By the Way…what answer should Herman Cain Have Given About Libya?
Tommy De Seno ·
Nov 22, 2011 at 12:21pm
Herman Cain’s Libyan brain freeze was so loudly trumpeted by a media bent on candidate destruction that many folks don’t know he eventually did proffer an answer to the clumsily asked question:
“So you agreed on President Obama on Libya or not?”
Herman’s answer can be found in a transcript here. In short, he states he would have wanted to know more about the usurpers before deciding to support their usurping.
In these hours before another foreign policy debate to take place this evening, I ask:
Did Cain give the right answer? Was his a good or bad answer? Is there a better answer?
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Jul '10
Re: By the Way…what answer should Herman Cain Have Given About Libya?
It was the right answer.
Feb '11
Re: By the Way…what answer should Herman Cain Have Given About Libya?
Reporters like yes/no, black/white, for/against. Mr. Cain appears to be saying, perhaps clumsily, that he would have wanted more information before deciding what he thinks about what happened in Libya. I confess to agreeing with him. I can't feel badly for Muammar Gaddafi, but I cannot heartily support his killers either. The situation in that country is more complicated than a cut-and-dry answer, and Mr. Cain is right to not give one.
Nov '11
Re: By the Way…what answer should Herman Cain Have Given About Libya?
Apologies for mixing the metaphors, but the Arab Spring Thing seems like a bit of a rope-a-dope to me, except that it's not even clear that we've exhausted ourselves swinging at the right opponent.
(And I had a better plan for clearing Tahir Square, too.)
Arab Spring or Western Winter? I think the most lasting lesson in both places, East and West and here, too, will be that Crowd Control Never Goes Out of Style.
Sep '10
Re: By the Way…what answer should Herman Cain Have Given About Libya?
Eventually he gave a plausible answer, but the awkward pause and especially the "too many things rattling around in my brain" comment are unsettling. I completely agree the question is not really a yes/no, and I absolutely believe that an executive does not need to have at-his-fingertips knowledge of every detail, or a completely thought-through solution for every problem. I would be delighted to support a candidate who makes decisions based on a deliberative process, taking in facts and advice as necessary, and comes to the right conclusion ultimately.
The problem is that you need to feel secure that most of these ultimate conclusions will be right. We don't have a long history of Herman Cain to look at, so we're making up our minds based on what we see. What we see is not reassuring. Maybe he's a crackerjack executive who would govern wisely and responsibly. How are we to assess that? All I know of Cain is what I've seen in interviews and debates, and despite my strong liking for the man, how he comes across and his big themes, for me the lapses and pauses are becoming disqualifying.
Nov '11
Re: By the Way…what answer should Herman Cain Have Given About Libya?
Fair enough. But for the reason you mention--that we don't have a long public history of Herman Cain--it's too early scratch him off the list just yet. I say let this play out for a while before we decide who's best.
Herman doesn't talk the way the traditional candidates do. He hasn't yet learned the politician's trick of how to fill dead air with impressive inanities while he gathers his thoughts. That's atmospherics, not substance. He'll smooth it out. Give him time. His core substance and principles are solid.
Yes, I'll admit, I'm on the Cain Train, and I ain't gettin' off. I think he's a good man and a wise and inspiring leader. Not clever or brilliant, but wise. I trust him to do what's right when it matters. . . every time.
Jun '10
Re: By the Way…what answer should Herman Cain Have Given About Libya?
Admittedly he has a lot going on. But not as much as the POTUS. That brain tick was disconcerting. It makes me wonder about his overall health. He is a fine man, But the Presidency may be a step too far.
Jan '11
Re: By the Way…what answer should Herman Cain Have Given About Libya?
The answer he ended up with wasn't too bad. For me, the right answer would have been that the President needed to go to Congress before, or at least soon after committing U.S. forces to the fight. He had time to lobby the Arab League and get a UN Security Council resolution against Qadafi, so why ignore Congress? The Constitution gives Congress, not the President, the power to declare war.
I know that Presidents have been flouting that since Jefferson v. the Barbary Pirates, and that Americans are so used to it by now that any answer that hinted at deferring to Congress would seem "unpresidential." Still, it's sad the only candidate I can imagine giving my "correct" answer on this is Ron Paul.
Dec '10
Re: By the Way…what answer should Herman Cain Have Given About Libya?
It was a bad answer.
He demonstrated very little understanding or knowledge of the issue. To the contrary he came off looking like he didn't have much of a clue. He repeatedly criticized Obama for not assessing the situation fully before acting, then denied that he was criticizing Obama. Finally, he admitted that he had no idea if Obama had properly assessed the situation or not. It all added up to nothing beyond Trust me. I will look at all the facts, talk to the right people, and make a good decision. While no one can argue with that approach, he didn't demonstrate that he's done his homework or should be taken seriously on foreign policy. A candidate (or president) doesn't have to know everything, but he needs familiarity with and background knowledge of the subject matter. Cain acted like he's neglected his studies all semester and tried to pull an all-nighter to bluff his way through the final exam.
And I like Cain.