Erick Erickson's long goodbye

RedState's Erick Erickson uses 23 words to say that he "was not going to say anything" about leaving CNN for Fox, but gosh darnit the world is abuzz with rumor so he's decided he "should say something," whereupon he expends another 1,029 words saying it: He's leaving CNN for Fox. (Five words.)

Yet these 66 words, toward the end of Erickson's long goodbye, made the read worth it:

Frankly, before I went to CNN I was oblivious to the fact that there are ways to say things, without sacrificing or compromising my view or principle, that come off as more respectable and honest without invective than how I might have otherwise said them. There are ways to say things that draw people to you and ways to say things that push people from you.

To be Ericksonesque about this, let's elaborate. Mr. Erickson was 35 years old (thank you, Wikipedia) when he joined CNN as a professional commentator on national political affairs--which is to say, broadly, a commentator on the human condition--who was nonetheless "oblivious" to the kindergarten precept that "invective" can "push people" away. That's an astonishing confession, largely in that it's also inadvertently revealing of the far-right's alienation from even the most fundamental of human dynamics. Kind of spookily Nietzschean, you might say, which itself dredges up even darker images of the uncompromising, doctrinaire mind.

And against folks like that, I myself have no problem whatsoever with deploying "invective."

Comments

[Peter G]

And having had his epiphany about invective the viking Ewic Ewickson is not journeying to far off Fox News where invective is the only language they speak.

[Peter G]

I hate autocorrect. Now not "not".

[Jim Milstein]

"spookily Nietzschean"?

Please expand. I don't get it. I've read a bit of Nietzsche, but no single aspect of Fred nor of his stereotype seems to apply.

[majii]

Erickson is a native of my Middle GA city where he was on the City Council. He said ugly things without thinking of their impact on others then, and he did the same thing on CNN. Fox News is where he should be since there, he'll be able to say all of the outrageous things he wants to say, get paid handsomely for it, and will be revered by the far right. I don't buy that he was oblivious to the impact of his words on others. He's a true example of an authoritarian and a domestic version of an Ugly American. Even little kids know that there are certain things they shouldn't say, even if they think them. I shudder at the thought that he's a deacon at a local church here, but I shudder even more at the thought of his having any role in rearing children to be thoughtful, tolerant adults.