November 30, 2011 - I've been an avid supporter of Herman Cain for many months now. I like the man, I like his 9-9-9 tax plan as a starting point for reforming the federal tax code, and I love his background as a successful businessman. I have defended him against the slander and libel of those who accuse him of unproven sexual misconduct.
However, I can no longer support Herman Cain because he has shown that he is willing to waste my time and the time of his many remaining campaign workers. It comes down to this:
Crap or get off the pot. Are you in? Or are you out? Stop sending mixed signals to us.
Earlier this week, Cain told campaign staff that he was "reassessing" his run for the presidency in the wake of multiple accusations of sexual harassment and even of having a long-time affair.
An Associated Press report yesterday said that "Herman Cain’s Iowa campaign chairman [says] that the candidate is reassessing his presidential campaign a day after an Atlanta businesswoman alleged a 13-year extramarital affair with the Republican."
This caused immediate concern, of course, among Cain's supporters. His campaign gurus tried to calm us later by "explaining" that Cain's use of the word reassessing had been misunderstood. Jim Galloway highlighted this in a post yesterday
in the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC).
Galloway wrote this:
"On the other hand, Daniel Malloy, the AJC’s man in Washington, just got off the phone with Cain spokesman J.D. Gordon, who sent this note." We then get the note, from which we read this (my
emphasis added):
Gordon acknowledged that Cain in a staff call this morning used the word “reassess” about the campaign, but said it was not about whether or not he was going to drop out. Similar reassessments took place after the Iowa straw poll and at one point when the campaign was low on money, he said.
“My interpretation of that is that we are looking to assess where we are at today and where we need to be moving into the primary,” Gordon said. The campaign will rethink what states Cain visits, the types of speeches he gives and what interviews he conducts.
Today in Ohio, however, Cain blew Gordon's explanation out of the water. Speaking in West Chester, Cain was asked immediately after his speech if he was staying in or dropping out of the race. "Are you going to drop out, Mr. Cain?" came the question from off-camera. Cain's answer: "We are reassessing." (See 1:05 in the video here.)
The question was lobbed at Cain a few more times. About the fourth time he was asked, he said, "We are reassessing as we speak." Asked to be more specific, Cain responded, "Yes. Reassessment means reevaluation."
As Cain shook hands from admirers, he was then asked "What are supporters telling you right now?" His smiling response was, "Supporters are, it, it's been a groundswell of positive support," he said, "got, got it real quick? Groundswell, groundswell."
This is unsettling to me and to many Cain supporters I've had contact with today, since the Ohio speech. I don't know about any "groundswell" of support over the past 24 hours for Cain, and I'm fairly well in touch. Was he exaggerating, or has his campaign advisors misinformed him?
Was J.D. Gordon lying about reassessment? Or was he simply misinformed? Or, perhaps, did he himself misunderstand whatever explanation was given to him to share publicly? Hard to know.
Surely, though, Herman Cain was aware of the confusion, and the apparently confused explanation, of his use of the work "reassess." Surely his people advised him about this, which leads me to question his use of that word again today. What Herman Cain is doing, in effect, is dodging the question of whether he will stay in the Republican presidential primary race.
That, in my opinion, is disrespectful of the thousands of us who have spent time, and many have spent money, to support the Cain Campaign. We've stood by as his -character was being assassinated. We explained 9-9-9 to those who are arithmetic challenged. We are owed an answer to the question, and we are owed more than the non-definitive "we are reassessing."
There are deeper, longer term concerns here, as well. Herman Cain likes to say in his campaign speeches that a president should surround himself with good people. That's true, of course, but one wonders how good the people are who currently surround him. If Herman Cain cannot respond with specificity and certainty about staying in the race, then how would he respond to a question from an allied nation's leader about an urgent matter affecting our national security? If he would allow the attempts at character assassination to take him out of the race, how would President Cain respond to the daily and even more vicious attempts to attack his character? After all, that's just part of the president's job burden. Would he resign or brush it off and stay strong?
So, to Herman Cain I say this: Crap or get off the pot. Man up and make a decision. Then give your supporters their props by letting them know what you've decided.
November 5, 2011 - Okay, you've had time to think it over: Who won tonight's 90-minute debate between Herman Cain or Newt Gingrich?
