Erick Erickson

Erick Erickson
Erickson in June 2011
Member of the Macon City Council
In office
November 7, 2007 – February 16, 2011
Personal details
Born Erick Woods Erickson
(1975-06-03) June 3, 1975
Jackson, Louisiana, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Christy Erickson
Residence Macon, Georgia, U.S.
Alma mater Mercer University (B.A., J.D.)
Occupation Writer, columnist, and radio host
Website theresurgent.com

Erick Woods Erickson (born June 3, 1975) is a politically conservative American blogger and radio host. He hosts the radio show Atlanta's Evening News with Erick Erickson, broadcast on 750 WSB (AM), and runs the blog The Resurgent. Previously, he served as the editor-in-chief and the CEO of the conservative political blog RedState[1] and was a political contributor for CNN.

Early life and career

Erick-Woods Erickson was born in Jackson in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates when he was five, and returned to Jackson when he was fifteen.[2][3] Erickson attended the American School of Dubai, previously known as the Jumeirah American School. His father worked for Conoco Oil[4] as an oil company production foreman.[5] Erickson received a bachelor's degree from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, and a law degree from Mercer’s Walter F. George School of Law. He is an inactive member in good standing of the State Bar of Georgia.[6]

Macon city council

Erickson was elected on November 6, 2007 to a four-year term as a Republican member of the Macon, Georgia city council.[7] He resigned his office on February 16, 2011, partway through his first term to pursue a job with WSB radio in Atlanta;[8] The Macon Telegraph noted his poor attendance as a council member before his resignation.[9] While he was in office, Macon police officers considered forming a union. To counter it, Erickson urged that the police department be dissolved.[10]

Political commentator

RedState

Erickson joined the conservative blog RedState in 2005.[11] He later served as its editor-in-chief. Erickson was CEO of RedState, Inc. While working at RedState, Erickson developed a reputation as one of the most influential American conservatives.[12] Erickson's "Morning Briefing" e-mails grew from 498 subscribers when they began in February 2009 to nearly 70,000 by January 2010. The Washington Post noted that "The ability of a single e-mail to shape a message illustrates the power of the conservative network." The article described Erickson as one of the American conservative movement's "key national players".[13]

Erickson wrote the "Confessions of a Political Junkie" blog and is former editor-in-chief of the "Peach Pundit" blog. His first book, Red State Uprising: How to Take Back America (co-authored with Lew Uhler), was published by Regnery Press in September 2010.[14][15] Later that month, Erickson said that growing up his parents refused to serve "Asian food" on December 7, the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.[16] Erickson's mother appeared to deny the claim to a journalist.[17] Erickson criticized the report, citing his mother's age.[18]

In 2014, RedState was sold by RedState, Inc. to Salem Media Group.[19] In December 2015, Erickson left his position at the site to focus on his radio show.[11]

Television and radio

From 2010 to January 2013, Erickson was a political contributor at CNN.[20][21] Erickson later joined FOX News as a contributor.[22]

In January 2011, Erickson began hosting a local radio show on WSB Radio 750/95.5, replacing Michael Savage. Erickson eventually moved to the slot vacated by Herman Cain when he announced his 2012 presidential bid. In 2014 and 2015, Erickson guest-hosted the national broadcast of The Rush Limbaugh Show on numerous times. Toward the end of Erickson's career at RedState he began to increase his focus on his radio show, which was owned by Cox Media Group.[19] He eventually quit the site to work on it full-time.[11][19]

The Resurgent

In January 2016, Erickson launched the conservative website The Resurgent.[23]

Political views and controversies

The Daily Telegraph of London put Erickson on its "List of Most Influential US Conservatives", giving him a rank of 69th most influential in 2007 and 65th in 2010.[24] According[19] to the 2007 newspaper article: "Erickson epitomises the new power of the internet. A small-government fiscal and social conservative based in the south, he taps into and influences the Republican 'base' that the GOP’s 2008 candidates are courting."[25] According to The Atlantic, Erickson's conservatism is more traditional (as opposed to libertarian) and "deeply informed by his evangelical faith".[26] Erickson emphasizes small government, strong national defense, and the primacy of the traditional family.[26]

Donald Trump

On August 7, 2015, Erickson disinvited Donald Trump from a RedState gathering held in Atlanta.[27] During a CNN interview after a Republican Party debate hosted by Fox News Channel on August 6, 2015, Trump had said that the Fox News anchor and debate co-moderator Megyn Kelly had “blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever” while questioning him during the debate. According to Erickson, Trump's remark "was a bridge too far” and that even "blunt talkers and unprofessional politicians should not cross" certain lines, including decency.[27] The following day, Trump released a statement stating that Erickson had a history of making controversial statements for which he has had to apologize, and that he, Trump, was an outsider who did not fit into Erickson's agenda.[28]

Gender

In 2013, Erickson was criticized for saying in an interview on Fox Business Network that males dominate females in the "natural world" and it was only "science" for men to be the breadwinners for their family.[29]

Guns

In December 2015, Erickson posted a picture of a bullet ridden copy of The New York Times that he had shot at. That day's edition contained a front-page editorial in favor of gun control.[30][31]

