Friday, February 15, 2008
News Erick Erickson: 'I was joking'
Posted by Andisheh Nouraee on Fri, Feb 15, 2008 at 11:09 PM
(Nutjob photo by Joeff Davis)
Macon City Council member, RedState.com editor and Peach Pundit Poobah Erick Erickson is collecting cyberscorn for comments he made at the recent CPAC conservative political convention.
Erickson suggested the success of progressive bloggers relative to their conservative counterparts is because progressives have more free time. Conservatives "have families because we don't abort our kids, and we have jobs because we believe in capitalism," he said.
Contributors at AtlantaIndignationCouncil.com Blog for Democracy followed DailyKos' lead and pounced on Erickson:
"He seriously thinks progressives don't have families OR jobs?"
"Right wing nutjobs are icky."
"People like him often need to be knocked off their high horses, but so often aren't."
I spoke to Erickson this afternoon and he confirmed something that should have been perfectly obvious to anyone who's ever read Peach Pundit or spoken to him in person.
He was being sarcastic.
"I was joking," he said. "I was laughing when I said it. Other people were laughing."
The only person who didn't realize he was joking, he said, was the person who posted the comments without noting it was a joke.
I wonder how many minutes will pass before the Indignation Council jumps on me for defending a "right wing nutjob." My guess is 60-90. At most.
Comments (27)
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Especially surprising since libs pretty much have a corner on that "sense of humor" thing, don't they?
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Oh, I think some liberals have a wonderful sense of humor. Jane Fonda, for example. She tossed around the word "cunt" on national TV as if she were Sarah Silverman. I bet Jane is still laughing her cunt off over that one. No offense.
Andisheh, that last comment reminds me: did your BFF Erick take down your comment about a certain liberal contributor to Peach Pundit because you called her a "cunt"?
You know you have a worthless conversation going when the first commenter throws out "libs" like it's a real word.
hope the copyright is worn off this thing, it's about time for some culture and class around here All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms. And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lined, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances; And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and pouch on side, His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
Funny, Andisheh says the Indignation Council doesn't understand humor, and yet he is using the same jokes they are. At11:17 a.m., atlasien writes:
This was not always the case... progressives were scarce until communist abortions became internet-enabled. In fact, I'm having one right now as I'm typing.At 6:02 p.m., Andisheh writes:
Can’t talk. Aborting.I love how accuracy and originality are such a points of pride around here. That was sarcasm, get it?
Nobody is going to jump on you. One thing I am wondering: how was this "joke" funny? I prefer self deprecating jokes myself, and have never been a fan of jokes that really are just a way to launch a dig at someone. I assume Mr. Erickson was more temperate when he ran for election.
Is this kind of the same thing as Coulter "jokingly" calling John Edwards a "fag" when she spoke to the same group last year? If so , like his mentor, he will be rich, famous and perhaps uninvited to CPAC next year.
I'm not suggesting anyone should laugh at something they don't think is funny. I'm simply noting that several BFD contributors like to go from zero-to-outraged in 2 seconds without pausing to ask any questions. It's not just annoying. It's the opposite of liberal. Incuriousity, rushing-to-judgment and rigid literal-mindedness are not supposed to be liberal traits.
Andisheh - You are correct that they are not supposed to be liberal traits, but they are human traits most easily observed when an outsider shows up with a different view. Just look at the difference in themanner in which I am treated from when I first started posting. I enjoy the back and forth with Ken, Mr. T, Sugg and yourself and I would bet that you have a better opinion of me than back then. I have probably toned it down a little because I don't feel like I am personally being attacked. You guys seem to be a lot more willing to hear my comments without rejecting them out of hand.
JP -thank you for making my point with your razor sharp grasp of sarcasm, a form of humor, and the English language technique known as a contraction. ...Or is it an abbreviation, damn I should have paid better attention in English class.
All the world's indeed a stage and we are merely players perfromers and portrayers each anothers audience outside the gilded stage sorry a momentary throwback to high school geekdom when i wore my Rush sleeveshirt at least once a week.
I love you too Dale. Does this mean I can't call you a douchebag anymore? Can I still reserve that right? For the record, Mr. Peach Pundit is obviously joking. People need to not get so cheesed over comments delivered at a big conservative circle jerk. In any case, I wonder if Erick ate the soggy biscuit...
Here's the thing. Sorry if I missed it. I've spent the last three days drunk in south Georgia. Jokes are supposed to be funny. This wasn't.
I never said I thought it was funny. I said that dozens of bloggers and blog commenters, many of whom are on BFD, reacted to it as if he was being serious. Name the famous politician who liberals constantly make fun of for forming opinions before he considers or even looks for the facts. HINT: He isn't a liberal. "Oh my God Erickkk really thinks that!" and "That's an awful tasteless joke" are two very different reactions. I saw a lot more of the first reaction than the second one.
Well I think if you look at the whole of Erick's work ie RedState, his personal blog, I think it's pretty easy to come to the conclusion he does really believe it. After all. This is the same guy who when the recent New Baptist Convention or whatever it was called was in town railed against them because unlike him they aren't true Christians.
It may be well be pretty easy to come up with that conclusion. It's just as easy to pick up the phone or e-mail him and say "Hey Erick, what was that all about?"
I think you have to willfully turn off your brainhead powers in order to not recognize Erick was joking. But there's no denying that he's a douchebag. Maybe more of one than Dale, even.
Yeah and it's easy to pull out the old "it's your fault for not having a sense of humor" defense. ha ha Maybe next we can joke about welfare mothers birthing endless streams of babies to get more money. ho ho
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