December 3, 2011
Herman Cain Withdraws From GOP Race
Herman Cain made his announcement today that he is stepping away from his race for the Republican nomination to be the US President.
First, we have no way of knowing for sure if the many allegations against him were true. Nothing was ever proven definitively, but of course where there's smoke, there's often fire. How often do you pay someone $45,000 to keep quiet about something that they didn't do? If that happens often, let me know and I'll sure start accusing anyone that will pay me $45,000 to keep quiet. There's also the more recent allegation of a thirteen-year on-again/off-again relationship with Ginger White. This is another allegation that Cain denied but does admit to giving her money and other gifts for years.
Let me ask you this, if your spouse is giving money and gifts to an opposite gender "friend" for years, would that ever arouse suspicion in your mind? I think somewhere around the very first time it happened I'd be asking a bunch of questions. But for it to go on for almost fourteen years? Cain's wife was unaware of this friend being so needy financially? If Ginger White is such a close friend that she merits financial help from Herman Cain, then wouldn't she be a close enough friend for Gloria Cain to be aware of her?
Unless Herman Cain ever decides to come out and admit that any of the accusations were true, we'll never really know for sure.
But if any of these accusations were true, why wasn't Cain vetted better? Either he lied to people during the vetting process or he told them the truth and they thought he could get through it without this information coming up. If the latter is the kind of advice he received, then he had some really bad advisors. You can't have sexual harassment payoffs in your history or have a mistress on the side for thirteen years and it not come up at some point during the campaign. Even worse, if it does come up, you can't lie your way through it. If even the sitting President of the United States can't lie his way through a scandal ("I did not have sexual relations with that woman") then how can they figure that a candidate will be able to do so. Or, did they never expect that he'd be a front-runner for the nomination? Whichever it is, the whole situation seems pretty poorly planned out and/or advised.
On the other hand, what if not a single one of these accusations are true? What if they are complete fabrications and Herman Cain is completely telling the truth? Then it's really unfortunate that it is so easy to destroy a good candidate's campaign. Just find someone willing to do whatever it takes to destroy a candidate. We've seen something similar right here in Rhode Island.
Remember the state legislator Doug Gablinske? He had lies spread about him by then NEARI deputy executive director John Leidecker which may have cost Gablinske an election. In this case, the person spreading the lies was even convicted but sentenced to a mere $100 fine. For that very small amount, NEARI was successful in removing Gablinske from office.
Whether Herman Cain is guilty of any of the accusations against him, we may never know. But one thing we do know for sure is that politics is a dirty, dirty game.
"How often do you pay someone $45,000 to keep quiet about something that they didn't do? If that happens often, let me know and I'll sure start accusing anyone that will pay me $45,000 to keep quiet."
Ethnic minorities and disabled persons can consistently make that much through Title VII and ADA discrimination lawsuit settlements with their employers (or potential employers, if applicants), although the attorney will probably take a third. Because of the burden-shifting framework of the statutes, these cases are nearly impossible to get dismissed. Even if the case has little merit, most companies, and even the state, will settle the first discrimination lawsuit you bring without a second thought because they know it will cost them at least double that amount and years of litigation to resolve it in court. It's only when the individual gets really greedy and comes back for more that they will take it to trial.
Posted by: Dan at December 3, 2011 4:27 PMThere are a lot of things about this whole story that I find bizarre.
For example, I don't get the explanation offered by Ms. White for going public about this alleged affair . . . . I mean, supposedly the guy was supporting her for years . . . . why would she throw that away, especially if she had feelings for him?
That said, Cain's fall exemplifies the reason why it is very risky for Republicans to thrust an unknown candidate into the limelight of a national campaign.
Sarah Palin experienced the same thing -- because she was an unknown commodity, she presented a blank slate upon which opponents could (and did) write whatever story they wanted to. Truth was not their concern, only that they could sew enough doubt to keep her, and the McCain campaign, off balance.
Conversely, a Democrat tabula rasa need not fear such treatment, exhibit "A" being the present occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Posted by: brassband at December 3, 2011 5:49 PMIt is not inignificant to me that Ms. White is currently being evicted for non-payment of rent, and has 13 liens filed against her, 11 of them since 2009. She has also filed bankruptcy at least once.
"needy" might not be quite the word for her. Why are the "high and mighty" attracted to trailer trash?
Posted by: Warrington Faust at December 3, 2011 8:13 PM" supposedly the guy was supporting her for years . . . . why would she throw that away, especially if she had feelings for him?"
I've seen it reported that he ended things with her right before he became a candidate.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
Posted by: Patrick at December 3, 2011 9:17 PMHerman Cain said in a speech to Young Republicans said that God convinced him to enter the race for president. He said, "When I finally realized that it was God saying that this is what I needed to do, I was like Moses. 'You've got the wrong man, Lord. Are you sure?
Why is it that every single Right-Wing-Nut, especially Republican Presidential candidates claim to have a direct pipeline to God's ear and vice versa?
God must have told the draft-dodging coward not to fight for his country, 40+ years ago
Draft dodger?
After college,Cain worked as a civilian employee of the Navy Department, in the ballistics. Hardly the profile of a draft dodger!
Posted by: brassband at December 4, 2011 4:04 PMbrassband, Sammy accuses every Republican of being a draft dodger even though his claims have been proven wrong before. Don't let silly little facts get in the way of a good fabricated rant.
I'd love to see what Sammy's military record is though. How many tours, etc.
Posted by: Patrick at December 4, 2011 4:29 PMsammy-as a 60% disabled Vietnam veteran I'd really like to know your contribution to this country's defense.
You like to rant on people for not serving.When and where did you sweetheart?
Spammy sammy strikes again.
Posted by: Max D at December 4, 2011 6:21 PMNow that Newt has taken the lead in the polls, is anyone else waiting for the next Newt shoe to drop. We already know he has baggage but what don't we know?
Posted by: Max D at December 4, 2011 6:28 PMOle Newt has more baggage than the Broadway Limited.
Posted by: joe bernstein at December 4, 2011 8:59 PM