All-purpose Herman Cain fun thread

For years, all we've heard is that Obama is "terrible" when speaking without a teleprompter.

But now being "terrible" without a teleprompter is a badge of honor.

Oy.

We are the most intellectually dishonest nation in the history of the world. We have to be.

 

People gripe a lot about how the campaign coverage sometimes focuses too much on stuff like this and not enough on meaty issues. And, to a point, that's correct.

But here, the point is dead-on. And it is valid. The fact that Perry and Cain don't know their own stances speaks to something important. In 2008, Sarah Palin was widely mocked for her lack of knowledge and her failure to grasp the issues. And rightfully so. But we thought she was an exception at the time. Now, she seems to have just been the harbinger of the new norm in presidential politics.

 

This is why being a "good candidate" is important.

You can be smart and understand policy -- not saying that's true about Perry, Cain, or Palin -- but you also need to be able to communicate your beliefs, stay on message, have discipline, and be authentic.

And, a couple of those traits are naturally opposed to each other.

We all love the authentic candidate, who speaks his mind, and is not surrounded by speechwriters and handlers. But they are often undisciplined. They can't stay on message, and they make unforced errors.

The candidates who are best at staying on message are often the least authentic. No matter what question you ask them, they somehow manage to answer the question they want to answer. You just get their daily talking points, or stump speech.

It's a rare candidate that can combine these talents.

Of the current republicans, Romney is the best. He may seem a little wooden, or elite, but you don't get the sense he's reading someone else's lines.

 

Oh, I have no expectation of that.

 

Black on Black Crime, Leonard Pitts calls Herman dumb:

 

Al Sharpton also thinks Herman is dumb:

 

New woman coming forward to say she had an extended affair with Cain....as reported preemptively by Cain himself on CNN this afternoon, in a chat with Wolf Blitzer. Of course it is all a lie. She was a friend. Back to the campaign!

 

I grabbed her ass, but I didn't harass!

 

Okay, this is great. Cain goes on CNN and says there was no 13-year affair, no sex, just a friendship...just as Cain's attorney sends a letter to the TV station about to break the (already-broken) story, saying this is a private matter, sex is not a public matter, and since it's not related to a public matter Cain will have no comment. But no denial. Um, sir, your client has already commented, and denied the accusation. Oops.

 

This guy is great.

Forget giving him a talk show when this is all over, give him a sitcom.

 

That's so Herman?

 

Do you build a show around him, or let him play the wacky neighbor?

Remember when they did a reboot of the Odd Couple, casting African-Americans -- including Ron Glass from Barney Miller -- in the lead roles?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083454/

Maybe they could do something like that for Herman.