Overall, looking back at the events of the day, while there are some details that can be quibbled over, Cain has come out of this okay. People who liked him and supported him before this, generally are still with him.
In addition to that, because of the nature of the charges, it called to mind for many the Clarence Thomas and lead to a sort of rally around the candidate effort in major conservative media that are listened to across the country. Whether it was Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, and Glenn Reynolds. And to top it all off, you had Cain’s memorable singing of, “He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need” (not amazing grace as bloggers keep writing) at the National Press Club.
As a Republican Primary voter, you’re less likely to focus in over an apparent contradiction over the non-essential fact of whether Cain knew anything about any settlement. As Charles Krauthammer noted Cain is trying to wing it and remember aspect event that happened a decade and a half ago. And to cap
The question is, “Does the story have legs?” The answer is probably not. With non-disclosure agreements signed by the women involved, the media will quickly run out of things to talk about unless something else comes out. As Jim Treacher wrote, ” there are no details in the story. Unless “a couple of women we won’t name have made accusations we’re not going to get into” is now considered a detail. Would that even pass muster in a gossip column?…”
October 31st, 2011 at 8:31 pm
I still like & support Cain, but Cain did a poor job responding to this. To say otherwise is a bit of a stretch.
October 31st, 2011 at 8:35 pm
Absurd. There have been no polls conducted yet to reflect your thesis. Purely wishful thinking on your part.
October 31st, 2011 at 8:38 pm
Cain may yet “thrive” but we won’t know until there’s new polling done.
October 31st, 2011 at 8:40 pm
cain is done – you don’t settle with people telling lies about you sexually harassing them. This will make most females hate Cain for his actions.
October 31st, 2011 at 8:43 pm
What do you guys make of Sean Trende’s remark :
For this to come out that early suggests there’s more to come
?
October 31st, 2011 at 8:46 pm
I love that song and ALL the conservatives rallying around Herman Cain today
October 31st, 2011 at 8:48 pm
But Cain has another weakness, another chink in his armor. He lied about the details as a first impulse. He exposed his character
October 31st, 2011 at 8:50 pm
Somebody help me understand how this was some kind of “hit job” or that it was brought about because liberals fear a “strong, black conservative”. Didn’t we used to vet the candidates? What is wrong with this story? He was asked about these sexual harrassment questions and he totally fumbled the response. Perhaps some of the TV press went overboard declaring his campaign dead but I cannot find fault with the Politico reporters who reported this. This kind of stuff is fair game. Its not like these women are just coming forward 20 years after the alleged event a la Clarence Thomas. So someone help me understand why this was a hit job.
October 31st, 2011 at 8:51 pm
When I saw the title, I knew it could only be Adam Graham.
October 31st, 2011 at 8:52 pm
Adam-
You’re such a hack. See the below FPP for an example of honesty in support of a candidate. You have no inherant honesty in any posting.
And, by the way – if I had to pay off 2 women for sexual harassment claims I’m pretty damn sure I would remember the details until the day I died.
October 31st, 2011 at 8:54 pm
Cain’s staff now saying the is their single best $$$ day! “New supporters coming out of the woodwork.”
CainStaff Cain Staff
by Tx4Cain
Want solutions, not smears? DONATE to .@THEHermanCain http://tinyurl.com/5rvj795 Please RT!
October 31st, 2011 at 8:55 pm
the = this
October 31st, 2011 at 8:55 pm
The guy told a bold-faced lie
October 31st, 2011 at 8:56 pm
10 – are you retarded?
Cain didn’t pay anything : the NRA did
October 31st, 2011 at 8:59 pm
10:
Nailed it!
HUCKABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
October 31st, 2011 at 9:01 pm
Right now, The Washington Post has a poll on their site asking if Herman Cain’s campaign will be hurt by the accusations of sexual harrassment. Currently YES is at 74 percent with NO at 26 percent.
I think the conclusion of Mr. Graham is very premature.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:03 pm
This is a whole lot of nothing… Cain wasn’t going anywhere any ways. So who cares…..
October 31st, 2011 at 9:04 pm
CAIN/HUCKABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
October 31st, 2011 at 9:06 pm
16.
The Washington ComPost is the liberal’s favorite rag so getting 26% is FANTASTIC for Cain!
October 31st, 2011 at 9:07 pm
Everybody’s masquerading as morons?
Halloween night!
