Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
I like Herman. We both ran restaurants and in the words of an INSEAD professor of mine: "If you can run a restaurant, you can run anything." The dubious [implied] endorsement of a French academic notwithstanding, his business resume stands up very well vs. Mitt. He also appears to have weathered the "first post-boomlet debate" test, which has been devastating to date:
- Pawlenty: Turned [gut]less wonder after calling out Obamneycare.
- Bachmann: Became a parody of herself after Ames.
- Perry: His first debate was more of an announcement, the rest have been parodies of W.
- Santorum, Gingrich, and Huntsman: Never boomed. And besides, I can't forget Santorum's knife in Pat Toomey's back, the reality of Gingrich's four-year speakership, and Huntman's lip licking.
However, as my cursor hovers over the "Donate" button, I wonder if Herman's done enough to be first-tier. Is he the conservative to push Mitt? I'm just about there, but I remember his "Muslim in the Cabinet" gaffe and worry if he can stay disciplined. He seems to have learned, but that has its limits. I'm starting to think 9-9-9 is one of my extended White Album flashbacks.
What do you all think? Is it time to ante up and kick in?
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Comments :
Aug '11
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
What percentage of Americans do you think would consider Cain's "Muslim in the Cabinet" comment as a gaffe? I suspect a rather large number weren't bothered by it at all or certainly didn't consider it a deal-breaker.
Dec '10
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
I'm holding out hope that Perry will put his feet on his shoulders and push.
Jan '11
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
I'm right there with you but I think it's finally "time to fish rather than cut bait - and donate!" (how's that for a bumber sticker?)
Out of all the candidates, Herman Cain makes me happy and glad to be an American. I realize it seems foolish,but there it is. I recognize his weaknesses but as I've watched him, he seems perfectly capable of learning, adapting and enlisting effective people to help him. I trust him.
Also, I'm gaining a grudging respect (very grudging) for Romney. I still don't care for him but he is effective & competent - if only we could harness that power for conservative purposes.
Jun '11
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
Fair point, probably not many (20-25%). I thought it was more clumsy than petty or mean. Jonah's Enterprise Blog highlighted his "happy warrior" demeanor, which is a form of gaffe insurance.
I believe it would be a bigger deal now. Cain's more prominent and therefore a target for a MSM drumbeat session.
Jun '11
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
Cain's feet, I take it. Perry's feet have yet to emerge from the orifice(s) they've been stuck in.
Oct '11
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
I just worry about adding a national sales tax. I'd rather that wasn't part of the plan. Why can't it be an 13.5%-13.5% plan instead? Come on, that's pretty catchy!
Mar '11
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
Cain is being portrayed by the media as a one trick pony with his tax plan, but I think he's working from a set of core principles that are consistent across all his political positions. I'll channel my inner Bachmann and mention again that I've been a tax lawyer for over 30 years, and I see a lot in Cain's plan that I like, including the national sales tax. I'd like to have a conversation about it. The man's no dummy, and if he says he's run it through the wringer and it comes out revenue neutral, I'll believe him until proven wrong.
He's catching traction by being consistently conservative and by being willing to articulate a plan that is simple in its design, and understandable in its explanation. Going forward, I think he'd be smart to identify a core group of advisors whom he would surround himself with if elected, especially in the core portfolios of foreign affairs, justice, treasury and defense. His lack of political chops will diminish rapidly if he surrounds himself with conservative heavies.
Top tier, heck yes.
Aug '11
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
Illiniguy: The man's no dummy, and if he says he's run it through the wringer and it comes out revenue neutral, I'll believe him until proven wrong.
He's catching traction by being consistently conservative and by being willing to articulate a plan that is simple in its design, and understandable in its explanation.
That's exactly it. His dogged earnestness regarding 9-9-9 is not what we usually expect from politicians with their fingers to the wind. I daresay most would see that a certain idea doesn't gain traction or starts to get criticism and shift away from it or at least talk less about it to minimize damage. But Cain continues to wedge it into every conversation, almost with the fervor of a convert pressing religious tracts into the hands of passersby. (I mean that as a positive thing.)
And that consistent focus on it (along with his consistent message and general positive demeanor) just makes me want to disregard the upstart critics and see if there's really something to it.
Edited on Oct 12, 2011 at 4:33pmNov '10
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
Cain's willing to stand and take flak. And he gives back. He says stuff that nobody else could get away with, and says it with authority. He has even learned how to turn an attack interview into a good platform for his ideas, an isomorphism that makes my head spin. And, apparently, the attack interviewers.
What Cain is missing is a bit disturbing. After he first announced I didn't like the frequency with which he used the phrase, "In the Cain presidency" and similar ones involving his own name. The whole campaign seemed a giant ego trip. But he seems to have leveled off and gotten over himself. Maybe the self-promotion was simply a transitional phase necessary for someone so far out of the political scene. Whatever, it worked.
But he's still got some gaps. Where are the firm plans for border security? I'm not completely sure about his plans for entitlement reform. His foreign policy is very thin. I'm hoping he squeaks through a nomination and immediately announces Gingerich as running mate. We'd see those gaps filled in immediately, and Obama/Biden would do better to default any subsequent debates.
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
When Perry had his second bad showing in a debate, I switched my support (with significant reservation) over to Cain. But I'm starting to feel uncomfortable with how the answer to every, single question is 9-9-9. That's the only note he can sing. And it's simply not enough.
