Via commentor Martin, Politico reports that the Voice of the GOP Gated Community is very disappointed by his so-called ‘elected representative’ for talking about going off Grover Norquist’s reservation:
In a 900-word indictment of Sen. Saxby Chambliss, RedState editor and CNN contributor Erick Erickson described the Georgia Republican Tuesday as “waffling around like a dog off its leash for the first time.”…
The RedState post, which laid out the conservative case in full against Chambliss, read a lot like a campaign manifesto, which maybe it was: Erickson said Tuesday evening on his radio show he’d been approached “by serious people” to consider a primary challenge and is giving it “prayerful consideration.”
An Erickson primary challenge would certainly make for great political theater. He’s won elected office before — he served one term on the Macon City Council — and could complicate Chambliss’s re-election bid. But as a leading conservative blogger, radio talk show host and frequent cable television presence, Erickson’s also got a long trail of writing and video that might not be so helpful in a statewide campaign…
Murphy the Trickster God does not love me enough to make this travesty happen. Almost certainly, Erickson is just scrambling to re-establish his Master-of-the-Universe status with the RedState tribalists while not losing his ‘sane moderate’ credentials at CNN, because C.R.E.A.M. But every bloviator political blogger looks in the mirror and sees a solon, and a ‘true conservative’ challenge to that dishonorable pus-sack Chambliss (the chickenhawk who got his seat by attacking actual veteran Max Cleland) might cause me to break my lifelong commitment to never donating to a Republican primary contender.
Any members of the Balloon Juice community in Georgia want to tell us about worthy Democratic potential candidates who could take advantage of a challenge from the right against Chambliss?
GregB
Erick Erickson will make Sharon Angle look like Richard Lugar.
Does Erick really want people digging through his past? I hear he’s a goat fucking child molester.
Higgs Boson's Mate
Combining the name of Erickson with the words “serious people” creates an oxymoron so huge that it may well have its own event horizon.
burnspbesq
Prayer can make miracles happen.
Anoniminous
After Missouri, Indiana, Virginia, etc. etc. this sounds like an attempt to split the TeaBagger vote in the primary so the party can ensure Chambliss is nominated.
Edited for spelingz
Geoduck
@Anoniminous:
Split it with who?
Anoniminous
@Geoduck:
Some other goofball they decide to toss in.
Roger Moore
You may talk a tough game, but we all know that it’s just to hide how we Liebruls are terrified that the Republicans will nominate a True Conservative(TM) like Erick Erickson. Nothing could possibly scare us more than the Republicans purging the RINOs in favor of a slate consisting of nothing but Tea Partiers for every office across the country.
slag
Surely Erickson won’t let a little thing like his entire worldview get in the way of his running for office.
Spaghetti Lee
In these little inter-Republican tiffs, I can usually find one side who’s marginally more sympathetic. Not here: those clowns deserve each other.
As for the Democratic candidate, I’m not a local, but I have an inkling that any of Georgia’s 4 black congressmen would not fare well in a statewide election. That leaves John Barrow among current officeholders, otherwise, I don’t know. What’s Zell Miller doing these days?
Karen in GA
@Geoduck: Karen Handel, perhaps. http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2012/11/26/karen-handel-vs-saxby-chambliss-its-possible/
PIGL
@GregB:
Is it possible to say, just this one last time, that apparently these things are OK if one is Republican? I hope he is Catholic, too.
Punchy
How about Jimmy Carter’s grandson? Is he old enough?
Roger Moore
@PIGL:
Is there ever a wrong time to break out IOKIYAR? I suppose if there were ever a case where a double standard worked the Democrats’ way it might not work, but when that happens we’ll all be too busy dodging flying pigs to worry.
Gian
@Roger Moore:
I think the true conservative they want is in the mold of a tom metzger
TooManyJens
That’s probably true, since we all know that in Village-speak, being “serious” means being pro-war, pro-torture, pro-austerity, and generally pro-as much human misery as possible. For other people.
