Erick Erickson's Blog, page 211

Assessing Joe Miller

A lot of people have accused Joe Miller in Alaska of running a "paranoid" campaign. I admit that I've thought it.

Turns out he has been right to do so.

We have the local CBS affiliate in Alaska out to get him — caught on tape no less.

We have John Cornyn on TV giving a muddled message about who he supports, forcing the NRSC to come out and claim it supports Joe Miller and yet, despite a lot of bluster and some show, is doing little to help him.

We have the Senate GOP Conference refusing to kick Lisa Murkowski off the Energy Committee because, in the words of Orrin Hatch, they "like her."

We have the Alaska Supreme Court and Alaska Elections Officials in clear disregard of actual, easy to understand, election law in Alaska handing out lists of write-in candidates.

And yet Joe Miller is leading in the latest PPP poll.

Miller is the guy we want in the Senate. It is not just that he is conservative and not Murkowski. Miller now has unabiding contempt for the Republican Leadership in the Senate after what they've done to him.

For conservatives, that is a very, very good thing. The hour is late. The need is great. Let's do what we can for Joe Miller.

Delegitimizing The Victories: The Politics of the Angry White Male

"It will be easier for the Democrats to believe in a grand conspiracy that stole the election, than to accept rejection by the American people."

Conservatives will be fighting on two fronts after today. First, Establishment Republicans will be peddling stories, as they have in the past week, that conservative gains in the Senate were really not significant compared to the Establishment pickups.

We'll deal with those later, but you can get a flavor for those here and here.

But there is a bigger effort, which the media will be more sympathetic to. That is that this election is not a game changer, just a temper tantrum. It is the "Angry White Male" election. This is important for two reasons — it helps push the narrative that this election is against the first black President and therefore somewhat illegitimate because of racism. Second, it makes it an election premised on the anger of one demographic group.

Consequently, this election can be seen as an anomalous fluke and not a full scale rejection of Democratic policy. The Democrats are desperate to build that narrative.

Contrast this year with 2008. The pundits on television were orgasmic that America had become a "center-left" nation. Time's front cover was of the Republicans as an endangered species.

A number of analysts and pundits said if the GOP tried to be obstructions after the devastation wrought by the Democrats, the GOP would be further decimated come 2010.

And yet . . .

It is important to understand why the Democrats will seek now to delegitimize Tuesday's gains and how.

The "How" is the easiest. There are a number of ways they will do it.

They will, in the next 24 hours, predict astronomical gains for the GOP and when those numbers are not reached, the Democrats will proclaim there is no mandate.
They will say it was just angry, white, racist men — not the whole country and therefore the GOP must pursue policies designed to attract (insert your favorite minority group here).
They will say it was just a temper tantrum.
They will say it was a one time fluke and Obama will now win in 2012.
They will say the new Republican caucus is "moderate" and this was a repudiation of the right.
They will say Karl Rove and the Chamber of Commerce used foreign money to steal the election.

They will say a lot of things designed to distract from the gains.

The "Why" is very important.

The Democrats bought into the idea that the nation was now a center-left nation. They believed the nation wanted universal healthcare, a stimulus, etc. They are convinced that 70% of Americans want socialist healthcare policies.

In short, the Democrats must delegitimize this election because to admit to its consequences is to recognize that the nation does not and never did want the Democrats' socialist agenda. It will be easier for the Democrats to believe in a grand conspiracy that stole the election, than to accept rejection by the American people.

So they will come up with every possible excuse to excuse what is going to happen to them.

This is How ABC News Treats Conservatives

ABC News was going to have Arianna Huffington and Andrew Breitbart on TV on election night to discuss American politics, etc. Breitbart, at least, was going to be involved in a digital town hall. The television anchors would regularly go into the townhall, talk to the reporters, talk to Breitbart, etc.

But the left soiled their collectivist shorts over the idea that the man who brought down ACORN would dare get treated legitimately on ABC News. In fact, reporters within the newsroom also complained. It seems bringing down ACORN must have repercussions.

ABC News is backing away from Breitbart, claiming he was never going to be on TV anyway. Of course, one does not put up someone like Brietbart in a very fancy hotel, etc. for just a webcast.

Not only is ABC News backing away, but it is making sure everyone knows what Andrew Breitbart is not. Andrew Morse of ABC News Digital put out a statement saying, "Mr. Breitbart is not an ABC News analyst. He is not an ABC News consultant. He is not, in any way, affiliated with ABC News. He is not being paid by ABC News. He has not been asked to analyze the results of the election for ABC News."

