NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Herman Cain is "reassessing" his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. From the NYTimes:
Herman Cain told members of his campaign staff on Tuesday that he was reassessing whether to proceed with his presidential campaign, an aide confirmed, a day after an Atlanta woman disclosed details of what she said was a 13-year affair with him.
In a morning conference call with his advisers, Mr. Cain said that he would make a decision in the coming days about whether to stay in the race after his campaign was rocked by another round of allegations about his sexual conduct.
The call, which was first reported by National Review, came as Mr. Cain was heading to Michigan for a campaign stop on Tuesday evening. He said that he was discussing the future of his campaign with his family and was considering his options.
First, cool that NR broke the story. Bravo to Robert Costa for getting it first.
Second, did anyone really imagine that Herman Cain would win the nomination? I like him a lot, but had a hard time envisioning him as the Republican nominee. But he has a lot of supporters, and if he drops out, I wonder where they'll go? To Romney? To Newt? Or will there be some kind of draft movement for Christie?
Okay, okay. Probably not that last one. But I have echoes of Pat Caddell in my head from last week's podcast: this is going to be a tumultuous season.
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Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
That campaign stop in Michigan is at Hillsdale College. I will be there.
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Great, Paul! Ask him! And report back. Why should NR have all the scoops?
Apr '11
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Just my guess: If he drops out, his supporters will move to support Anybody But Romney.
Aug '11
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
I understand that Cain and Gingrich are pretty close, and my first thought was that there might be a little co-ordination here. Cain drops out, throws his support to Newt . . . and then?
Oct '10
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
The timing does seem fortuitous for Newt given that he's ascendant these days.
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Both are fans of the Chilean model. I would assume Cain would support Newt if/when he drops out. (Although he did support Romney's candidacy in 2008...)
Mar '11
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Given all of these women issues, I'm surprised Bill Clinton felt motivated to shower Newt with a bit of praise when Bill and Herman may seem to have more in common. But I do agree with the point that this seems to be a medium-sized break for Newt's campaign.
Apr '11
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Please, let it be so.
May '10
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Why is it that people who appear to otherwise be decent guys can't behave themselves?
Good grief, this reminds me of 2008 when the only leading Republican candidate who had had only one legal or concubinage wife was the member of a church that had a history of polygamy.
There must be something about life as a Big Shot that confers the perceived right to cheat on your marriage.
Aug '11
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
I'm certain that a few years in Washington gives elected officials the sense that they are untouchable. (And to an extent they are; how many acts have our members of Congress committed that would end up sending you or me to prison?) The acquisition of power combined with the sense of being untouchable probably causes the ol' moral compass to get all screwed up.
It's obviously true of people who acquire power outside of government as well, but in Washington this moral dysfunction appears to have gone far beyond epidemic level.
Anthony Weiner, to use a recent example, was a Congressman whose personal failings we found out about. I assume that many others have secrets that are far worse, with far more serious repercussions should they be made public.
Sometimes I feel that the only way to fix Washington is to erect a fence around it while Congress is in session, and turn the place into a prison. Then start fresh elsewhere.
Jun '10
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
I guess everyone here is doing the "where there's smoke, there must be fire" assumption. Has Cain acknowedged the veracity of any of these accusations? Do we just give hiim the boot, without proof? Is Trig really Sarah Palin's son? We can't have a Black or Woman conservative candidate that doesn't get the lies undermining them. Unfortunately we will never get a strong candidate if we don't stand up for our own. Do we need a "plumbers squad" with dossiers on Democratic heavyweights ready to expose, true or false, whenever these stories come out? I hate this stuff. Herman Cain is not the issue. He has done a better job of eliminating himself than these women, but are we ever going to throw the gauntlet?
May '11
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Guilty!!! Until proven innocent.
Mr. Cain is being Borked.
It is being done at the hands of Axelrod. The initial accusations came from Chicago.
He is the one candidate that would sweep Obama simply because Cain would take 50% of the minority vote away. The Obama team fears Cain the most.
Why would a woman come forward now? Cain seems to be trailing in the polls. Why now? Is there internal polling in S. Carolina that shows Cain strength? In Florida?
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Duane Oyen: Why is it that people who appear to otherwise be decent guys can't behave themselves?
Good grief, this reminds me of 2008 when the only leading Republican candidate who had had only one legal or concubinage wife was the member of a church that had a history of polygamy.
There must be something about life as a Big Shot that confers the perceived right to cheat on your marriage. · Nov 29 at 11:22am
Human beings can resist anything . . . apart from temptation.
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Isn’t “making an assessment” code for “we need time to plan our graceful withdrawal?”
In politics anything other than a denial is practically an admission. There is no way for the campaign to “assess” his situation and then announce their assessment is that his situation is A-OK and not an impediment to his nomination, is there?