October 31st, 2011 at 9:08 pm
And Politico.com is a creation of the Wash ComPost liberal clan.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:09 pm
20.
Nah. Just you
October 31st, 2011 at 9:10 pm
I think Cain is a good guy. He’s not vetted and he’s not experienced, so he’s not my guy unless the only other choice is Obama. Then Cain is my guy BIGTIME.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:11 pm
Even if he did give a coupla gals their Christmas gooses early, I’d take him over obama E-Z.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:12 pm
22 – if only you would put your money where your mouth is!
October 31st, 2011 at 9:13 pm
Cain has the passion and soul I want. But he lacks the technical abilities, I want.
Romney is the reverse.
God help us. Bring on Ryan, Jindal, Daniels, or Huckabee.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:14 pm
*IF* there is nothing more to this than Cain is going to be the beneficiary of a rallying effect.
*IF* all there is is just these whispers from Politico then Cain will be fine.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:21 pm
#14 –
Funny that by the end of the day he knew exactly how much was paid to them.
It doesn’t matter who wrote the check Mr. Cain was certainly well aware of the details. He was an upper level important employee of the association. I still don’t think he did anything, either, but he would have known how much the settlement was for.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:23 pm
25 – (continued)
But you can’t, since you’re already “all-in” on Perry!
At least that’s what you wrote…
October 31st, 2011 at 9:24 pm
ST,
Politico by their HIT just gave Cain the attention that money can’t buy & the Romney campaign with all the money are cussing out Politico.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:25 pm
28 – ” Cain was certainly well aware of the details.”
Very likely. Certainly? No.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:27 pm
#8:
Somebody help me understand how this was some kind of “hit job” or that it was brought about because liberals fear a “strong, black conservative”. Didn’t we used to vet the candidates?
Goes back to a Question Glenn Reynolds asked, “Would Jonathan Martin, Maggie Haberman, Anna Palmer and Kenneth Vogel have put their names on a similar piece, with no named sources, aimed at Barack Obama? Would Politico have run it?”
The answer is no.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:29 pm
29.
I’m all in with Perry nomination-wise AND CAIN in Iowa — but mostly ALL $$$ on Cain in Iowa this past month, than God.
What about you, Katey???
October 31st, 2011 at 9:30 pm
*thank
October 31st, 2011 at 9:32 pm
27 – It’s a weekend and a day into it and anyone who believes that this is a rallying cry for Cain you’re putting all of your “conservative” eggs (credibility) into the wrong basket. The focus is all wrong if conservatism is what you’re fighting for.
Standing behind Cain quietly is one thing but to rally behind Rush and the tea party crowd is another. The conservative movement is bigger than one man. Cain isn’t worth all of this effort if he hasn’t been vetted 100%. This isn’t Clarence Thomas where there was only smoke. There is fire in these accusations. This has all the makings of coming back and biting all the anti-Romney’s in the a**es.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:32 pm
Google Ken Vogel, the lead hatchet man on this piece to see his unsavory history of writing unproven accusations regarding conservatives.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:33 pm
Nothing to worry about. It’s “merely a flesh wound.”
What does it mean? wasted time. Waste opportunities at AEI and NPC. Confusion and contradiction reveals an unprepared campaign. How will he organize IA? I think he’s in trouble.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:34 pm
Is this amateur night for Herman Cain?
October 31st, 2011 at 9:34 pm
35.
It’s not just Rush.. It’s hundreds of more radio conservatives today speaking to MILLIONS
October 31st, 2011 at 9:34 pm
33 – http://bettingarchive.blogspot.com/
October 31st, 2011 at 9:35 pm
29. I mean TENS of MILLIONS of listeners.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:41 pm
SMACK BREAKING NEWS!!!!!
PPP – Public Policy Polling
Cain was defeating Romney during weekend polling in Maine!
2nd choice of Cain supporters in Maine:
Gingrich 26%
Romney 17%
Perry 15%
Perry FAV/UNFAV in Maine 34/47
—————————————————
Cain polled 30% in North Carolina over weekend…up from 27% a month ago.
2nd choice of Cain supporters in North Carolina:
Gingrich 29%
Romney 16%
Perry 15%
Perry FAV/UNFAV in North Carolina 39/41
—————————————————
SMACKS SUMMARY
Great news for Cain, now to see if his numbers hold up against this news story.
Great news for Gingrich. Newt is positioned perfectly for the next surge if Cain falls.
