There’s plenty of bloggers on both sides of the political spectrum who take themselves and their supposed influence a bit too seriously. But Erick Erickson sets the standard:
I am more and more mindful — and I used to be oblivious to the fact — that when I endorse a candidate or support a position, the implication is that RedState does too. In fact, it is why I expressly refuse to endorse a lot of things I’m asked to endorse. I know people don’t want my endorsement so much as they want the implication of RedState’s endorsement.
I’m glad Erick is no longer oblivious to the massive impact his opinions have on elections.
The Grand Panjandrum
If only he had supported former POW John McCain he wouldn’t have to deal with all this soc1alism: bailing out Wall Street, massive debt … none of it would have happened … if only his magical powers …
oy, good night, its been a long fun day and I needed a bit more snark to tuck me in for the night
kommrade reproductive vigor
This place needs a “Legend in their own mind” tag.
Wow. Just … wow. That’s actually kind of sad. Makes me feel slightly guilty for laughing my ass off at this self-important shrimp dick.
El Cid
The world always looks to Macon, Georgia, to see where the next fresh political wind is blowing from.
Glocksman
In his defense*, he’s correct about the ‘Redstate endorsement’ bit, but that endorsement only carries weight among those who are uncritical consumers of RedState’s ‘information’ to begin with.
IOW, only one half of one percent of all voters agree with Erick.
FWIW, I didn’t pay much attention to Redstate until after I recognized the name from listening to XM Radio’s ‘POTUS’ politics channel where Erick was a frequent guest and wondering ‘what planet is this idiot from?’.
His name stuck in my mind because he was so often wrong. :)
*Stopped clock analogy.
General Winfield Stuck
wingnuts say the darnedest things.
JasonF
You all laugh, but I know exactly how much weight the coveted “Occasional Balloon Juice Commenter JasonF” endorsement carries, which is why I don’t throw it around lightly. Why do you think ice cream is so popular? Because I endorsed it, that’s why. Before I endorsed it, everyone was all “No thanks — I’ll have some lima beans for dessert.”
cleek
all the bitches wanna get wit me
but i ain’t givin them shit you see
cause i’m a man of class and taste
and ‘fore i endorse i discriminate
only pick the best you see
and all those bitches wanna get with me
well they gonna wait and wait and wait
cause i’m Erick E, and i discriminate
Ash Can
Can anyone explain to me just who exactly gives a flying fuck about this guy or his website? Apart from the obvious comic value, that is.
chopper
@Ash Can:
well first he has a goofy name with ‘erik’ in the first and last parts. like ‘dick dickman’ or ‘ass asserson’. or ‘douchey mcdouchebag’.
Fencedude
@Ash Can:
He wants to be the Right Wing Kos, as far as I can tell.
Hammy
I can’t be bothered to look it up, but I bet Erick Dickhead was hot and heavy for Fred Thompson.
Dennis-SGMM
@chopper:
Wank Wankerson, Butt Buttson…
Fern
@chopper:
If my mother had given me “a goofy name with ‘erik’ in the first and last parts” I would have:
a) changed it
b) assumed she didn’t love me
Allan
I see Erick Erickson is taking a break from defending the Macon, GA city council from teh socializm via the magick of parliamentary procedure.
He’s such a pussy he blocked me on Twitter for asking him impertinent questions. Maybe too he didn’t care for my name for him: Doughy Patriot.
MTmofo
“I know people don’t want my endorsement so much as they want the implication of RedState’s endorsement.”
RedState: The guy that rubs up against you on a crowded bus.
Fern
@Dennis-SGMM:
Well, I did know someone by the name of Peter Peters.
And my grandfather’s first name was the same as his middle name, only spelled a little differently.
ninerdave
I do!!
Oh wait.
Dennis-SGMM
@Fern:
Hmmm. I bet that he was one great fist fighter by the time he was in high school.
skippy
ok, i hate to have to whip out my endorsement credentials, but i’m batting 100% @ endorsing politicians who win their seats over @ skippy.
neal peart
Once Erik Teh Son of Erik (aka The Oracle) lets you know who he is supporting, you know who not to vote for.
Fern
@Dennis-SGMM:
He was principal of the private high school I had the dubious pleasure of attending.
Dennis-SGMM
@Fern:
“Dubious pleasure?” Was Peter a peter?
AnotherBruce
When I really think about it, what’s really important is what is really implied by the implication of Erik son of Erik’s endorsement.
Fern
@Dennis-SGMM:
Nah, just a humorless authoritarian.
Yutsano
Nah, just a humorless authoritarian.
I’m no psychologist but I think I see the cause…
Dennis-SGMM
@Fern:
I’m trying to remember if I’d ever met a risible authoritarian.
Allan
Note to the moderators: I will remember in the future to refer to Mr. Erickson as a “vagina.”
Fern
@Yutsano:
In the Mennonite community he grew up in, it was traditional for boys to be given their father’s name as their middle name. He was just lucky his father’s name was John and not Peter.
Oh, just a minute…
AhabTRuler
What a peculiar combination.
Anne Laurie
No, a name like ‘Erick Erickson’ has “overambitious father” written all over it. Although, to be honest, I always assumed The Thane of RedState butched up the name his parents gave him, because ‘David’ or ‘Stanley’ just didn’t have the proper Viking heft. And if this were a sizeist snarksite like Sadly, No!, this would be where I used the line about the “massive impact” Erick’s arse has on the chairs in his momma’s basement, not to mention his coveted endorsements for tube socks and hand lotions.
