedgie. Or throw his sneakers over the electric line.
Anything to send him crying home to his mama.
I never went in for that stuff when I was a kid, he just brings it out in me.
Probably says more about me than about him, but there it is.
I hope he enjoys his new gig, it will no doubt do wonders for his brand.
Posted by: russell | March 16, 2010 at 09:30 PM
So CNN is the new AAA team for Fox?
Posted by: ChrisJ | March 16, 2010 at 09:47 PM
I never went in for that stuff when I was a kid, he just brings it out in me.
It's the violence-worship, coming from someone you're certain could never deliver on the deal. 'If they pass this bill, Im going to clean my gun.' Yeah, buddy, that's *all* your going to do. Clean your gun, and write about it on your blog.
The scary thing about the violence-worship is that he'd clearly be a sucker for genuine psychopaths willing to carry out his fantasies of imposing his will on the world.
But yeah, mostly it makes me want to punch him in the mouth.
Posted by: Carleton Wu | March 16, 2010 at 09:54 PM
In the past Erickson had been energetically auditioning for the position of sycophant-in-chief to Rush Limbaugh--
http://www.redstate.com/tsquare/2009/10/14/tonight%E2%80%A6-we-are-all-rush-limbaugh/
so I suppose landing the CNN gig is something of a consolation prize for him.
Still, he represents a shining example of how a deficit of talent and brains is no obstacle in the never-ending quest to gin-up political controversy and--not incidentally--separate fools from their money.
Posted by: Pawthorn | March 17, 2010 at 08:07 AM
mattb was there a veiled Souls of Mischief allusion in that rant?
Posted by: Eric Martin | March 17, 2010 at 09:43 AM
Damn you Marty!!!!!
Sheesh, Eric...even I knew Marty was kidding. (Well, maybe more "hoped" than "knew," but still.)
FWIW, I'm no fan of Olbermann either, despite the obvious political affinities -- I just don't like his style. But you'd be hard-pressed to find anything he's said that approaches Erickson's level of mean-spirited ugliness.
Posted by: Uncle Kvetch | March 17, 2010 at 10:19 AM
I like Rachel more than Keith, but Keith serves a valuable function, and I'm extremely greatful for his decision to come out and do what he did when he did it.
At the time, there was nobody challenging the status quo from the left in television. In fact, he was the one that promoted Rachel and paved the way for her show.
I think he lets his ego get in the way, and sometimes takes things too far (and gets a little too nasty), but ultimately, sheeet. I'm still on the whole appreciative.
Posted by: Eric Martin | March 17, 2010 at 10:33 AM
Also, I believe Mr. Erickson was the first to call Cindy Sheehan a "[media] whore" for voicing displeasure that her soldier son was killed in Iraq, which really showed a heartening respect for the sacrifices of military families.
Also, his name is "Erick Erickson", which strongly implies that his family tree is a wreath. I'm not sure what that means, but I think CNN needs to investigate.
Posted by: The Editors | March 17, 2010 at 12:27 PM
mattb was there a veiled Souls of Mischief allusion in that rant?
Was hoping you'd catch that. ;)
Posted by: matttbastard | March 17, 2010 at 03:14 PM
Also, his name is "Erick Erickson", which strongly implies that his family tree is a wreath. I'm not sure what that means, but I think CNN needs to investigate.
A wreath is kind of like a crescent, sort of. Think about it.
Posted by: Uncle Kvetch | March 17, 2010 at 03:38 PM
My only reaction is this.
*Facepalm*
Posted by: Meditative_Zebra | March 18, 2010 at 01:51 AM