Raising Cain
A couple of weeks ago, I asked readers to weigh in on who they though would emerge as serious dark-horse candidates in the fight for the GOP presidential nomination. One of the names I volunteered was Herman Cain (the other was Michele Bachmann). According to some new polling out today, the former Godfather's Pizza CEO has already left the runway. As reported by Political Wire:
Pizza mogul Herman Cain had some surprisingly good polling news for his Republican presidential bid this week: He's at 8% in a new Gallup poll, 10% in a new CNN poll and 11% in the latest InsiderAdvantage poll. It's even better considering there is no real frontrunner in the race.
Whether these numbers hold up remains to be seen, especially with the prospect of big names like Rudy Giuliani, Sarah Palin, and Rick Perry now eyeballing the race. But much like Mike Huckabee in 2008, Cain's personality is going to be an electoral lubricant in the months to come. Like Claire and Jonah Goldberg, I have my doubts about Cain on substance. Nor do I consider him a likely prospect for the nomination. But in a field where the wide variety of candidates may prevent the emergence of a breakout front-runner, a relative unknown who's already breaking into the double digits seven months before the first votes are cast should not be scoffed at.
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Jul '10
Re: Raising Cain
I kinda like the idea of Us, Employeers, having a spot to be filled and finding the appropriate Employee and moving Them up. Instead of a string of never ending applicants....
Jun '10
Re: Raising Cain
Anybody remember Democrat Paul Tsongas? He ran for President in 1992, thinking he had beat cancer too. But, if he'd won, he would've had to resign before the end of his term for health reasons. Even hospitalized, Tsongas didn't quite make it to what would've been his last day in office in 1997. Whether voters admit it or not, they'll wonder about Herman. Is he really cured? Will he last four years, let alone eight?
Mar '11
Re: Raising Cain
I'd vote for him, at least from what I've heard him say thus far.
Dec '10
Re: Raising Cain
He says good things, but that might be his calling in this race. Someone has to force the serious candidates to focus on the issues that matter to voters.
Jul '10
Re: Raising Cain
Troy Senik
As reported by Political Wire:
But in a field where the wide variety of candidates may prevent the emergence of a breakout front-runner, a relative unknown who's already breaking into the double digits seven months before the first votes are cast should not be scoffed at. ·
Herman Cain has no chance. He's a fine guy, with no chance.
I don't much like it, but Romney is the front-runner.
Can we please quit pretending that he's not?
Obamacare is near the top of my list of reasons to support anybody but Barry, and Romneycare makes me nauseous.
But plenty of Republican primary voters and independents will blame insurance companies, drug companies, and (thankfully) lawyers for the high costs of health care rather than government intervention.
Romneycare isn't necessarily the deal-breaker that conservative pundits think/wish it is.
Edited on May 27, 2011 at 6:57pmJun '10
Re: Raising Cain
A "serious dark horse," eh? An oxymoron if I ever heard one.
May '10
Re: Raising Cain
Of the current field, the race is between Cain and Pawlenty (not in that order). Both have a lot of upside given their low name recognition, but Cain has more, and is positioned as Mr Tea Party.
However, looks like both the Divine Sarah and Bachmann are in, so that'll cut into his support.
Still, I'd say he's got more of a chance than Romney. Certainly a better chance than Gingrich. Being 3rd in the polls is a place turf enthusiasts call the garden spot. Don't count him out. He could win this thing.
Jun '10
Re: Raising Cain
Palaeologus
Herman Cain has no chance. He's a fine guy, with no chance.
I don't much like it, but Romney is the front-runner.
Can we please quit pretending that he's not?
Obamacare is near the top of my list of reasons to support anybody but Barry, and Romneycare makes me nauseous.
But plenty of Republican primary voters and independents will blame insurance companies, drug companies, and (thankfully) lawyers for the high costs of health care rather than government intervention.
Romneycare isn't necessarily the deal-breaker that conservative pundits think/wish it is. · May 27 at 6:55pm
Edited on May 27 at 06:57 pm
Speaking of Paul Tsongas and Mitt Romney, Romney actually voted for Tsongas in the 1992 Democratic Primary. Later, Romney said it was to help George HW Bush, because Tsongas was easier to beat than Clinton, but you be the judge.
Jul '10
Re: Raising Cain
Kennedy Smith: Of the current field, the race is between Cain and Pawlenty (not in that order). Both have a lot of upside given their low name recognition, but Cain has more, and is positioned as Mr Tea Party.
However, looks like both the Divine Sarah and Bachmann are in, so that'll cut into his support.
Still, I'd say he's got more of a chance than Romney. Certainly a better chance than Gingrich. Being 3rd in the polls is a place turf enthusiasts call the garden spot. Don't count him out. He could win this thing. · May 27 at 7:06pm
C'mon. You're way too sharp a handicapper to believe that. Unless, that is, I'm way too dull, which is possible, I guess.
Longshots are lots of fun, but they rarely place. Pawlenty's (barely) in the game, Herman's an afterthought/protest-vote.
Jul '10
Re: Raising Cain
etoiledunord
Palaeologus
Herman Cain has no chance. He's a fine guy, with no chance.
