All-purpose Herman Cain fun thread

Dick Whitman · Nov 3, 2011

Re: Herman Cain's sexual harassment history

Hokie_pokie said:

deskslave said:

He's learning the same thing everyone else does in these situations: It ain't that you did it. It's that you lied about it.
Click to expand...

Not arguing the merits of the "Shaggy" defense, but how exactly does one come out and admit something like sexual harassment without it being incredibly awkward and making you look terrible to the people whose votes you're courting?

I guess he could've come up with some statement of how, in retrospect, he realizes his behavior was inappropriate and he's come to understand that women shouldn't have to deal with such treatement in the workplace. Come out and acknowledge your mistake, then hope it blows over quickly without sinking your campaign.

But like Clinton, who was mostly absolved from the whole "perjury" debacle (in the court of reasonable public opinion, at least) by the "Of course he lied about cheating on his wife" defense, I think it's fairly normal that Cain wouldn't want to publicly admit to being a scumbag who tried to creep on multiple women who were not Mrs. Cain.

I wouldn't admit it, either.
Click to expand...

No one wants him to admit to the incident. It is very possible, in fact, that he's right and the accusers are wrong.

The problem was that he didn't even admit to the existence of the settlements. Then, a few hours later, he did.

Hokie_pokie · Nov 3, 2011

Re: Herman Cain's sexual harassment history

Again, I think if this episode illustrates anything, it's that Cain (and his staff) was in no way prepared for the white-hot spotlight that comes with a rapid ascent in the polls.

A more savvy campaign operation would've seen this coming a mile away -- I mean, if it's true a staffer quit to go work for Perry, that's a no-brainer -- and defused it quietly before it ever became such a humiliating debacle.

But in presidential campaigns, you get what you can afford to pay for, I guess.

Dick Whitman · Nov 3, 2011

Re: Herman Cain's sexual harassment history

Hokie_pokie said:

Again, I think if this episode illustrates anything, it's that Cain (and his staff) was in no way prepared for the white-hot spotlight that comes with a rapid ascent in the polls.
Click to expand...

It's what Ryan Lizza wrote. Guys like Cain never actually expect to get this far.

I think an interesting corollary to this thread is what is actually disqualifying these days for a person running for office.

Sexual harassment? Yes, seemingly.

Substance abuse? Depends. Experimentation clearly permitted.

Criminal convictions? Depends. Isolated DUI seems to be forgivable. Both Bush and Cheney had one. Ted Kennedy had one. Same with other boys-will-be-boys charges - Mitch Daniels has a marijuana conviction. Something indicative of dishonesty is treated differently. Darrell Issa has a theft conviction, I think. Many think that he could never win an out-of-district election because of it, no matter how long ago or isolated it may have been.

Adultery? Seems to be OK, but with qualifications.

Boom_70 · Nov 3, 2011

Re: Herman Cain's sexual harassment history

Hokie_pokie said:

Again, I think if this episode illustrates anything, it's that Cain (and his staff) was in no way prepared for the white-hot spotlight that comes with a rapid ascent in the polls.

A more savvy campaign operation would've seen this coming a mile away -- I mean, if it's true a staffer quit to go work for Perry, that's a no-brainer -- and defused it quietly before it ever became such a humiliating debacle.

But in presidential campaigns, you get what you can afford to pay for, I guess.
Click to expand...

The story now is that they were aware and discussed strategy to deal with. One of staffers involved in those discussions joined Perry campaign 2 weeks ago. Connect the dots.

Inky_Wretch · Nov 3, 2011

Re: Herman Cain's sexual harassment history

In issuing a blanket denial about the allegations, Mark Block mentioned one that hadn't been made public yet.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/67478.html

Webster · Nov 3, 2011

Re: Herman Cain's sexual harassment history

Dick Whitman said:

Hokie_pokie said:

deskslave said:

He's learning the same thing everyone else does in these situations: It ain't that you did it. It's that you lied about it.
Click to expand...

