RedState founder Erick Erickson is standing by his decision to disinvite Donald Trump from a conservative conference this weekend in Atlanta, even as some in the media are calling him a hypocrite.
Trump lost his speaking slot at the annual RedState Gathering after making disparaging comments about Fox News’ Megyn Kelly, Erickson explained Friday. But given Erickson’s own history of disparaging remarks aimed at women, reporters and commentators have said it’s hypocritical for him to criticize Trump.
For media, the real story is about hypocrisy, not what Trump said or did.
Erickson responded to this line of attack on Monday. He acknowledged that he has said some inappropriate things about women in the past. But he said unlike Trump, he isn’t running for president.
“You’re one to judge,” Fox host Neil Cavuto said, referring to Erickson’s explanation that he disinvited Trump for seemingly suggesting that Kelly was menstruating when she moderated a GOP primary debate last Thursday.
“I have said a lot of dumb things in my life that I’ve apologized for,” Erickson responded. “There are a number of them I’ve apologized for. I think the difference between me and Donald Trump is I’m not running for president and I did apologize, not just change my story.”
If the 2016 Republican presidential candidate can’t handle questions from a cable news host, then he’s unfit to sit behind the Resolute Desk, Erickson said.
Trump appeared unhappy last week after Kelly put him on the spot during the GOP debate. She was asking the real estate mogul to respond to past remarks that he had made about women.
“You’ve called women you don’t like ‘fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals,'” she said.
Trump interjected to say, “Only Rosie O’Donnell.”
“For the record, it was well beyond Rosie O’Donnell,” Kelly said. “You once told a contestant on ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ it would be a pretty picture to see her on her knees.”
“Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president, and how will you answer the charge from Hillary Clinton, who is likely to be the Democratic nominee, that you are part of the war on women?” she asked.
The real estate king responded by saying he isn’t interested in being “politically correct.” Trump complained immediately after the debate that Kelly was unfair to him.
“She gets out and she starts asking me all sorts of ridiculous questions,” Trump said. “You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her … wherever.”
These remarks were a bridge too far, Erickson said, although he admitted that his decision to cut off Trump has been an unpopular one.
“It’s the whirlwind of hate right now,” he wrote Sunday. “My Twitter feed is unusable. It’s just angry people, many of them very recently created accounts of people following few others and with little to no followers.”
“Yesterday, my wife and kids had to pack up and leave the hotel because the few angry people were very loud and vocal as my kids were present,” he added. “The kids got upset and scared so were unable to see the gathering or go to last night’s party. The party itself was fine. Only two people told me they disagreed and they characterized it as ‘understanding but disappointed.'”