MacsenMifune
Fun fact type John Boner into the wikipedia and it redirects to John Boehner’s page.
Fern
@Dennis-SGMM:
That is true.
Sirkowski
I AM REDSTATE!
Crusty Dem
So far he’s only endorsed Sarah Palin and the Fleshlight (TM). Unfortunately, I think he “endorsed” them at the same time, if you know what I mean…
southpaw
[ring . . . ring . . .]
Hello? Erik? . . .
Yeah, listen. What’s all this shit? . . .
No! Duuuuude, no, c’mon dude: I really need to know who you endorse. . . .
Seriously, it’s important for me to know . . .
In every race . . .
No, dude, listen, I’m not shitting you this time . . .
Yes, okay, fine, I have been known to shit you in the past . . .
Yeah, but that was a completely different situation. For one, we were in Mexico and that donkey . . .
No, duuude, look. I might fuck up and vote for them otherwise . . .
Also, dude, can I have your win-loss record? . . . Also.
[click]
b-psycho
Erik Erikson could endorse cute puppies & apple pie all he wanted to, it’d result in people voting to have both eradicated.
El Cid
And I believe I was the first one to use the phrase, “I don’t think so!”. But it only lasted a year. And that’s good because that’s how you establish a cult.
bago
You lost the iPhone css. I has a sad.
MikeJ
And never reïnstalled quicktags.
Tim F.
To be fair, RedState has a moderate amount of influence on some Republican primaries.
Of course every race they influenced turned out to be a win for us (either tangible or rhetorical in the sense of electing the fringiest possible wingnut). Erick has a shockingly good sense for the candidates who will be least helpful for the Repubican party as a whole.
oh really
It hardly seems fair to let this thread pass without at least some direct acknowledgment of how consistently idiotic Erickson (C and K in both first and last names) is. No one can speak for Erickson quite like the pudgy boy himself. So, in recognition of one of the dumbest, most mean-spirited SOBs alive, here is something he wrote today:
Infused, as always, with all the Christian love one moron from Georgia can muster.
GregB
Was risible the GOP-er word of the week at some point? They love that word.
That racist putz in Boston, Jay Severed-weenie loves that word and his listeners call in and fall over themselves to declare this or that person risible.
It’s all so risible.
-G
ckc (not kc)
I’m glad Erick is no longer oblivious…
measured how?
MikeJ
November 6th will be the 46th anniversary of the death of 17 year old Michael Douglas(not the actor) of Midland, Texas. I look forward to Erickson’s commemoration.
mcd410x
@Anne Laurie:
Either that or they’re from one of those socialist Nordic countries like Sverige that love the repetition thing, and have universal health care.
In a time before he moved to the United States, another kid stole his ice cream, and he’s spent year after year hating his homeland and its constitutional monarchy and wonderful education system and ABBA. If only he could erase that hateful day from his memory, he could leave Red State behind and go live his life. Happily.
One day, you little wolverine, one day.
Dennis-SGMM
@oh really:
But the serial adulterers of the Republican Party are here to protect us!
ellaesther
Well, in all honesty, as a former reporter and former correspondents’ assistant, almost every reporter (and he clearly see himself as a reporter of sorts, God help us) I have ever met boasts, at least on occasion, an inflated sense of his/her role in the grand scheme of things. Including myself.
It is an illness that is wide spread.
Comrade Kevin
Speaking of which, I just saw one of the most deceptive, dishonest political ads I have ever seen, from some alleged “Patients United” group, undoubtedly a front for the Insurance industry, trying to claim that Obama’s “Canadian” health plan will kill people.
ellaesther
And I kind of hate that he shares his name with the great Erik H. Erikson (who chose to name himself after himself, but I don’t know enough about it to explain why). Well, at least Mr. Redstate has those “c”s in there to keep things straight for me.
in canaduh
I ve always believed the right wing supports whatever fits their mold without thinking. its like the special olympics of: music, journalism, literature, whatever….
no matter what the medium or worth the drones prop that shit up
look and goldberg, prussian blue, palin….
southpaw
Erick Erickson is HUGE in Japan.
asiangrrlMN
Erick son of Erick can endorse anything his widdle heart desires. It’s so cute to see him think he’s playing with the big boys!
Nellcote
I hope they post youtubes from the RedState Convention this summer.
Common Sense
Why do I click on a WaPo link anymore when I can just go straight to Reason?
I blame you for this DougJ.
cosanostradamus
.
“Red State Blog”? Why would anyone read that? I mean, there’s neon on blue state blogs. NEON!!!
.
Svensker
@JasonF:
Ha ha ha. Win.
Nylund
Why do we even bother to hold elections when Erick’s power is so vast. Surely, once he makes an announcement the election itself is a moot point.
We should just officially name him King Maker and have him scream his selections from the top of Mt. Rushmore.
Ty Lookwell
One fact that you rarely encounter about the “malaise” speech is that it was actually very well received and regarded by the American public at the time.
cleek
thinking he’s King Of GOP Influence is a less-dangerous delusion than if he thought he was going to dissolve the US government.
The Bearded Blogger
Erickson: le rouge etat c’est moi
asiangrrlMN
@The Bearded Blogger:
Ok, I laughed heartily over this one. Thumbs up!