So what is he? Surely this cannot be about Shirley Sherrod. Why? Because they are not backing away from Arianna Huffington, a woman whose website reported that black people were resorting to cannibalism after Katrina, who got sued by a lady for accusing the lady of sleeping with President Obama, and whose own husband decided he was gay after years of putting up with Arianna.

You might want to call Jeffrey Schneider, ABC's Senior VP of Communications, at 212.456.3587 and politely inquire of him if it will be ABC's routine policy to distance themselves from conservatives the moment the left cries foul.

Morning Briefing for November 1, 2010

RedState Morning Briefing

For November 1, 2010

Go to www.RedStateMB.com to get
the Morning Briefing every morning at no charge.

1. Delegitimizing The Victories: The Politics of the Angry White Male

2. An Open Letter to the Freshman Republican Victors

3. This is How ABC News Treats Conservatives

4. Why Are Casino Bosses Teaming With Union Bosses in Funding an Anti-Tea Party Group?

5. Chris Murphy, Dick Blumenthal, and the Terror Threats

6. People are gonna lose their jobs over this…

7. I See Dead People and They Have Stimulus Checks

———————————————————————-

1. Delegitimizing The Victories: The Politics of the Angry White Male

Conservatives will be fighting on two fronts after today. First, Establishment Republicans will be peddling stories, as they have in the past week, that conservative gains in the Senate were really not significant compared to the Establishment pickups.

We'll deal with those later, but you can get a flavor for those here and here.

But there is a bigger effort, which the media will be more sympathetic to. That is that this election is not a game changer, just a temper tantrum. It is the "Angry White Male" election. This is important for two reasons — it helps push the narrative that this election is against the first black President and therefore somewhat illegitimate because of racism. Second, it makes it an election premised on the anger of one demographic group.

Consequently, this election can be seen as an anomalous fluke and not a full scale rejection of Democratic policy. The Democrats are desperate to build that narrative.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. An Open Letter to the Freshman Republican Victors

I am putting this up before the election because in the noise and hubbub after the election it will be drowned out and it is very, very important.

If you are working on one of those challenger campaigns and will come into the House of Representatives and Senate after November 2nd, please read this and get your future Congressman or Senator to read it.

In the next 72 hours, you will be elected to the United States Congress. Suddenly you will find that you have friends you never knew you had. Remember that most of them are not actually your friends.

Many members of Congress will begin whispering sweet nothings in your ear wooing you to vote for them and their rules for the House and Senate. Remember that these same men are the exact same people that the voters rejected in 2006 and again in 2008.

Remember that every poll showing a Republican landslide on Tuesday also shows that the public hates these men.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. This is How ABC News Treats Conservatives

ABC News was going to have Arianna Huffington and Andrew Breitbart on TV on election night to discuss American politics, etc. Breitbart, at least, was going to be involved in a digital town hall. The television anchors would regularly go into the townhall, talk to the reporters, talk to Breitbart, etc.

But the left soiled their collectivist shorts over the idea that the man who brought down ACORN would dare get treated legitimately on ABC News. In fact, reporters within the newsroom also complained. It seems bringing down ACORN must have repercussions.

ABC News is backing away from Breitbart, claiming he was never going to be on TV anyway. Of course, one does not put up someone like Brietbart in a very fancy hotel, etc. for just a webcast.

You might want to call Jeffrey Schneider, ABC's Senior VP of Communications, at 212.456.3587 and politely inquire of him if it will be ABC's routine policy to distance themselves from conservatives the moment the left cries foul.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. Why Are Casino Bosses Teaming With Union Bosses in Funding an Anti-Tea Party Group?

Casinos have contributed hundreds of thousands to Senator Harry Reid over the years. Regardless of your political views, it is understandable. Unfortunately, that's how the game is played. In addition, given Reid's long ties to the casino industry in Nevada (Reid was Nevada gaming commissioner from 1977 to1981), he has undoubtedly built a few relationships and loyalties up and down the Vegas strip. A back scratch here, a donation there. Welcome to politics.

The one piece of the puzzle that seems to be missing, though, is why would gaming companies like MGM Resorts International and Harrah's get into partnership with the SEIU and other unions to help fund an tea party group?

Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. Chris Murphy, Dick Blumenthal, and the Terror Threats

It is important to remember just how bad on terrorism issues both Chris Murphy and Dick Blumenthal have been.

Murphy actively opposed the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program, which did not listen in on American calls, but on calls originating in places like Yemen that were routed through the United States.

Even though these were calls from foreigners to foreigners, with many originating and going to countries with significant terror footprints Chris Murphy was opposed.

