Yesterday’s GOP presidential debate—the most recent episode of Real World Bizarro Land—proves once again that being unmoored from reality is the way to get ahead in Republican politics these days. What livened the debate is the continuing saga of Herman Cain, ex-pizza czar and accused serial harasser. Only in the current Republican field, in which the right-wing base is desperately seeking the anti-Romney, would Cain have any credibility. He lacks a campaign infrastructure in the key early states, doesn’t know the first thing about foreign policy and has given every indication that he’s actually running for bigger speaking fees rather than for president.
Cain’s handling of sexual-harassment allegations (four and counting) while he was president of the National Restaurant Association has been a case study in how not to deal with a crisis.
His defense boils down to is this: Cain doesn’t know any of the women, except that he does, and the NRA didn’t have settlements with them, but the NRA did have agreements with them, and it’s Rick Perry‘s campaign that leaked this story, but it was really the Democrats who leaked it.
Oh, and it’s all the liberal media’s fault.
How about we take this to the next level?
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Cain used the debate to defend his integrity, speaking of himself in the third person as if he were the Pope: “For every one person that comes forward with a false accusation, there are probably thousands who will say that none of that sort of activity ever came from Herman Cain.” (Always good to hedge your bets with “probably.” You never know.)
Of course, sexual harassment doesn’t lend itself to the same mathematical magic that Cain’s 9-9-9 tax plan does. The only number that counts is zero, as in the number of accusations that you should face. Needless to say, Cain got a big round of applause from the Republican faithful in the audience, but it’s clear from the polls that enough doubts have been sown that Cain will likely have to content himself with a commentator spot on Fox instead of measuring the White House drapes.
The other moment of note in the debate (other than Rick Perry channeling Ronald Reagan post-Alzheimer’s) was the Republican insistence that Barney Frank single-handedly caused the housing crisis. Republicans have tried this meme before, but it’s worth pointing out the conservative dog whistle that’s being sounded here.
Barney Frank is not just the conservative’s nightmare of a super-liberal. His name is also shorthand for gay, and all the lavender-menace panic that inspires. (Who can forget Rep. Dick Armey’s “Barney Fag” slip?) This time it was Romney who sounded the call, blaming Frank (and former Sen. Christopher Dodd) for legislation aimed at correcting Wall Street abuses. Way to go to shore up your conservative credentials, Mitt!
Also, thanks for pointing out that you’re a man of steadfastness because you’ve been married for 42 years (without even a whiff of sexual harassment!).
Grant us the same rights and we’ll be able to say the same. Probably.
B
Cain’s spin control is running in high gear. Saw a headline in a free daily rag that more or less said, “Cain willing to take lie detector test.” Near the end of the article, it had the caveat: more or less, “if a test would do any good.” You can always find some excuse as to why the test would not be up to the necessary standards.
Riker
@B: His spin control is spinning out of control. He makes John Kerry’s flip flops seem tiny. I don’t think he’ll even be getting any speaking arrangements at all after this, nor will Fox News touch a sexual harasser. He’s finished, and now he’s just desperate for it all to be over.
That said, Queerty, you should be ashamed of yourself. Making a joke about a man with Alzheimers? Why not crack a joke about the Special Olympics next? Oh, I forgot, Perry is a Republican so anything is fair game.
christopher di spirito
Tonight in the CNBC-sponsored GOP debate, Herman “Sugar” Cain referred to Rep. Nancy Pelosi as “Princess Nancy.” Cain clearly has demonstrated contempt for women. Cain will never be president but if by some chance he’s the Republican nominee, Obama will sweep the floor with him in the debates.
Kev C
Is this that guy with the fake birth certificate?
Riker
@christopher di spirito: He’s not getting the nomination. Romney is getting the nomination, and the polls indicate that he’s likely to win, barring some major October Surprise.
Riker
@Kev C: No, that was Orly Taitz (a.k.a. Oily Taints)
Kev C
@Riker: ORLY? Which one is President?
Riker
@Kev C: ?? I think you’re confused. Orly Taitz presented a fake Kenyan birth certificate, claiming it was real. Obama actually presented his real birth certificate.
Steve
I would not doubt that Cain could pass a lie-detector test. Not because he would not be lying — but because he feels absolutely no guilt or emotion about lying. He is such a practiced liar, that he does it without sweating. I think he is a pathological liar, and a psychopath.