Roger Moore
@Gian:
FTFY.
urlhix
@9,
Yeah, it’s a pretty thin bench here in Jawga. The party at the state level has been in disarray for years but is finally starting to recover. There was a strong, fairly coordinated, local effort to GOTV this year and hopefully we can build on that for the future but there aren’t any obvious future stars outside of James Carter IV.
trollhattan
Mister Sulu has advice for future Asian voters.
https://plus.google.com/u/0/104234302931579992973/posts/enR9FWtp2wT
Also, too, under no circumstances vote for EWE Rickson, especially for dog catcher.
trollhattan
@TooManyJens:
My only question: was he approached before donning the second wetsuit?
Roger Moore
OT, but labor leader (and former MLBPA head) Marvin Miller has died at 95. Too bad the HOF couldn’t bother to induct him while he was still alive to appreciate it.
urlhix
A fun wild card for me would be Shirley Sherrod. That would be sweet justice.
? Martin
Also worth noting, Wil Wheaton is clearing out his garage.
A lot more interesting shit in his garage than in mine.
dww44
As a Georgian and one whose Congressperson was none other than Saxby prior to his election to the Senate, I note that in all fairness, Saxby is actually more moderate than he’s given credit for being. He definitely doesn’t wear his religion on his sleeve as does Erickson, a characteristic I find abhorrent.
Our 3 term Blue Dog Dem Congressman, Jim Marshall, who lost to a tea partier in 2010, recently got a post in D.C. with some military type think tank, thanks in part to Saxby’s connections and sponsorship. Sadly, there are no Democrats with name recognition nor political bone fides who could challenge an Erickson were he to run against and defeat Chambless in the primary. The Democratic party was mostly wiped out in 2002 and was totally decimated in 2010. Actually, come to think of it, Marshall, were he interested, might be a viable candidate, Blue Dog Dem that he is.
Talking about Erickson and his religion, I posted the following letter from our Monday paper in another thread at Balloon Juice yesterday and am reposting here because it deserves a wider read. The writer delivers a delicious take down of Erickson.
Erickson wants it both ways
After Erick Erickson’s editorial in the Friday Telegraph we all know that he believes in miracles and doesn’t ascribe to a “an effeminate Christ who only hugs kids and cries, but does not fight…” He also apparently believes that at least some science is fine for Christians to believe, as long as it doesn’t interfere with miracle-believing.
Mr. Erickson, sort of cleverly, under the pretense of discussing science and religion, wraps himself in both the flag and the Shroud of Turin. He claims to know “the Christ that is” while also knowing that any other kind of Christ is the invention of “weak theologians” whose only goal is to turn Christians into “milquetoast weepers.”
Here’s the thing: You can’t have it both ways, Erick. If you want to put Christ into politics, that’s fine. Just remember that he is against war. He is for redistribution of wealth. He doesn’t merely want to tax the rich more than the middle class; he doesn’t think the rich can actually get into heaven. He’s all about canceling indebtedness and returning land to its original owners (at least every 50 years). He is, in short, much more socially and economically radical than President Obama.
But I know you will say that these are personal issues, not for government. Well, that’s fine too. But then save your cotton-picking sermonizing for Sunday School, or go back to school and become a scientist so you can discover something that actually helps people.
— Patrick Pritchard
Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2012/11/26/2262599/this-is-viewpoints-for-monday.html#storylink=cpy
dww44
Fur re Mr. Erickson and his prior political experience. He won one 4 year term to Macon City Council but resigned in 2011 about 6 months before it ended to take that gig with CNN. And during the prior year he missed about 1/2 of the scheduled council sessions, far more than any other council member.
You know, with a Republican, money and the lure of same, trumps real public service at every turn.