Dick Blumenthal, wanting in on the action, was also opposed, asking the Senate to stop warrantless wiretapping and threatening to pursue lawsuits against phone companies helping the government.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

6. People are gonna lose their jobs over this…

The postman delivering the mail this afternoon is long gone. Good thing. At least he didn't hear the expletives that were thrown out to anyone within earshot as the envelope from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield was opened and the 2011 rate increase was read.

It appears that, rather than making health care affordable as was promised, ObamaCare is taking our health insurance costs even higher—about $300 per month (or $3600 per year) higher.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

7. I See Dead People and They Have Stimulus Checks

Senator Tom Coburn (R-O K) put out a report this morning titled "Federal Programs to Die for: American Tax Dollars Send Six Feet Under" showing rampant waste, fraud and abuse in government programs. This report has put together programs totalling $1 billion in federal monies given to the dead. For those to say that cutting waste, fraud and abuse is an empty slogan, this report shows that stopping checks to the dead is a means to save one billion of your tax dollars.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

An Open Letter to the Freshman Republican Victors

"Remember, as much as McConnell, Alexander, Boehner, Cantor, etc. did for you, you are more important to them than they are to you. But for you, they would still be in the minority."

I am putting this up the Sunday before the election because in the noise and hubbub after the election it will be drowned out and it is very, very important.

If you are working on one of those challenger campaigns and will come into the House of Representatives and Senate after November 2nd, please read this and get your future Congressman or Senator to read it.

In the next 72 hours, you will be elected to the United States Congress. Suddenly you will find that you have friends you never knew you had. Remember that most of them are not actually your friends.

Many members of Congress will begin whispering sweet nothings in your ear wooing you to vote for them and their rules for the House and Senate. Remember that these same men are the exact same people that the voters rejected in 2006 and again in 2008.

Remember that every poll showing a Republican landslide on Tuesday also shows that the public hates these men.

Introduce yourself to Jeb Hensarling, Jeff Flake, and Jim Jordan. Talk with your fellow freshmen like Tim Huelskamp, Justin Amash, and Jeff Duncan. Those are the people who will become your closest friends who you'll share a foxhole with when leadership fails you but a battle must be waged.

Remember that some of the people who will come to Congress with you, whether it is Charlie Bass or Steve Stivers or Kevin Yoder or Robert Hurt, etc. are unrepentant tax hixers and some will want to transcend partisanship to work across the aisle. You got elected by being the Party of No. Don't let the sweet nothings of the Beltway suddenly convince you otherwise.

No is a very powerful word in Washington and it is not used often enough.

Finally, here is the last bit of advice I have for you today. Remember the GOP Pledge? One person — Barry Jackson, who is John Boehner's Chief of Staff — single handedly had support for traditional marriage stripped from the Pledge and did so after showing a version of the Pledge to conservatives that had it in there to get their support.

One person and a staffer from John Boehner's office no less.

When you get to Washington you will be told you need a professional staff of lobbyists, careerists, etc. to help guide you. You will be told that "you just don't understand" or "you are naive" or "the School House Rock version of how a bill becomes a law is too simplified for the real world."

The people telling you this are the people the voters hate and you should not trust. Largely they will be people in leadership, particularly staffers, who will soon depart for K Street where they hope to profit off their relationship with you. They will work with people like Trent Lott to try to co-opt you.

Fight.

Fight them.

Fight the idea that you must yield to their ways instead of them yielding to your ways. You, after all, have not been driven from power like these men have.

You will have friends you did not know you had who really are your friends when you stand up and fight your leadership. Do not let the Rules Committee be a tool of Leadership. Do not men like Jerry Lewis who helped drive us from power in 2006 remain in power. Do not let leadership have control over committee assignments.

Do not trust Mitch McConnell and Lame-R! Alexander and John Boehner and Eric Cantor and Kevin McCarthy even though they did so much for you. Remember, as much as they did for you, you are more important to them than they are to you. But for you, they would still be in the minority.

Do not trust the leadership's staff. They view many of you as problems and potential disasters despite that you will vote more reliably Republican than their preferred candidates and pets.

You have it within you and with the word "No" to prevent the Republicans from going back to the ways that got them removed from office in 2006. Read this to find four easy ways to fix things once you get up there.

If you fight them you will be rewarded. If you succumb, the tea party will come for you in just a few short years.

Leftwing Thumbsuckers and the Politics of Outrage Over Andrew Breitbart

The left is perfectly fine with George Stephanopoulos being an "objective" newsman on ABC News.