I'm asking because during the debate I was involved with Reboboam Cask Conditioning Filter Hang Dortmunder Wit Seidel. Tun Pokal Oxidized Helle Helle Hydrometer Lager Nebuchadnezzar. Body Wort, Biere de garde Draugh Willibecher. Lauter Barley Hops Ethanol or Ethyl Alcohol; Jeroboam Pilsner Ethanol or Ethyl Alcohol? Mead Primary Fermentation Ethanol or Ethyl Alcohol. Dry Hopping Wort Chiller Draugh, Gueuze Yard Imperial Hand Pump. Gueuze Brew Kettle Barrel Fruity Wit Mead Fruity. I'll regret that in the morning, I'm sure.
SEE POLL BELOW: A lot of buzz was created by the latest video released by the Herman Cain Presidential Campaign. It's a simple video that shows Cain's campaign Chief of Staff Mark Block speaking directly to the camera. What he says is not really so news worthy, but near the end he looks into the camera and puffs on a cigarette. You can see the Cain "smoking man" video here. You can also see Mark Block's explanation of the video on Fox News. Many are calling the video "bizarre," while some think it's brilliant. What is your opinion?
October 10, 2011 - Herman Cain just keep rocketing upward in polls among likely Republican voters. Today, Bloomberg reported that "Cain Is Even With Romney on Economy Among Republican Backers." That, of course, is welcome news for Cainiacs across the USA. But the good news is even better than what the headline indicates:
"While Romney barely leads on the economy," notes Bloomberg's Mike Dorning, "he maintains his overall advantage as the candidate Republican supporters most want to see as the nominee, at 24 percent, with Cain second at 16 percent on the eve of a Bloomberg-Washington Post Republican presidential debate that will focus on economic issues, according to a national poll by the two news organizations."
Let's hear a collective "Wow!" That presidential debate, by the way will take place at 8:00 PM (Eastern) on Tuesday, October 10 at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. The Dartmouth College website has a good list of where you can watch or listen live, and even get your own two cents' worth in via social media.
You can read more about Cain's rising poll numbers at Citizens4Cain.com.
(Image: FOX News via Associated Press)
October 8, 2011 - Herman Cain uploaded a new video today, in which he calls the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a jobs killer and promises to reign it in should he be elected president in 2012. He says the EPA needs "an attitude adjustment." The video has the simple title of "GOv GOne WIld.MOV." Watch the video below.
Cain stands on a dark street in Washington, D.C. It's either night or early morning. There is no description available. It seems that this video was uploaded to YouTube with no editing. The video is apparently intended only for campaign workers and supporters, as he thanks them for their work.
Here is a partial transcript of what Cain says in the video:
"Hello, I'm Herman Cain. I want to first thank all of you for realizing something that a lot of people in this country haven't realized yet, but you have and you have done something about it... As I'm on this presidential campaign journey, I have also raised the alarm about something that's happening in Washington, D.C. that's killing jobs and taking away many of our liberties. I describe it as government gone wild. Specifically, the EPA gone wild. One of the things that I'm going to do as president of the United States is to make sure that the Environmental Protection Agency gets an attitude adjustment.... We will transform the EPA from an organization that believes that the taxpayers work for them, to an organization that understands that they work for us."
Herman Cain has long been openly critical of the EPA. In a debate in September, Cain was asked which federal department he would eliminate first if he became president. He answered that he would "start with the EPA and start all over."
The video doesn't even show on Cain's YouTube channel "thehermancain" yet, and might never. As of 5:30 PM ET, the video information says it was uploaded "6 hours ago," which would have been 11:30 AM ET. In fact, this video is "unlisted." Only those with the link can see it. Of course, those who visit Chicago News Bench can also see it.
A little something I penned this morning:
Cain has the brain to unplug the drain
of pain in Washingtain
Herman will roll like a Sherman tank,
take that to the bank,
he'll be the one to thank
when the rain begins again
to end our national drought.
That's what Cain's about.
~by T.H. Mannis
October 3, 2010 - Yes, it's early. Perhaps it is too early to predict who will get the Republican Party's nomination to run for President in 2012.
I will risk ridicule, however, and go out on a limb right now to say that I believe Herman Cain will keep picking up steam and take it all. Cain is the boldest, straightest talking, most business-experienced one on the campaign trail. He can label an economic plan with "999" in its title and not be accused of devilry. That's devine.
He doesn't have crazy eyes. He has executive experience but no controversial elected office baggage. He's one of the most exciting speakers I've ever witnessed. It's Cain. Herman Cain. Oh yeah, he's the only candidate who actually looks good in a cowboy hat.