JGabriel
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Anne Laurie @ Top:
I wish I were rich enough to donate to the likes of Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, and Herman Cain in the 2012 GOP primary. I mean, as a liberal, those are exactly the kind of nominees you’d want your candidate to run against in the general.
Hey, waitaminnit, you don’t think … OH MY GOD SHELLY ADELSON AND THE KOCH BROTHERS ARE CRYPTO-LIBERALS!
Shh, don’t anyone tell Fox News.
.
MikeJ
@Roger Moore:
I’m scared of Erikson the way I’m scared of Palin. Palin really, really needs to run for president next time around.
Yutsano
@dww44: Sounds like the Senate is the perfect gig for him. He barely even has to show up to vote and he gets paid no matter what!
The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge
@dww44:
Irk Irkson:
Adolf Hitler:
Jebediah
@Roger Moore:
Please keep that under your hat! Knowing how much it terrifies us will only make them work harder to make sure it happens. And then where will we be? The Tea Party wave would wash us all away, for sure.
Suffern ACE
@The Very Reverend Battleaxe of Knowledge: Yep. Once you get afraid that Christ has been afflicted by the effeminate cooties, you end up in some very unchristian places indeed.
Maude
@? Martin:
I’ve been reading his tweets.
I’ve been following him for a time and sometimes he has great tweets.
YellowJournalism
Since this is an open thread and John posted about it a long time back, here’s an update on the drunk Canadian who sang Bohemian Rhapsody and was arrested:
Drunk Bohemian Rhapsody Singer Convicted, Wears Viking Horns to Court
ETA: My link isn’t working. I think I broke the Intertubes. Type that headline into Google.
El Cid
Perhaps Urk Urkson could run on his successful legacy of proposing to confront the threat of a unionized Macon city police force by dissolving the police force and merging it with the Sheriff’s office.
Never fear, though, since Urkurk was trying to protect his fair city from the non-existent threat of police force strikes.
Saxby Chambliss would wipe the floor with Orc Orcson so hard that the place would shine from sheer application of skin friction.
Jewish Steel
Raven for Senate!
NotMax
Going on the record right here that just-defeated nutball Allen West will move to Georgia to run in primary against Chambliss.
JGabriel
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Calgary Herald: via YellowJournalism:
Kind of says it all, don’t it?
.
RaflW
Chambliss has a buddy: Representative Tom Cole (R ) Oklahoma has thrown Dear Grover over.
“The first thing I’d do is make sure we don’t raise taxes on 98 percent of the American people,” he said in an interview Tuesday night. “We’ll get some credit for that, and it’s the right thing to do.”
“I don’t believe in holding the American people hostage to this debate,” Mr. Cole added.
Villago Delenda Est
@Roger Moore:
ZOMG, anything, ANYTHING but that.
I cower in fear thinking about it.
Don’t throw me into that brier patch! No, don’t!
JPL
GA has open primaries. I am not a big proponent of crossing over because it leads to phone calls and mailings that I don’t want. If Saxby loses the primary, I see him running as a third party candidate.
kay
I have a little different take on this. I don’t think Erickson is at all an outsider or an insurgent in the GOP. I think he is 100% a Party person/ operative. The insurgent stuff is his grift, and draws readers, but it only goes so far, and it stops where it might harm their chances.
If he runs, it’s only with their blessing and permission. He’s no maverick. He knows who he has to follow to stay in establishment good graces.
I think he’s interesting because he’s an accurate reflection of the mainstream, official GOP. The rest is marketing.
20 years ago he might have been a (big) county or state Party chair, they would have kept him firmly on the political operative side and out of elective office. Republicans don’t have those distinctions anymore, though, between operatives and policy people/ candidates, so he COULD be approached by “serious people”.