I don't much like it, but Romney is the front-runner.
Can we please quit pretending that he's not?
Obamacare is near the top of my list of reasons to support anybody but Barry, and Romneycare makes me nauseous.
But plenty of Republican primary voters and independents will blame insurance companies, drug companies, and (thankfully) lawyers for the high costs of health care rather than government intervention.
Romneycare isn't necessarily the deal-breaker that conservative pundits think/wish it is. · May 27 at 6:55pm
Edited on May 27 at 06:57 pm
Speaking of Paul Tsongas and Mitt Romney, Romney actually voted for Tsongas in the 1992 Democratic Primary. Later, Romney said it was to help George HW Bush, because Tsongas was easier to beat than Clinton, but you be the judge. ·
I'm having an awfully hard time making that call. Certainly, Tsongas was an easier beat than Bubba.
That said, I don't much like the idea of voting in the other guy's primary. It's tacky.
Mar '11
Re: Raising Cain
My prediction to my wife is that Herman Cain will be on the Republican ticket. If it's as VP, think of what a great one he would be. Imagine a Cain-Biden debate; would Slo' Joe ever recover?
Aug '10
Re: Raising Cain
I like Cain, he would be a better President than Obama. I am really glad I don't have to pick right now. Newt is done, (so is Romney especially since he doubled down on Romneycare).
May '10
Re: Raising Cain
Palaeologus
C'mon. You're way too sharp a handicapper to believe that. Unless, that is, I'm way too dull, which is possible, I guess.
Longshots are lots of fun, but they rarely place. Pawlenty's (barely) in the game, Herman's an afterthought/protest-vote. · May 27 at 7:31pm
Longshots tend not to prevail in GOP primaries, but this is the first time we've had a Tea Party as a serious force. He may be a protest vote, but given the mood, a protest candidate is in with a shot this time. I wouldn't make him the favorite, but given the airy dismissals, he's a good value, in that his chances to win are higher than people give him credit for. He's no Trump or (I suspect) Giuliani. He's serious about it.
Nate Silver is also of that opinion, which was good to hear, as I've held it ever since Huckabee and Daniels dropped out.
Jul '10
Re: Raising Cain
Mr. Cain is a quick study - and has had to be throughout his many executive positions, including the Fed. Don't count him out. There's much more substance there than the media are reporting...
Jul '10
Re: Raising Cain
Kennedy Smith: Longshots tend not to prevail in GOP primaries, but this is the first time we've had a Tea Party as a serious force. He may be a protest vote, but given the mood, a protest candidate is in with a shot this time. I wouldn't make him the favorite, but given the airy dismissals, he's a good value, in that his chances to win are higher than people give him credit for. He's no Trump or (I suspect) Giuliani. He's serious about it.
Nate Silver is also of that opinion, which was good to hear, as I've held it ever since Huckabee and Daniels dropped out. · May 27 at 8:05pm
Can't disagree with much here. Nate's a sharp enough fellow, for an East Lansing High grad. I do have doubts about his ever-evolving Venn Diagrams that suggested (for instance) that Daniels is a borderline leftist.
The Tea types may prevail. Probably, I'll be happier if they do.
But the smart money says they won't.
Sep '10
Re: Raising Cain
Of the Tea party cadre, I think Cain stands the best chance of getting nomination. The things that Cain has going for him is that the more people people hear of him, the more converts he receives. The road he walks however requires consistent home runs and grand slams.
Disclaimer: I am a Cainsian
Mar '11
Re: Raising Cain
Yes, I generally agree - if Paul Ryan, The One Who Cannot Be Named and Bachmann don't run, I would be fine with Cain. But I think Bachmann, at least, will run.
He admitted his lack of knowledge on the Right of Return, and now he understands it - fine with me - actually, good.
Re: Raising Cain
I predict Pawlenty creeps up and up in the polls, as more people are exposed to him; and then he or Bachman will win Iowa. I'm one of those people pretending Romney is not the front runner. I love doing that.
Troy, I'd rather see Cain run for something else first and get some chops.
Edited on May 28, 2011 at 12:36amOct '10
Re: Raising Cain
Herman Cain appears to be something we seldom see among the GOP. He is an anti-establishmentarian. He is also a strong leadership type. If he were a populist, that is, a politician who reads the crowd and whips the sentiment for votes, he would be a dangerous man. I believe, however, that he is not a populist. That makes him a danger of a different sort. He is a danger to the status quo.
Herman Cain and She Who Must Not Be Named would be a dangerous combo, either as a C/P or a P/C ticket. Until some other seriously dangerous person comes on the scene, I'm in for Cain and SWMNBN.
Jan '11
Re: Raising Cain
Two things that bother me about that issue.
First, how can anybody with a pulse and even the mildest interest in politics not have heard of the Right of Return?
Second, in the interview where he admitted that he had been ignorant of it and now understands it, he said something like, "You won't see Herman Cain pretending he knows something he doesn't or trying to get around it with a vague answer." Which is exactly what he did in the original interview.
I'm a bit apprehensive about what else he doesn't know.