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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  1. Profile Photo Member
    @PaulARahe

    That campaign stop in Michigan is at Hillsdale College. I will be there.

    • #1
  2. Profile Photo Contributor
    @RobLong

    Great, Paul! Ask him! And report back. Why should NR have all the scoops?

    • #2
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    @RandyWeivoda

    Just my guess: If he drops out, his supporters will move to support Anybody But Romney.

    • #3
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    @DrewInWisconsin

    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?

    • #4
  5. Profile Photo Inactive
    @Publius

    The timing does seem fortuitous for Newt given that he’s ascendant these days.

    • #5
  6. Profile Photo Member
    @DianeEllis
    DrewInWisconsin: 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? · Nov 29 at 10:20am

    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…)

    • #6
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    @edwarddentzelcom

    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.

    • #7
  8. Profile Photo Member
    @TommyDeSeno

    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.

    • #8
  9. Profile Photo Inactive
    @SquishyBlueRINO

    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.

    • #9
  10. Profile Photo Member
    @DuaneOyen
    Pilli

    Duane Oyen: Why is it that people who appear to otherwise be decent guys can’t behave themselves?

    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.

    • #10
  11. Profile Photo Inactive
    @TheKingPrawn
    Squishy Blue RINO: It’s quarter to two and the last hot chick is headed for the door, I guess Newt is the best ugly left. · Nov 29 at 12:02pm

    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?

    • #11
  12. Profile Photo Inactive
    @Pilli
    Duane Oyen

    Pilli

    Duane Oyen: Why is it that people who appear to otherwise be decent guys can’t behave themselves?

    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.

    • #12
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    @JohnnyDubya

    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.

    • #13
  14. Profile Photo Member
    @DuaneOyen
    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.

    • #14
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    @CandE

    S.B. RINO,

    Speaking as a once avid “trainer” and a sometimes ABR guy, I’m kinda hoping that Perry makes a comeback. Barring that, I will shuffle into the Romney camp. I don’t trust Newt. I like what he’s been saying, but I just can’t shake the feeling that it’s just a hustle. None of the others have resumes that demonstrate both a conservative record and readiness for presidential office.

    -E

    • #15
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    @SquishyBlueRINO
    CandE: S.B. RINO,

    Speaking as a once avid “trainer” and a sometimes ABR guy, I’m kinda hoping that Perry makes a comeback. Barring that, I will shuffle into the Romney camp. I don’t trust Newt. I like what he’s been saying, but I just can’t shake the feeling that it’s just a hustle. None of the others have resumes that demonstrate both a conservative record and readiness for presidential office.

    -E · Nov 29 at 1:53pm

    Perry is the one who can claim outsider status and since Newt got a pass on his squishy illegal immigration stance, then Perry should too.

    Perry dug himself a deep hole and Newt is getting almost all the ABR love this week, but it is anybody’s guess who the next ABR heartthrob will be.

    As Iowa and New Hampshire draw nearer the ABR crowd have grown increasingly generous, Perry can only hope Newt implodes in time for the ABR love to flow back to him.

    Anything can happen, and much of it already has.

    Cain’s audacity is boundless, the way he is now stalling for a graceful exit is telling. He would not reassess for nothing.

    • #16
  17. Profile Photo Inactive
    @TheKingPrawn
    CandE: I like what he’s been saying, but I just can’t shake the feeling that it’s just a hustle.

    Great. Now Newt doing the hustle is a visual in my head.

    • #17
  18. Profile Photo Inactive
    @CandE
    Squishy Blue RINO

    CandE:

    Perry is the one who can claim outsider status and since Newt got a pass on his squishy illegal immigration stance, then Perry should too.

    Perry dug himself a deep hole and Newt is getting almost all the ABR love this week, but it is anybody’s guess who the next ABR heartthrob will be.

    As Iowa and New Hampshire draw nearer the ABR crowd have grown increasingly generous, Perry can only hope Newt implodes in time for the ABR love to flow back to him.

    Anything can happen, and much of it already has.