JPL
@kay: In GA you have to receive fifty percent of the vote in the general election or there is a runoff. If Erickson did win the primary, Saxby could still run and split the vote insuring a runoff in the general election.
evap
@Punchy: Jason Carter is my state senator. He’s fairly new to politics, I don’t think he’s ready (or interested) in a state-wide run, not yet anyway. I don’t want him to run — we need his progressive voice in state government!
evap
There’s always Roy Barnes I suppose. He lost badly in the last senate race. Not my favorite, but he’d be better than Chambliss.
kay
@JPL:
Thanks, that’s interesting. I just don’t think there are any lines or divisions anymore in the GOP between the political side and the policy side. I think that’s one of their problems as a Party, because that’s an important distinction. Erickson is much more valuable to them as a mouthpiece than as a candidate, but they don’t draw those lines anymore.
20 years ago, before political cable TV dominance and internet fundraising, Erickson would be a powerful Party person with an actual state IR national Party job, not famous, but a behind the scenes person, and certainly not a potential candidate. It’s as if they’re so intoxicated by media exposure they can no longer seperate those two roles, and they ARE roles. One of the functions of a political Party is to cordon off policy/ candidates from operatives. Republicans have lost that bright line.
arguingwithsignposts
All I know is TBogg would have a field day with this one.
Susanna K.
@Higgs Boson’s Mate:
Change it to “Very Serious People.” Better!
Birthmarker
Mt guess is Norquist called Eric and said, “Help!”
I would think CNN would call him into the office today and ask him to tender a resignation now if he is entertaining the idea of running for office.
Norquist sees his little fiefdom crumbling. Can he really primary them all?? Does he have that many resources?
Eric is helping Norquist stop the bleeding.
redoubt
Jim Martin ran against Saxby as a Democrat last time and forced him into a runoff; he might be primaried by someone with ambition (like Erik bin Erik).
Trouble is, he’s trying to skip a step. Both parties here believe in “wait your turn”. A Barack Obama doesn’t come from Georgia (my Georgia-born and -bred wife gets disgusted with the Democratic party here sometimes). If Erik bin Erik does primary Saxby it will be with outside money; the state GOP won’t give him a nickel.
rptrcub
Is there any Democratic contender in the entire state of Georgia who would be a viable candidate against Chambliss or another Republican candidate?
Speaking as a native fourth-generation Georgian who wants to GTFO, no.
The Democrats (more like Dixiecrats at the time) had power for more than 100 years and this was a one-party state. This has completely changed over to the Republican side, and we’re now a one-party Republican state. Social conservatism runs deep and white people outside of the Interstate 285 perimeter highway in Atlanta will vote with anything with an R behind it because Jesus and gays and abortion.
Without Atlanta, we’d be South Carolina or Alabama.
Jason Carter, Jimmy Carter’s grandson and my state senator, might have a chance one day but Carter hatred is deep and wide throughout the state even though Carter is its native son.
Anyone suggesting Zell Miller as a good Dem candidate is on crack. The man is a turncoat and would probably be worse than Saxby Shameless. Former Gov (and last Democratic Gov) Roy Barnes got creamed by birther and corrupt Rep. Nathan Deal in the last gubernatorial election.
As the state becomes majority minority, especially as the Latino population grows (this frightens the fuck out of white conservatives here), and as we have more in-migration from other parts of the country, there’s a chance we’ll turn turn purple. But for 2014? No. No viable Dem.
rikyrah
oh please let this clown run
The Golux
@Roger Moore: Re: Marvin Miller (via LGM):
“I’ve never campaigned to be in the Hall and have asked not to be included on any ballot,” Miller says. “But they continue to put me on the list and then rig the election. Considering who runs the place, not being a part of it gives me credibility as a union leader. That’s how I hope it stays long after I’m gone.”
dww44
@rptrcub: Everything you’ve said in this post is on the money. Although I’m not ready to GTFO, I’ve already figured I’m too old to see this state return to 2 viable political parties, which was the case for a very brief decade. Viable state wide Democratic candidates are almost non-existent. The party needs to develop itself some young and capable talent.