After all, Herman Cain is no Bill Clinton.
Edited on Nov 29, 2011 at 1:01pmAug '10
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
If there are any still on the Cain Train out there, I would appreciate knowing what is it about the other ABRs that you disdain.
For example, Cain is (was?) the last outsider standing, so if his outsider credentials were the reason, then who do you turn to?
Newt is the consummate insider- 100 million dollars in the front door of his K Street operation, over a million in protection money from Freddie Mac, there is no honest way to pretend he is an outsider, Bachmann has the best claim as an outsider now, but only because she does not play well with others in the House.
If you hate crony capitalism, how on earth do you warm to Newt?
If you disdain flip-floppers, that wasn't Mitt (himself part dolphin, no doubt) spooning Nancy on the love seat, and small government Newt is the same guy who gave us a trillion plus unfunded mandate on Medicare.
If you loved Cain's Bug Zapper why go with red-card-don't-call-it-amnesty Newt?
It's quarter to two and the last hot chick is headed for the door, I guess Newt is the best ugly left.
Edited on Nov 29, 2011 at 12:06pmMay '10
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Pilli
Guilty!!! Until proven innocent.
Mr. Cain is being Borked.
It is being done at the hands of Axelrod. The initial accusations came from Chicago.
He is the one candidate that would sweep Obama simply because Cain would take 50% of the minority vote away. The Obama team fears Cain the most.
Why would a woman come forward now? Cain seems to be trailing in the polls. Why now? Is there internal polling in S. Carolina that shows Cain strength? In Florida? · Nov 29 at 11:43am
I understand the instinct, Pilli, but there is too much there now to ignore.
It's like commodity speculators- it is nothing more than gambling, it runs up price bubbles, but doesn't work at all unless there is an underlying problem with limited supply.
Billy Graham would have been a prime candidate to be "outed" through such accusations of infidelity. So would GWB. No one tried with either one- why? Because there was no credible trail of evidence and they themselves were very careful to behave and to be accusation-proof.
Not Herman.
Dec '10
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
As was said by one Master Chief I served with, go ugly early and get the best of the ugly. Anyone here who was a Newt supporter early still hanging in there?
May '11
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Duane Oyen
Pilli
Guilty!!! Until proven innocent.
Mr. Cain is being Borked.
I understand the instinct, Pilli, but there is too much there now to ignore.
[...]
Billy Graham would have been a prime candidate to be "outed" through such accusations of infidelity. So would GWB. No one tried with either one- why? Because there was no credible trail of evidence and they themselves were very careful to behave and to be accusation-proof.
Not Herman. · Nov 29 at 12:25pm
Actually, Graham was attacked with hints of womanizing. The Dems hated him because of his support for Nixon. His organization and supporters rallied to his defense.
GWB was attacked as well. Only he was attacked as a drunk. Again, his organization (who thinks Carl Rove could let things ride) came to his defense.
Cain's problem is an inept organization. It was inept from the first attack and from then on. He chose to stay loyal to his team and not dump them. Now he is dropping out. Too bad.
Aug '10
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Here's one moral of the story (assuming the assertion of an affair is a lie): If you have political aspirations, refrain from offering financial help to anyone with whom it could later be claimed that you had a romantic relationship.
One aspect of Cain's candidacy makes me proud to be a conservative: In my experience, conservative commentators have not made a big deal about his race. Of course, the other side is forever and always obsessed with race, and if he were the nominee, you can be sure there would be grumblings on the left about how the right felt it necessary to pit their "house slave" against the first black president. It would be ugly.
Edited on Nov 30, 2011 at 11:05amMay '10
Re: NR scoops: Cain "Reassessing" Candidacy
Pilli
Duane Oyen
Pilli
Guilty!!! Until proven innocent.
Mr. Cain is being Borked.
I understand the instinct, Pilli, but there is too much there now to ignore.
[...]
Billy Graham would have been a prime candidate to be "outed" through such accusations of infidelity. So would GWB. .................
... Graham was attacked with hints of womanizing. ........
GWB was attacked as well. Only he was attacked as a drunk. Again, his organization (who thinks Carl Rove could let things ride) came to his defense.
Cain's problem is an inept organization.......
Cain's problem is that he exhibits a pattern of stupidity around women.
They could say all they wanted aboput BG, but could not find women who could ever claim to be in a room alone with Billy- because he never let people shut the door; never allowed it to happen. GWB was a drunk- bad example. We are talking about false charges here.
If you are going to fake misbehavior with a candidate, you make a limited claim that is hard to prove false. You don't claim it went on for 13 years and offer details. True for Gennafer Flowers, true now. That is why Herman is preparing to drop out.