The Politico, earlier this year, ran two articles about coordination between then White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, James Carville, Paul Begala, and Stephanopoulos. One article noted the four trade regular phone calls. Emanuel told the Politico the calls "are about what's happening, what the implications are of what's happening and what's going on." Another alluded to Carville, Begala, and Emanuel working to turn Limbaugh into a target. Shortly after Obama picked fights with Limbaugh and Cantor, Stephanopoulos reported Cantor had "repudiated" Limbaugh on This Week. In fact, Stephanopoulos had selectively quoted his interview with Cantor to make the case — leaving out that Cantor had actually reiterated Rush Limbaugh's key points from Rush's now famous CPAC speech.

The left is fine with this.

But put Andrew Breitbart on ABC News on Election Night and the left is apoplectic.

The trend started with me when CNN put me on. For weeks the left tried to make life a living hell for anyone from CNN on Twitter. Now they are doing the same to Jake Tapper and others — people not remotely involved in the situation.

Why? Well, the pussycat of anonymous outrage, Shoq, sums it up nicely:

I just think this is a BFD. Way bigger than Erickson. [Erickson] didn't kill ACORN

That sums it up nicely. The anonymous pussycat can let out his inner-honest assessment on twitter. This is about Andrew Brietbart taking down one of the organizations that has helped steal elections across the country.

They want payback. But it is not just that. It is also because they don't want conservatives on at all. They want the choice of who gets asked on. The left wants to dictate free speech. The left wants to dictate what is acceptable discourse in this country.

See this:

They wear us down, day by day. This is why Erickson was a milestone. In another yr, the major networks will be wall-to-wall wingnuts.

And this:

Remember when I said Erick Erickson would lead to this? That's WHY I dogged @CNN for 3 f**king weeks. It was inevitable.

And this:

As Erickson was mainstreamed by CNN, ABC will do same with Breitbart, or someone that works for him. Shift 2 notches to the right.

There you have it. Glad I could play my small part to get Andrew Breitbart on ABC — a spotlight he deserves at minimum.

The sad thing here is that ABC's Newsroom is upset at this. Why? Because ABC tilts left. At this writing, ABC is peddling in the opposite direction claiming Andrew will only be online.

It is, after all, a "digital townhall." But you and I know what the left knows — this is getting a foot in the door of ABC News for a conservative and not only do we need to stick up for Andrew, but we also need to push ABC News to grow some fortitude.

Where Anecdote Is Not Data, But . . .

We should never confuse anecdotes for data, but I've got a funny one.

I got called up to New York on the spur of the moment this past week for CNN so I ran out to early voting. I was somewhat stunned by the high number of black voters doing early voting.

In any event, I stood in line in front of a black preacher from the local community and a number of his congregants, all had come to vote. He was telling me it'd be his first time voting Republican. I told him I was shocked he'd be voting for Nathan Deal.

He laughed and said he was voting for Barnes, but he was voting for Austin Scott too as a protest vote. Then he said he'd be able to fix it in two years.

It's not data, but it is stuff like this causing people like Charlie Cook to move Georgia's 8th Congressional District from toss-up to lean Republican.

Chris Murphy, Dick Blumenthal, and the Terror Threats

What we are finding out this afternoon is that it appears the terrorists are still probing for weaknesses to penetrate this country and kill many Americans.

A "manipulated toner cartridge" discovered in cargo set off the bells and whistles. FedEx and UPS have been discovering suspicious packages from overseas throughout the day.

Luckily, the planes grounded in Philly and Newark had no explosives on them.

It is important to remember just how bad on terrorism issues both Chris Murphy and Dick Blumenthal have been.

Murphy actively opposed the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program, which did not listen in on American calls, but on calls originating in places like Yemen that were routed through the United States.

Even though these were calls from foreigners to foreigners, with many originating and going to countries with significant terror footprints Chris Murphy was opposed.

Dick Blumenthal, wanting in on the action, was also opposed, asking the Senate to stop warrantless wiretapping and threatening to pursue lawsuits against phone companies helping the government.

It is important to remind people at times like these that elections matter and there are those like Chris Murphy and Dick Blumenthal who are perfectly happy to undermine our national security in return for headlines.

America's First Black President Tries to Push Out Another Black Politician

First they came for David Patterson, Governor of New York. Barack Obama and the Democrats ganged up on him and forced him to not seek re-election.

Now they've come for Kendrick Meeks, or at least Bill Clinton, America's first black President, has come for Kendrick Meeks, but at the behest of America's second black President.

It started with a story in the Politico.

