We've been following the comments of CNN's Erick Erickson who said late last week: I'll "[p]ull out my wife's shotgun" if they try to arrest me for not filling out the American Community Survey.

Tough talk from the editor of the right-wing RedState.com who told CNN's Howard Kurtz just days earlier that he'd learned, “I don't have to get personal in blogging to make my point. I definitely evolved over time” following mounting criticism over his long history of incendiary, mean-spirited and otherwise hateful rhetoric and CNN's decision to hire him.

Now the White House is weighing in with its opinion.

Asked by progressive radio host and author Bill Press to comment on the controversy surrounding Erickson's “shotgun” comments during today's White House press briefing, press secretary Robert Gibbs called them “remarkably crazy.”

BILL PRESS: Robert, on the Census, Erick Erickson, a commentator for CNN, a couple of days ago, he said he was not going to fill out his Census form, and if a Census worker came to the door, he said he would “pull out my wife's shotgun and see how that little twerp likes being scared at the door.” So my question is, do those remarks concern the White House? And are there any -

ROBERT GIBBS: It should concern CNN -- probably first and foremost. Probably concerns his wife as well.

PRESS: Any thoughts about protection for Census workers?

GIBBS: Well, I think there are a lot of people that get on cable TV and say stuff so that people will quote it back to other people.

Obviously the Census determines the representation you have in what we call representative democracy. I think it's why somebody like Karl Rove, who obviously I and others in this administration have disagreed with for going on many years, understands that the lunacy of ripping up your Census form or not sending it in or, God forbid, the remarkably crazy remarks of somebody that would threaten somebody simply trying to ensure that they're adequately represented in this country. These days it never ceases to amaze you -- and usually it's only trumped by what somebody will knowingly say tomorrow about -- I think it was Lincoln who said, “Better to be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.” I think that would be my advice.

Related:

• CNN's Erickson suggested he'd pull a “gun” on the “government” last year, too
• Schultz calls CNN contributor Erickson's “shotgun” remark “dangerous Psycho Talk”
• American Spectator blogger writes that Erickson's “shotgun” remark is “unnecessary and silly”
• Huffington Post: “Erickson Shotgun-Census Remark: Commerce Dept. Pushes Back”
• CNN's Erickson lashes out, doubles down on “shotgun” remark
• Olbermann criticizes Erickson for “shotgun” remark and CNN for hiring him
• CNN's Erickson: I'll "[p]ull out my wife's shotgun" if they try to arrest me for not filling out the American Community Survey