Not arguing the merits of the "Shaggy" defense, but how exactly does one come out and admit something like sexual harassment without it being incredibly awkward and making you look terrible to the people whose votes you're courting?

I guess he could've come up with some statement of how, in retrospect, he realizes his behavior was inappropriate and he's come to understand that women shouldn't have to deal with such treatement in the workplace. Come out and acknowledge your mistake, then hope it blows over quickly without sinking your campaign.

But like Clinton, who was mostly absolved from the whole "perjury" debacle (in the court of reasonable public opinion, at least) by the "Of course he lied about cheating on his wife" defense, I think it's fairly normal that Cain wouldn't want to publicly admit to being a scumbag who tried to creep on multiple women who were not Mrs. Cain.

I wouldn't admit it, either.
Click to expand...

No one wants him to admit to the incident. It is very possible, in fact, that he's right and the accusers are wrong.

The problem was that he didn't even admit to the existence of the settlements. Then, a few hours later, he did.
Click to expand...

Exactly -- he could have come out and said that there were some allegations which he vehemently denies (or that he disagrees with). He was advised to settle the matters and chose to do so on the advice of counsel and to save the other NRA some money, even though he knew that he would have prevailed at trial. He could even say (if the allegations were not too salacious) that he understands why the women complained and that, while he meant no harm, he has seen the error of his ways.

Instead he comes off as incompetent and a liar.

Boom_70 · Nov 3, 2011

Re: Herman Cain's sexual harassment history

Cain's done as viable candidate( If he ever was) but he still have a long shelf life of entertainment value. The comedy writers have to be licking their chops.

Dick Whitman · Nov 3, 2011

Re: Herman Cain's sexual harassment history

Here's a new one: Cain's people think that the leak may have come, in part, from Rahm Emaneul's office:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2011/nov/2/picket-source-rham-emanuel-involved-cain-sexual-ha/

Emanuel's office has already dismissed this as absurd.

LongTimeListener · Nov 3, 2011

Re: Herman Cain's sexual harassment history

Dick Whitman said:

Here's a new one: Cain's people think that the leak may have come, in part, from Rahm Emaneul's office:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2011/nov/2/picket-source-rham-emanuel-involved-cain-sexual-ha/

Emanuel's office has already dismissed this as absurd.
Click to expand...

Occam's Razor, it is most likely Perry's group, but Rahm Emanuel would be at the absolute top of the list of people who would do this. He is Rove for the other side, is all.

TigerVols · Nov 3, 2011

Re: Herman Cain's sexual harassment history

Yeah, Rahm would do everything he can to make sure Obama doesn't have to face such a shoe-in for President as Herman Cain.

Dick Whitman · Nov 3, 2011

Re: Herman Cain's sexual harassment history

LongTimeListener said:

Dick Whitman said:

Here's a new one: Cain's people think that the leak may have come, in part, from Rahm Emaneul's office:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2011/nov/2/picket-source-rham-emanuel-involved-cain-sexual-ha/

Emanuel's office has already dismissed this as absurd.
Click to expand...

Occam's Razor, it is most likely Perry's group, but Rahm Emanuel would be at the absolute top of the list of people who would do this. He is Rove for the other side, is all.
Click to expand...

If this were next November, not this November, I would agree.

LongTimeListener · Nov 3, 2011

Re: Herman Cain's sexual harassment history

TigerVols said:

Yeah, Rahm would do everything he can to make sure Obama doesn't have to face such a shoe-in for President as Herman Cain.
Click to expand...

I don't believe Rahm is working for the Obama campaign anymore, being that he has that mayor thing going and all. Wasn't looking at it from the tactical side, just referring to the "would he or wouldn't he" -- which, I suppose, anyone who is in that field would do it, only some are more ruthless than others.

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All-purpose Herman Cain fun thread

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