Not good news for Romney. Cain was growing in strength in the South and was even winning in the NE. It’s clear Romney can’t expand his base with Newt waiting in the wings if Cain falls.
Horrible news for Perry. The man is not even liked among the base in SC. It’s over for him.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:41 pm
Rich Lowry, Editor The National Review:
herman cain is the first politician i have ever believed when he says “i dont recall”
4 minutes ago
October 31st, 2011 at 9:43 pm
You hope. Unless or until there’s more, it’s only going to rally the right to Cain.
Which is good, because better a rally to Cain than to see them bugrudgingly go to Romney.
And make no mistake, conservatives will only ever go to Romney begrudgingly.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:43 pm
Cain polled 30% in North Carolina over weekend…up from 27% a month ago.
2nd choice of Cain supporters in North Carolina:
Gingrich 29%
Romney 16%
Perry 15%
Perry FAV/UNFAV in North Carolina 39/41
—————————————————
SMACKS SUMMARY
Great news for Cain
===
BINGO!
October 31st, 2011 at 9:43 pm
And on this,
Anyone backing Romney doesn’t care about conservatism.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:48 pm
“Anyone backing Romney doesn’t care about conservatism.”
This is absolute truth.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:49 pm
Now here comes the attacks on Public Policy Polling by my ROMBOT friends.
There is one problem with that…..they have had two great cycles in row when it comes to accuracy.
The owner of this poll is a left wing nut who is a pain in the ass..but…
Mr. Jensen nailed the Trump surge, Bachmann surge, Perry surge & the Cain surge before anyone else picked up on it.
Public Policy Polling has nailed the special elections this year in their polling.
Cain is stil strong and is growing a little bit.
Newt can only grow if Cain falls…they share much of the same voters.
Romney is tredding water.
It’s down to these three.
Cain
Romney
Gingrich
Any talk of Perry as a factor is absurd…with the exception that Perry will spend his last dollar on negative ads on Romney.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:51 pm
Cain knew about the story from Politico about 10 days prior. WHAT did he do to prepare? What did he do to look credible?? Pretty much nothing. They fumbled the whole thing. He didn’t know…..and then he did. SURELY, in 10 days they weren’t so naive as to believe this would not come out. His whole handling of this is indicative of his ability to handle things in the WH.
It surely gives people a clue to his leadership and preparation. It was lacking.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:52 pm
48 – I see you are still smoking whatever you were smoking earlier when you were a TPaw supporter.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:52 pm
tele,
Newt is much stronger in these polls then the average yahoo knows. Fox News and some other pundits are picking up on this fact.
November 5th – Lincoln – Douglas Debate
Cain vs. Gingrich
Superbowl
NEWT 2012!!
October 31st, 2011 at 9:53 pm
Dear RomNots for Cain:
Unlike the vast majority of RomNots, most Rombots tentatively expressed that they felt it was probably a case of bogus law suits settled out of court to save money and prevent unwarranted bad press, etc.
The problem here is not the story.
The problem here is that even with a tip off of many days that the story was coming out, Cain and his team were not prepared, looked like deer in the headlights, and Cain once again solidfied his image as winging it, being all over the place in his answers over a short time spand, and leaving the impress he’s not ready for prime time.
Although RomNots will give their candidates a huge pass on most things (anything is better than Romney, LOL…), the general public will see this as reinforcing the image that Cain is not POTUS material.
We will not know for a couple of weeks if/how much this hurts him.
Adam, using your definition of “thrives,” we might as well swear Romney in as POTUS today LOL…
October 31st, 2011 at 9:53 pm
#47……teledude. Oh, brother! I am a conservative. I am not a purist. I am a pragmatist.
I am fully on board with Mitt…….and I DO care about conservative principles in America!
October 31st, 2011 at 9:55 pm
ADAM, very srry to say this. but u dont no if he made it through this or not till polling comes out. so ur opionion on the matter right now, is diddly squat.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:56 pm
Cain tried to explain that costs will not go up under his plan. He said on Face the Nation that “invisible embedded taxes” are responsible for 30 to 40 percent of the “cost” of every product we buy. He also said he would “take that out” with his 9-9-9 plan.
I find it VERY hard to believe that Cain’s tax plan is going to reduce the cost of everything by 30 to 40% and that the 30 to 40% cost reduction will be replaced with a meager 9% tax.
I also find it hard to believe that we finance the federal government with 30 to 40% of “everything that we buy in this country.”