@rikyrah: When actually operating as an elected official, Erickson is anything but a clown. While I strongly disagree with his policy positions, he really isn’t a joke. However, I don’t see him easily forfeiting his public platform for the hard work of being a Senator, but maybe the prestige will be too big a carrot to pass up.
tesslibrarian
@dww44: Viable local candidates aren’t even a reality here in Georgia, and I live in Athens. We had no one to run against Broun, and on a county level, no one has challenged our GOP State Senator for years. Our part of town couldn’t even find a Dem to run against our turncoat State Rep who ran as a Dem then flipped sides. We did vote him out–with another Republican candidate. At least she didn’t support his abortion bill.
Does anyone recall the episode of the Simpsons where Selma wants to have a baby, and as Hans Moleman leans in to kiss her, she pictures all these little nearsighted kids running into one another and knocking each other unconscious around her? Because I *wish* the Georgia (or even Clarke) Democrats were that active.
dinasour diane
The risk of Saxby getting out of line is small: here is what his office put out as a letter to me, on of those who have written to him about the “cliff”:
“In recent days there has been significant discussion in the press about my position on taxes and tax reform. In spite of speculation to the contrary, my position has not changed and my comments have been consistent and unwavering. I hope to take this opportunity to set the record straight.
I am not in favor of raising taxes. Raising taxes to pay for reckless overspending is bad policy, and I have never, nor will I ever, advance the idea that raising tax rates is an acceptable option for dealing with our deficit spending.
That being said, with the rapidly approaching “fiscal cliff,” there is much discussion in Washington and around the country about our debt, deficit, federal spending, and tax rates. We also cannot forget that beyond the impact of the fiscal cliff, our nation is still burdened with a $16 trillion debt that must not be left to simply grow and fester without immediate and significant action.
There are no simple solutions and everything must be on the table. While parts of the tax code provide equitable economic incentives, many of them do not. The current tax code has become burdensome and complex and filled with provisions which only benefit a limited portion of Americans, at the expense of higher rates for all Americans.
As such, in addition to reducing discretionary spending, reforming entitlements, simplifying the individual and corporate tax code, and lowering tax rates, we should remove unproductive tax expenditures. This is a proven path to prosperity that President Reagan enabled in the mid-1980s and if done correctly, can provide us with a platform for growth that will help federal revenues rise naturally through economic prosperity. A robust economy simply creates more economic activity and more revenue without raising taxes.
Ultimately, my pledge is to protect taxpayers, not special interests. We must analyze every aspect of the federal budget, including the tax code. As my voting record demonstrates, I don’t believe taking more money out of the pockets of hard-working Americans is the right approach for our country.
In summation, I have consistently stated that, due to my conservative principles, I am not in favor of tax increases. I have also consistently said I am in favor of significant tax reform to lower tax rates and generate additional revenues. Those reforms should be on the table in this debt and deficit debate. However, this would only be acceptable in return for entitlement reforms from the other side that truly fix our long-term spending problem.
If you would like to receive timely email alerts regarding the latest congressional actions, including the fiscal cliff, and my weekly e-newsletter, please sign up via my website at: http://www.chambliss.senate.gov . Please let me know whenever I may be of assistance.”
tkogrumpy
Please let him run. we have binders full of quotes to beat him over the head with.
Triassic Sands
Erickson puts it very well — Republican senators are very much like dogs on leashes. In fact, we’d be much better off if all our Republican senators were replaced by actual canines. If even five of them were border collies, I figure that would significantly raise the average intelligence level in the Senate by several points. If all the replacements were Basset hounds, that would probably keep the average IQ about constant, while greatly improving physical attractiveness and agreeability.
goober
I do not know whether it’s just me or if everybody else experiencing issues with your site. It appears like some of the text on your content are running off the screen. Can someone else please comment and let me know if this is happening to them too? This might be a issue with my internet browser because I’ve
had this happen before. Cheers