    Cain’s audacity is boundless, the way he is now stalling for a graceful exit is telling. He would not reassess for nothing. · Nov 29 at 2:14pm

    Varium et mutabile semper ABR

    • #18
  19. Profile Photo Inactive
    @CandE
    The King Prawn

    CandE: I like what he’s been saying, but I just can’t shake the feeling that it’s just a hustle.

    Great. Now Newt doing the hustle is a visual in my head. · Nov 29 at 2:22pm

    Sorry, should that have been a shuffle instead?

    -E

    • #19
  20. Profile Photo Member
    @anonacademic
    cdor: 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?

    Did you read his statement to the tv station to broke the story? It was not a denial at all but said it was an accusation of a “private, alleged consensual conduct between adults.” The fact that he didn’t deny it but only said it was nobody’s business is almost tantamount to an admission.

    • #20
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    @SeverelyLtd
    Rob Long: 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. ·

    If you’re going to raise the possibility of a Draft Movement, even in jest, why not make it Ryan. I mean, as long as we’re dreaming…

    Ah, I bet you’ve been hanging around Miss Coulter.

    • #21
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    @TerrellDavid

    Steyn on Rush’s show did a great job of articulating what is needed in a candidate. I think Cain can be disqualified if you use a criteria that’s reasonable. Now that criteria, it should be noted, has nothing in common with the criteria that Obama won the nomination with.

    I think Cain should continue to be a positive influence in the campaign and articulate the common sense message.

    • #22
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    @Astonishing
    anon_academic

    Did you read his statement to the tv station . . .? It was not a denial at all but said it was an accusation of a “private, alleged consensual conduct between adults.” [Saying] it was nobody’s business is almost tantamount to an admission.

    Cain’s attorney issued the “nobody’s business” statement.

    Cain himself has sent out an email stating Ginger White’s “story is completely false.”

    No wiggle room in “completely false.”

    Is Cain a bald-faced liar?

    Perhaps.

    Patience! That’s my plea.

    If White’s telling truth about having a sexual relationship with Cain, that truth will come out clearly enough, soon enough.

    (Please notice how quickly the dubious harassment claims dissipated into the mist.)

    But if White’s lying, then as a matter of moral decency and political propriety, whoever has allowed specious claims to affect his opinion must honestly reconsider Cain’s candidacy.

    And unless you’ve been accused of similarly false claims, don’t say Cain’s “handling” of the claims disqualifies him. There’s no graceful way to “handle” hot flying excrement.

    In our country of 100 million voters, we cannot allow unsubstantiated claims by six dubious individuals to veto a candidacy.

    • #23
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    @Yeahok

    Too bad. Many of our leaders were human. We’ll have none of that anymore.

    With brilliant guys like Murphy and Caddell around we’ll never again elect a human being. A real leader will not surrender to establishment, without the protection of a party your failures and family are put through enormous pressure, what survives are politicians.

    If Newt was so smart he wouldn’t want the job.

    • #24
  25. Profile Photo Member
    @anonacademic
    Astonishing

    Cain’s attorney issued the “nobody’s business” statement.

    Cain himself has sent out an email stating Ginger White’s “story is completely false.”

    I would say that such a lawyer who makes such a damaging phrasing should be fired for gross incompetence, but of course I also think the same thing about a candidate who doesn’t know that China has the bomb or his own policy on Libya and abortion.

    And unless you’ve been accused of similarly false claims, don’t say Cain’s “handling” of the claims disqualifies him. There’s no graceful way to “handle” hot flying excrement.

    You know what else is stressful, difficult, and something neither you nor I could probably handle very well?

    Being president.

    • #25
  26. Profile Photo Member
    @Charlotte

    Cain “Reassessing” Candidacy

    Please, let it be so.

    • #26
  27. Profile Photo Member
    @DuaneOyen

    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.

    • #27
  28. Profile Photo Member
    @DrewInWisconsin

    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.

    • #28
  29. Profile Photo Member
    @cdor

    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?

    • #29
  30. Profile Photo Inactive
    @Pilli
    Duane Oyen: Why is it that people who appear to otherwise be decent guys can’t behave themselves?

    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?

    • #30
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