October 31st, 2011 at 9:56 pm
There is absolutely no difference between liberals who defended Bill Clinton and Anthony Weiner and raged about the supposed “vast right-wing conspiracy” and the so-called “conservatives” who are defending Herman Cain and playing the race card.
Any reasonable person could tell they were all completely guilty of what they were accused of, but unprincipled partisan hacks say, “I like him and he’s on my team, so he must be innocent. Damn the facts and attack the messenger.”
October 31st, 2011 at 9:56 pm
46.Sojourner Truth Says:
October 31st, 2011 at 9:43 pm
“Anyone backing Romney doesn’t care about conservatism.”
==
That sounds kinda harsh but anyone reading the hardcore Rombots comments here daily would agree.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:58 pm
Rombots go after true conservative candidates like rabid dogs.
October 31st, 2011 at 9:59 pm
jax,
You should focus on how Romney can expand his base.
In other words, don’t make anymore silly comments about how exactly did “Contract for America” ever did anything for us?
You reek of Rockefeller when you spout off like that.
The ROMBOTS, and more importantly Mitt, needs to start talking some red meat. Give us a little love. Not too much, but give us something to believe in.
We don’t trust Mitt leading the Conservative movement.
Convince us instead of pissing on Reagan’s Revolution.
October 31st, 2011 at 10:01 pm
Romney is tredding water.
I agree 100% except the part about Perry being a non-factor. Spoilers are the biggest factors of all
October 31st, 2011 at 10:01 pm
Yeah. They sure do. At least THIS CYCLE they do.
In 2008, Rombots proclaimed that all the other candidates weren’t measuring up the conservative standards set by the Three Legged Tool.
In 2008, Rombots were all talking up the virtues of pragmatism. Now, it’s all about “electability” and “pragmatism.” Whatever argument benefits Romney at any given moment is the argument they make. And the principles are just as expendable as those of Dear Leader.
October 31st, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Check that. In 2008, Rombots were all about “Three legged stool CONSERVATISM” and NOT pragmatism.
When Mitt shifts, the Rombots shift. It’s sort of like Pavlov’s dog. Or a personality cult.
October 31st, 2011 at 10:04 pm
Do you doubt for a minute if Mitt was trying to out-so-con Bachmann, Jax and his ilk wouldn’t be talking up how all the other candidates weren’t conservative enough?
October 31st, 2011 at 10:11 pm
SOJ Truth,
I don’t doubt anything at this point.
Craig For Huck,
I did give myself an out…Perry is a factor because of his disgust with Mitt Kerry.
October 31st, 2011 at 10:14 pm
64.
Yeah, you did. Sorry. I should have read it through.
October 31st, 2011 at 10:16 pm
http://race42012.com/2011/10/31/who-was-the-source-of-the-cain-story/
October 31st, 2011 at 10:23 pm
59 – still waiting for an answer on that one … still nothing from you in the way of substance … just a lot of inane and dishonest talking points
October 31st, 2011 at 10:48 pm
49. THAT is the crux of it, for me. Take the issue of guilt completely out of it and we’re left with a campaign that plenty of time to prepare a perfect response. And, the totally whiffed it. I just don’t get it.
October 31st, 2011 at 10:51 pm
56. We still do not know if Cain was guilty of harassment or not. But, that’s not really the issue, as stated in 68.
October 31st, 2011 at 10:56 pm
58.
I’m mostly skipping your rabid posts, but I decide this one needs a response.
If you look at most of the responses by Romney supporters you’ll see that MOST of us have not rushed to a conclusion on his guilt. Most of us are very concerned about his inability to defend against it coherently, esp given the 2 weeks notice they had.
We are VERY concerned that someone like that could be considered presidential material by so many people.
As for me, I’m very concerned that those of YOU who call yourselves conservative don’t seem to care if he’s guilty or not. I had always thought SoCon values included high personal moral values.
You are as wrong as you’ve ever been to think our negative posts have anything to do with not wanting a conservative candidate. (And, that’s SAYING something!)
October 31st, 2011 at 10:57 pm
BOY! Smack, SoJo, and 999M are having a HEYDAY in here!
October 31st, 2011 at 11:07 pm
October 31st, 2011 at 11:11 pm
This thread reeks of Romnot hysteria. The fact is that the story hurts Cain and will continue to do so as more information emerges. We will hear from the women who made the charge, and it’s entirely possible that we will hear from other women.