Also, I felt alarmed about the part of the last debate that Katievs brings up here.
I'm just not ready to resign my support to Romney. So the only place left to go is Gingrich for now. Sure he has plenty of baggage, but at a crucial moment in history like this, I'm not sure those things should matter as much as they normally would.
Oct '10
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
Cain might be reconsidering 999 now, but I doubt that he will disclose any changes, if there be any, until a good strategic moment. His determination to maintain his position in the face of media attacks is an admirable conservative trait.
He would be unwise to disclose any advisers he might be planning on bringing into the administration. Each one would be an additional target painted on his back.
Now is the time to realize that this is as close to a real conservative candidate we have had this far in the race since Reagan.
Jul '11
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
I'm wondering how widespread this feeling is - do people really see Cain as a Johnny-One-Note? Or, is he merely trying to stay "on message" and get voters to develop some sort of understanding of what he's proposing? I'm not sure of the answer myself, and his debate responses that Althouse rightly criticizes are cause for concern. But it seems too soon to move on from Cain when questions about the remaining candidates loom just as large, if not larger.
Dec '10
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
Diane Ellis, Ed.: ...
Also, I felt alarmed about the part of the last debate that Katievs brings up here.
Althouse has no understanding of monetary theory or the Fed's policy history during Greenspan's tenure. The direct cause of the financial meltdown was the Fed's 12+ months inverted yield curve and tight money policies from Open Market operations.
The Fed had the power to prevent the Lehman Brothers and Bear Sterns failures which along with a normalized yield curve and proper monetary growth during 2007 could have saved us from the meltdown and allowed the Mortgage Backed Derivatives the breathing room needed to unwind.
Althouse is not a source to understand either monetary policy or how the Fed's policy history was involved in the financial meltdown.
Aug '10
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
Cain's lack of political experience would be as much of a crapshoot as Romney's willingness to adhere to conservative principles.
I think it's a bit naive to think that Mr Smith (Cain) can go to Washington and bend it to his will. It's just not that malleable.
Cain would actually be my #2 choice after Romney but that 999 plan has got to go. The Dems would crucify him with it in the general election.
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
jetstream
Diane Ellis, Ed.: ...
Also, I felt alarmed about the part of the last debate that Katievs brings up here.
Althouse has no understanding of monetary theory or the Fed's policy history during Greenspan's tenure. The direct cause of the financial meltdown was the Fed's 12+ months inverted yield curve and tight money policies from Open Market operations.
The Fed had the power to prevent the Lehman Brothers and Bear Sterns failures which along with a normalized yield curve and proper monetary growth during 2007 could have saved us from the meltdown and allowed the Mortgage Backed Derivatives the breathing room needed to unwind.
Althouse is not a source to understand either monetary policy or how the Fed's policy history was involved in the financial meltdown. · Oct 13 at 9:50am
It's not about Althouse or even about Alan Greenspan, but about Cain's non-answer. When Cain is pressed to explain his rationale for an answer, we get something along the lines of "I think that because I think that."
Dec '10
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
Diane Ellis, Ed.
jetstream
Althouse has no understanding of monetary theory or the Fed's policy history during Greenspan's tenure. The direct cause of the financial meltdown was the Fed's 12+ months inverted yield curve and tight money policies from Open Market operations.
The Fed had the power to prevent the Lehman Brothers and Bear Sterns failures which along with a normalized yield curve and proper monetary growth during 2007 could have saved us from the meltdown and allowed the Mortgage Backed Derivatives the breathing room needed to unwind.
Althouse is not a source to understand either monetary policy or how the Fed's policy history was involved in the financial meltdown.
It's not about Althouse or even about Alan Greenspan, but about Cain's non-answer. When Cain is pressed to explain his rationale for an answer, we get something along the lines of "I think that because I think that."
As I read it, Cain's answer was "I think that because I worked with Greenspan when I was Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City." You may not like that answer, but it has a real rationale ("I worked with him directly").
Jun '10
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
I'm with you on that one, but the Palestinian "right of return" comment was a gaffe, and a fairly major one.
I'm willing to give him a mulligan but he still needs to convince me he's done his homework since then and can speak credibly on foreign policy to win my support.
Jun '11
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
The Gingrich I hear now is far, far better than the Gingrich who was Speaker of the House. More and more, he appears to be the best choice for conservatives. He speaks with clarity and confidence, and he really understands all the national issues.
Dec '10
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
Diane, I don't accept or agree with Althouse's interpretation of Cain's answer.
My interpretation, to paraphrase Cain, "As governor of the Kansas City Fed, I had extensive experience working with Alan Greenspan when he was the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board. Based on my experience, I believe that Greenspan was the best Federal Reserve Board Chairman.
Remember, for most of his tenure, Alan Greenspan was considered to be not just a demigod, but, in line to replace Zeus.
Dec '10
Re: Has Cain Solidified a Spot in the Top-Tier?
If you like Herman and think it's worth him having an opportunity to be vetted more thoroughly by the GOP electorate and compared more fully with Romney, then it makes sense to donate to him. Recognize that donating to Herman doesn't mean you have to vote for him if he doesn't live up to expectations; however, not donating to him means you're indifferent to whether he gets forced out of the race by lack of resources rather than by failing to rise above his opponents on policy, ideology and temperament.