Posted under Conservatism & Media
Two of our favorite pseudoconservatives to skewer are fighting each other. Erick Erickson, who edits RedState and has a new gig with CNN, actually fancies himself a rock-ribbed conservative representing the base of the GOP against RINOs like Frum. Frum sees himself as a centrist voice of reason galliantly battling to keep his beloved GOP from being dragged over the abyss by us flyover country yahoos. But Frum and Erickson have one thing on which they wholeheartedly agree; both passionately hate real conservatives to their right. This is demonstrated by Erick’s disdain for Ron Paul and the subjects of sound money and the Fed (Apparently Erick is a Bryanesque populist desperately seeking to keep the little man from being crucified on a “Cross of Gold.”) and his obsession with mainstream respectability and weeding out taint. And by Frum’s … well … Frum’s whole career.
Frum happens to be in the right in this case because Erickson totally misspoke. He actually got it completely backwards. But I don’t think it is fair to say Erick lied. He didn’t intentionally lie. He just didn’t know what he was talking about. (BTW, I’ve noticed that trend a lot among pundits. To say someone lied when they clearly just got the facts wrong. Pundits are a cranky lot, I guess.)
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Jay Gall on 31 Mar 2010 at 9:35 pm #
At least Erickson has been busy raising money for primary insurgencies and keeping the more timid republican politicians wary of appearing too RINOesque. Frum contributes nothing to the practical electoral aims of the party given the current political climate, and is useful only as an informed policy voice. However, he leaves much to be desired in that area. Erickson is an upfront political operative and openly embraces that role. Frum on the other hand fancies himself a substantive conservative theorist, but his writings lack focus and weight in my opinion. Frum was “bounced” from the NRO and AEI and has been distanced by many serious conservatives. In short, FRUM is the reason why Frum has been ostracized in the movement. I don’t care for either of them, but Erickson seems to be the more effective and relevant.
Jeremiah Whitmoore on 01 Apr 2010 at 1:47 am #
Cross of Gold or not, William Jennings Bryan was a great American.
RedPhillips on 01 Apr 2010 at 3:19 am #
“William Jennings Bryan was a great American.”
I totally agree. I wasn’t making fun of Bryan. I just think it is ironic that today’s defenders of the Establishment are taking a position that yesterday’s Establishment associated with the rabble. I guess they just don’t make Establishment defenders like they used to.