Psychopaths often make lots of money in business. But, they make disastrous mistakes as leaders – leading to bankruptcy or war.
Kev C
@Riker: I thought Obama was foreign. Pretty sure he’s not a real american. I’m a real american (native and pilgrim).
MAP
@Riker
After all the pain, shit and homophobia Ronald Reagan dumped on this planet (not to mention his ginning up of the Evangelical wasteland we now inhabit), had Queerty not conflated Perry with that grinning thankfully dead fool, I’d have been upset.
Politically Incorrect Thug
Hmmm. I have somewhat of a problem with us non-fans of Obama being collectively categorized as racists, but you Cain-haters are . . . what, noble? Superior? Bigots with a cause? I know you libs think you’re smarter than anyone else, but surely you can see the hypocrisy here, no? (Wait a minute, what am I saying? Of COURSE a liberal never sees his own hypocrisy—such insight would likely cause spontaneous human combustion across the lefty plains).
Cam
@Politically Incorrect Thug:
And once again, PIT in an attempt to distract from ANY conversation that doesn’t make the GOP look perfect tries to play the victim card. Boo Hoo, all republicans are victims.
Sorry, the victims would seem to be the women that were forced from their jobs by a boss that harassed them and a company that felt his harassment was egregious enough to warrant huge payouts to them.
Thats right, keep trying to tell us that the GOP is the party for a strong America when all you ever do on here is wipe tears away and cry about what a victim you are and how you are all picked on.
Ian
@Politically Incorrect Thug: Your wisdom is breathtaking.
christopher di spirito
@Riker: I agree. Romney will win the GOP nomination but in the General Election, Obama will be reelected to a second term. Willard the Mormon Flip Flopper isn’t presidential material.
Brett Cottrell
Limbaugh is the mark of Cain. That’s not a resounding endorsement.
http://brettcottrell.blogspot.com/2011/11/limbaugh-is-mark-of-cain.html
ewe
I see absolutely no scientific evidence that homophobic hypocritical Herman Cain did not sexually harass women. That’s my opinion. (roll eyes) Next question!!!
ousslander
A simple questions, anyone who thinks Cain should not be president because of allegations think the same way about clinton?
Perry is a buffoon.
As for Frank, he was telling everyone that fannie mae was perfectly fine and in no trouble.
Riker
@christopher di spirito: I’m not so sure. I’ve been carefully watching the polls, and a lot of swing states that went blue in 2008, like Minnesota, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Nevada and New Mexico are leaning towards Romney in the polls, and have been since the polls began. Those six states make up 74 electoral votes, a sizable block. Other states, like Pennsylvania (21 votes) which are typically blue are too close to call yet. Combined, they could be enough to swing an election. Obama is going to have a hard time putting 270 votes together.
tjr101
I always enjoy the circus that is the GOP debates, fact is none of them are electable. Should flip flop Romney get the nomination, he will have to explain his “socialist” healthcare policy in MA that he is now running away from like the plague and the elephant in the room his evangelical problem.
The GOP is also doing enough to turn off the increasing hispanic vote. Where oh where are they going to get those votes???
Henry
Cain’s latest accuser is an attention-seeker. You can see it in her face. She has never been sexually harassed in her life.
geoff
@pit
do you honestly believe that Cain or Perry have the qualifications (given everything that we’ve seen and heard in the debates) to be The President of the United States of America? It’s a yes or no – but I’m betting you won’t b able to do that.
Politically Incorrect Thug
@geoff: The answer is No. Of course I don’t think Cain or Perry are qualified to be POTUS. Any moron can see that. Cain’s popularity is due to nothing but the far-right’s disenchantment with Romney, and Perry was a flash in the pan who will now quietly fade into the past. Me, I’m just amused by the left’s inability to reconcile in their own PC heads how the right could have elevated a black man so high and so quickly, as well as their reaction to their ineffectiveness in reducing Cain’s poll numbers. Sorry, but this shit is golden, as golden as watching the OWS movement self-implode into rioting anarchists and homeless alcoholics.
Amber024
@ewe: What do you mean? He’s innocent till proven guilty!! Right now its a bunch of he said she said. There’s no proof! Show me the receipts!