Attacks on public figures

In April 2009, Erickson described retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter on his Twitter account as "the only goat fucking child molester to ever serve on the Supreme Court”. In an appearance on The Colbert Report, Erickson said the statement was "not my finest hour."[24] Erickson called Texas state senator Wendy Davis “Abortion Barbie.”[26] In a blog post, Erickson considered whether President Obama was “shagging hookers” and wondered whether Michelle Obama (whom he called a “marxist harpy”) “would go Lorena Bobbit [sic] on him should he even think about it.”[26] Erickson argued that President Obama won the Nobel Prize because of an “affirmative action quota.”[32] Erickson compared the Obama administration's health care communications director Linda Douglass to Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels.[33]

Book

In 2017 he published a book Before You Wake: Life Lessons from a Father to His Children. [34]

References

  1. ↑ Grim, Ryan (June 11, 2007). "BlogJam: Conservative-first RedState". Politico. Retrieved November 17, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Erickson joins the Best Political Team". CNN.
  3. ↑ "BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT: Erick The Red (Stater)". National Journal. Archived from the original on March 31, 2012. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
  4. ↑ http://raisinganamericanpatriot.com/Erickson_PDF.pdf
  5. ↑ Dewan, Shaila (11 May 2010). "CNN Pundit Draws Ire From All Sides". New York Times. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  6. ↑ "State Bar of Georgia – Public". Members.gabar.org. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  7. ↑ Gaines, Jim (January 6, 2011). "Erickson to quit Macon City Council for Atlanta gig". The Telegraph. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  8. ↑ Holland, Joshua (July 26, 2011). "Meet Erick Erickson, the Toxic Idiot Guiding House Republicans on the Debt Ceiling Fight". AlterNet. Retrieved 2011-07-28.
  9. ↑ Gaines, Jim (February 17, 2011). "Erickson steps down from Macon council". The Telegraph. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  10. ↑ Tencer, Daniel. "Raw Story: GOP Politician, Blogger: Abolish Police Force if Cops Unionize". AlterNet. Retrieved 2011-07-28.
  11. 1 2 3 Gold, Hadas. "Erick Erickson to leave RedState". POLITICO. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  12. ↑ "Is the Most Powerful Conservative in America Losing His Edge?". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  13. ↑ Markon, Jerry, "New media help conservatives get their anti-Obama message out", washingtonpost.com, February 1, 2010; retrieved May 30, 2010.
  14. ↑ Hanlon, Chip. Red State Uprising!. Red County, October 5, 2010; accessed November 8, 2010.
  15. ↑ "Catalog". regnery.com. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Erick Erickson Marks Pearl Harbor Day With Anti-Asian Tweet". TPM. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  17. ↑ Reeve, Elspeth (2015-12-09). "Erick Erickson's own mom denies the family boycotted Asian food on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor". New Republic. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  18. ↑ "Days after shooting New York Times, Erick Erickson blasts Gawker". Atlantic Journal Constitution. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  19. 1 2 3 4 "RedState Names Leon Wolf Managing Editor As Erick Erickson Prepares Exit". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  20. ↑ Martel, Francis, , March 16, 2010, "Mediaite.com", retrieved August 28, 2010
  21. ↑ Erickson, Erick, , "RedState.com", March 16, 2010; retrieved August 28, 2010.
  22. ↑ , "TVNewser.com", January 29, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Inside the Beltway: The unconstitutionality index: 3,408 new federal regulations, 87 laws". The Washingtion Times. Retrieved 2016-01-05.
  24. 1 2 Hamden, Toby, "The most influential US conservatives: 80-61", January 11, 2010, The Telegraph, retrieved May 30, 2010
  25. ↑ Hamden, Toby, "The most influential US conservatives 2007: 61-80", October 30, 2007, The Telegraph, retrieved May 30, 2010
  26. 1 2 3 4 Ball, Molly. "Is the Most Powerful Conservative in America Losing His Edge?". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  27. 1 2 Jacobs, Ben (August 8, 2015). "Donald Trump banned from RedState over menstruation jibe at Megyn Kelly". Guardian US. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  28. ↑ Miller, Zeke J. (August 8, 2015). "Donald Trump Fires Back After Outrage Over Megyn Kelly Remarks". Time. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  29. ↑ Reeve, Elspeth. "Erick Erickson Needs to Fact-Check His Anti-Working Moms Fairy Tale". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
  30. ↑ Young, Matt (December 7, 2015). "This is how crazy Americans are". News.com.au.
  31. ↑ Pereira, Alyssa (December 7, 2015). "Conservative radio host fires bullets into the New York Times' gun control op-ed". San Francisco Chronicle.
  32. ↑ "Erick Erickson Is Sorry About Some of the Things He Has Said". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  33. ↑ Shea, Danny (2010-05-29). "Erick Erickson On Past Controversial Statements: 'I've Definitely Had To Grow Up' (VIDEO)". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2018-05-30.
  34. ↑ Erickson, Erick-Woods (September 30, 2017). "Opinion - Erick Erickson: How to Find Common Ground". nytimes.com.
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