None of this is good for ANYone on our side of things. It’s bad for Mitt because Cain was keeping anyone with a remote chance of challenging for the nomination from rising in the polls. Further, Cain posed ZERO threat to Mitt…..he lacked the resources, the organization, the endorsements, and the stature to go the distance against Romney.
It’s not good for our chances of defeating Obama, since it taints the process on the Republican side and distracts from our general attack against Obama.
Lastly, it diminishes Mitt’s inevitable victory, subtracting from his ability to battle the $1 Billion Dollar Man.
November 1st, 2011 at 1:04 am
73 – This is the sad part of the tea party hysteria. They’re so desperate to find someone who is supposedly just like them – conservative to the core. But to defend this man without fully letting the process run it’s course is baffling and incoherent to this core belief they have in conservatism. The irony! It’s the same problem with Perry. How many times are you going to open the door on your faces. Your best bet for everything you could ever hope for is Rick Santorum. Conservative based on tea partiers and Rush’ definition.
Conservatism isn’t an ideology devoid of truth. It is all about truth regardless of who wields it. It is about actions that are tried and true and if applied is always correct in it’s principles. The bearer has to be able to bear without spot. With spot he becomes an entertainer – someone who acts like a conservative but is limited. Conservatism isn’t about the man, it’s about his actions and ability to persuade through those actions because of its truth. Likability is a cheap substitute for actions where conservative principles are concerned. Talk is a cheap substitute for a flawed record or past where conservatism is moved. GWB was a supposed true conservative who couldn’t articulate the message and wasn’t comfortable enough in his own skin to pull it off. The irony of all of this is Romney being criticized about his core. With Cain everyone who will claim to be a true “conservative” will be questioned about not his core but theirs as this investigation continues and gets worse. The mighty MSM will not let this go. It will follow Cain wherever he goes and whatever he does.
November 1st, 2011 at 1:56 am
This conclusion seems a little premature.
I hope this is all there is. I hope Cain came completely clean in his pretzel appearences today.
A few weeks ago, maybe months, I read an account of someone attending a party with Bill Clinton who suposedly said to them that one of the Republican Front runners had a scandal in their past that hadn’t been public yet.
I hope this is it. And I hope this is all there is. I hope there are not 5 more women out there who will tell us stories, that we have no way to confirm or deny.
I have never gotten the womanizer vibe from Cain. He seems completely sincere in his faith and his morals to me. He has been married to the same woman for 43 years. Unless she is a sucker, he has been faithful.
I am a bit troubled that he had 10 days or so to come up with clear answers to the questions he knew were coming and he didn’t have a plan in place to deal with this when the story hit.
This does say something about his ability to run the country.
Unexpected crisises happen all the time, and this was an expected crisis and Cain handled it very poorly. And then Cain sang a song…
Sometimes it seems like we slipped down the rabbit hole the minute Obama got elected and we just can’t find out way back out!!!
I hope Mitt is the light at the end of the tunnel… I am banking on the hope that he is.
I want out of the rabbit hole.
November 1st, 2011 at 3:53 am
For a workplace sexual harassment case, and seeing that it was two separate cases, there is something strange about the way it was handled…Why did the women have to leave with what amounted to a severance package, and Cain allowed to stay in his position?..It doesn’t sound like workplace Protocol was followed. And if Rush and Levine keep insinuating that the women were just too sensitive and undermine the women’s word of what took place, then they will come out to protect their name.
I don’t think this is over yet.
November 1st, 2011 at 5:38 am
The problem is that the right wing Conservative movement is not the Conservative movement of Reagan, it’s the Conservative movement of Rush Limbaugh and the Tea Party.
The party of Reagan doesn’t exist anymore, it’s been purged of all free thinking conservatives who don’t follow Rush and the Tea Party’s narrow definition of what a conservative is. But the reality is, everyone has a different idea of what a conservative is, and until the Republican party figures it out, the party will be divided which will give Obama a better chance than he deserves in 2012.
November 1st, 2011 at 5:45 am
The question is not whether the story has legs – the problem comes in in that Cain was not honest about it from the get0go.
November 1st, 2011 at 8:45 am
70 – Keith – Touche.
November 1st, 2011 at 10:29 am
7.: EXACTLY. He exposed his character.
We are going to lose ya’ll if you (Cain supporters) don’t just drop this guy NOW.