This is a complete pisser, because I thought (after careful study of relevant issues) that Herman Cain was the best choice. But just as certain special interests attempted to destroy Sarah Palin and her chances at the 2012 Presidential nod, so they have done with a black conservative. Apparently the GOP is only supposed to run white males so Democrats can continue to perpetuate a myth that Republicans are a racist and sexist party.
Certainly the allegations of sexual harassment – and that’s all they were, since all we had was the word of women of questionable character, amplified by a group of people who wished to clear the path for the re-coronation of King Barack Obama – did damage to Cain’s campaign. And I’m not so sure these accusers and their liberal handlers didn’t play on the racist fears and mystique about black men that certain white women have by stressing these so-called relationships.
So what were they afraid of? Was it the fact that a black man, who actually is derived from parents who both were black and was not a mulatto who took advantage of his black half when it suited him, could be a viable and successful conservative candidate? Or was it the 9-9-9 economic plan, which would introduce a consumption-based aspect to the tax system and begin to loosen the grip of statists on the nation’s purse strings because they would have a harder time regulating behavior?
Whatever the reason, I find it particularly galling that no one bothered with these allegations when Cain was polling about 5% or so. It was only when he became a threat that all these stories hit the airwaves as an October surprise one year early.
I’ve also heard the criticism about the mishandling of the whole story by his campaign team, which was proof of how incompetent his advisers were. Of course, many of these charges were leveled by political insiders who would have lost face had Cain succeeded without the help of high-powered consultants. Unlike Bill Clinton or Barack Obama, though, Cain wasn’t going to get any help from the press insofar as presuming the accusers were “trailer trash” like Bill Clinton’s campaign operatives did or just burying inconvenient facts like the press did for Barack Obama. Amazing how they were were fooled by that “clean, articulate” black guy who really had nothing to say besides the platitudes of hope and change.
With Herman Cain we actually had hope for real change, and I’m convinced that’s why some wanted him out.
So Cain moves to “Plan B”, which appears to involve the same sort of activism Sarah Palin is engaging in. Of course, the cynics will consider this selling out and part of the deal all along, but since I have no monetary stake in the race and I still trust the guy I will take him at his word and eagerly wait to see who he endorses.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Cain’s lucky endorsee was Newt Gingrich, since both hail from Georgia and they had their own debate. Perhaps that debate was Herman’s own Plan B should he have to exit the race – if you recall at the time Gingrich was only polling in the upper single digits and his rise neatly coincided with the beginnings of the allegations against Cain. Personally, I’m not all that enamored with Newt because I think him too much the Beltway insider when we need someone to come in and clean up Washington. (And a Cain endorsement of Gingrich would only bring up the joke about one womanizer supporting another.)
In my pecking order that I established the next in line was Judge Roy Moore, but I don’t think he’s taken the steps to move beyond testing the waters and at this late date may not even be able to get on all the ballots. So it’s really down to Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul. Unfortunately, I have such a large problem with Paul’s extremely isolationist foreign policy that I can’t get behind his bid. He takes a prudent course of action and places it on a massive dose of steroids.
So I encourage people to take a second look at Bachmann’s campaign. Indeed, she’s only polling in the low-single digits but so was Herman Cain at one point.
I suppose the biggest disappointment in all this is the timing. Those who have been around awhile will remember that in 2007 I embraced the campaign of former Rep. Duncan Hunter of California after a serious look at the issues. Eventually Hunter failed in his bid, but this was after at least some of the votes had been cast and he was only drawing a tiny percentage. We didn’t even get the courtesy of voting for Cain.
Once again we get an object lesson on why politics is so screwed up. A good man with good qualities and good ideas is drummed from the race by rumors and innuendo, and our very nation will be the worse for it.
And they wonder why so many refuse to participate in their community. Herman Cain is now the poster child for that phenomenon.
I was on the Cain train too but I’m giving Huntsman a second look now. His economic plan is the most conservative according to the WSJ. Erick Erickson of RedState.com has also expressed interest in Huntsman. I can forgive working for the Obama Administration, generals work for the administration too remember. If he can win NH he has a path to the nomination. Big if, but do-able.
It concerns me to see so many Republican candidates enter the race and drop out. It’s really worrisome to imagine 4 more years of Obama, yet unless the Republicans produce a strong candidate… Well, I don’t even want to think about it.
The same was true in 2008 – I can think of several off the top of my head who dropped out prior to Iowa (Jim Gilmore, Tommy Thompson, Sam Brownback, and Tom Tancredo were four.) But they generally cited a lack of fundraising prowess for their reason to withdraw. You may not recall 1992, but it was around this stage Bill and Hillary Clinton had to put on their happily married act because of the bimbo eruptions. There was NO WAY, though, that Hillary was telling Bill to withdraw!
I can’t believe that this is even a question.
Ron Paul has never ever changed his tune in nearly 30 years.
Bachman is a recipient of farm subsidies, and the 501c3 nonsense of her husbands Womens Clinic. This kind of crap is what keeps us on this same path that leads nowhere.
Isolationist? Come’on Michael! The US didn’t get into anyone’s biz until after WWII. It worked really well for us and need to do exactly as Dr. Paul has said and that is to get our butts out all these other countries and stop trying to rule the world. We can’t afford it, and we need to come home. Do you think he will not want to trade with other countries? Because that certainly is not true. Isolationism, was originally meant to infur not to trade with others. Nothing could be further from the truth with regard to Dr. Paul. However, he certainly isn’t going to throw us under the bus on trade deals that we do participate in.
We need a serious national makeover, and Dr. Paul is the ONLY candidate with the guts to say what he plans to do, and if given the opportunity will probably do it..