Bill Clinton sought to persuade Rep. Kendrick Meek to drop out of the race for Senate during a trip to Florida last week — and nearly succeeded.

Meek agreed — twice — to drop out and endorse Gov. Charlie Crist's independent bid in a last-ditch effort to stop Marco Rubio, the Republican nominee who stands on the cusp of national stardom.

Specifically, "Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna confirmed to Politico" that Clinton's top aide, Doug Band, brought up the subject with Meeks. Meeks sounded amenable. They then brought Clinton in.

Kendrick Meeks denied it to CNN.

Clinton confirmed it then backed away from it then confirmed it again. But Clinton said the White House was not involved.

Charlie Crist, who has had to heated private conversations with Kendrick Meeks in the past week, says the White House was involved.

Some Democrats "with knowledge of the plan" confirm the White House knew.

Had this been the Republicans ganging up on a black man to drive him from office, we'd hear all sorts of cries of racism.

But there are three really important points to make here. They are major points:

1. The only group the Democrats have left that will turn out in sizable numbers is the black voting block. This, the second time the White House has colluded to drive a black man out of a statewide election, does not help turn those voters out.

2. Bill Clinton has worked very hard to patch things up with black voters after the 2008 Democratic primary and now here he is trying to force a black man out of the race. So much for rehabilitation.

3. And this is the most important point: This clearly shows the White House is only interested in the short game. Alex Sink needs black voters to turn out for her to push her over the line. Florida is picking up congressional seats and a Democratic Governor would help tremendously. But the Democrats were willing to sacrifice black voter turnout to get a Senate seat for maybe six years instead of a Governor's mansion that would impact congressional races for at least a decade.

Bonus take away point: Kendrick Meeks has run the classiest campaign by any Democrat in 2010.

Morning Briefing for October 29, 2010

RedState Morning Briefing

For October 29, 2010

Go to www.RedStateMB.com to get
the Morning Briefing every morning at no charge.

1. America's First Black President Tries to Push Out Another Black Politician

2. Significant Election Complaint Filed in Nevada

3. Jerry Brown Not A Fan Of Women. Or, You Know, The Truth

4. White House Conspires With Media Matters

———————————————————————-

1. America's First Black President Tries to Push Out Another Black Politician

First they came for David Patterson, Governor of New York. Barack Obama and the Democrats ganged up on him and forced him to not seek re-election.

Now they've come for Kendrick Meeks, or at least Bill Clinton, America's first black President, has come for Kendrick Meeks, but at the behest of America's second black President.

Specifically, "Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna confirmed to Politico" that Clinton's top aide, Doug Band, brought up the subject with Meeks. Meeks sounded amenable. They then brought Clinton in.

Kendrick Meeks denied it to CNN.

Clinton confirmed it then backed away from it then confirmed it again. But Clinton said the White House was not involved.

Charlie Crist, who has had to heated private conversations with Kendrick Meeks in the past week, says the White House was involved.

Some Democrats "with knowledge of the plan" confirm the White House knew.

Had this been the Republicans ganging up on a black man to drive him from office, we'd hear all sorts of cries of racism.

But there are three really important points to make here. They are major points.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Significant Election Complaint Filed in Nevada

Attached is a Nevada Election Task Force complaint filed late today in Nevada by Babette Rutherford, a Nevada voter.

The complaint alleges scores of union tactics designed to undermine the integrity of the voting process and intimidate voters.

Specifically, the complaint notes that union officials are busing in union workers, leading them to the polls, deterring or preventing the union member from going to unobserved polling locations set up in Las Vegas, etc.

"The union personnel strategically position themselves at various points around the boundaries of the polling location to ensure that one or more of them are able to monitor their members' activities at all times."

The complaint is highly detailed and filled with eye witness accounts of union officials intimidating casino employees and directly overseeing how the union employees are attempting to vote.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Jerry Brown Not A Fan Of Women. Or, You Know, The Truth

Earlier this month, the National Organization For Women (N.O.W.) endorsed Jerry Brown for Governor of CA a mere 24 hours after an audio tape surfaced wherein Jerry Brown was heard agreeing with an aide that Meg Whitman should be called a "whore". What's a little sexism if it is aimed at a Republican woman! I mean, Jerry Brown is totally For The (Real) Women ™ , right? And The Children, of course. Only, not so much.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. White House Conspires With Media Matters

ABC News notes the White House had a meeting of special needs representatives. What ABC News fails to point out is that two of them work at Media Matters For America, the George Soros funded character assassins who see evil racists in the white filling of every twinkie they consume.

Please click here for the rest of the post.