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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

Because Herman Cain Runs For SomeTHING, Not Against SomeONE

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  September 27th, 2011 at 02:15 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

“Herman Cain may or may not win the nomination, but right now he is the center of gravity within the Republican field and all the other candidates are, after last week, being pulled into his orbit.”

I’ve gotten to know Paul Begala sitting with him in the greenroom at CNN and he has some of the most consistently awesome political anecdotes in modern America. Feel free to disagree with him on politics and policy as I usually do, but in any encounter with Begala you’ll come away knowing more about American politics than you entered the room knowing.

One of the anecdotes he shared with me once has stuck with me as perhaps the most insightful commentary on winning elections in America. Anne Richards was quite a popular governor in Texas and George W. Bush still managed to beat her rather handily. After Richards’ defeat, she called President Clinton and told him the lesson she’d learned from her defeat.

Governor Richards told President Clinton that it was not enough to run on what you did as a leader, but rather to run on what you were going to do as a leader. This connects in with one of the most consistent themes in American politics — people want to vote for something, not vote against someone.

In 2008, people voted against the Republicans, but if you asked most people they didn’t see themselves voting against Bush and the GOP so much as they were voting for something new and shiny — a new way, a new face, a new hope, and some change.

This is why Herman Cain won the straw poll.

Yes, to be clear, there have been enough media interviews and surveys with enough Florida straw poll voters to conclude that a good number of people voted for Cain because they wanted to send a message to Rick Perry and Mitt Romney that they, the voters, are not happy with them on either their performance or their positions or something else.

But 37% of people voting did not pay money to vote to send a message to someone else. They paid money to participate in the straw poll to vote for Herman Cain.

And it is easy enough for me to explain. They voted for Herman Cain because he is not running against Barack Obama so much as he is running for an America he believes in and that other people can get excited about. People love Herman Cain’s optimism. They love his vision. They love his 9-9-9 plan.

The last is key. Herman has an articulated, easy to remember plan for economic recovery in his 9-9-9 plan. Quick! What is Mitt Romney’s plan? Jon Huntsman’s? Rick Perry’s? Michele Bachmann’s? They all, more or less, have them, but they are not readily memorable or easy to understand.

Herman Cain is consistently conservative, he is running for something, not against someone, and he is the most optimistic candidate on stage.

In addition to learning a lot from Paul Begala, I’ve learned a lot from James Carville. Carville has an easy to understand rule we’re seeing playing out right now. The most optimistic candidate wins.

Do I see a path to victory for Herman Cain? No. But that may now change. It is too soon to tell. He has some internal issues that need to be resolved.

But I do want to make it very clear — Herman Cain may or may not win the nomination, but right now he is the center of gravity within the Republican field and all the other candidates are, after last week, being pulled into his orbit.

And that is a very good thing.

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COMMENTS

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  • conservativecpa

    Let’s hope that the GOP candidates begin standing for something instead of bickering against each other for a change. There’s some hope and change for you…

  • BA Cyclone

    because they still picked Herman Cain.

    I have a feeling it is much deeper than the “none of the above” meme, but for the establishment, two-person-race types that is clearly a favorite way to dismember the poll.

    Some voters may have truly wanted to send that message, but they didn’t pick Bachmann, Santorum, Huntsman, or any of the other choices.

    They picked Cain and that still counts for something.

  • BA Cyclone

    that is right on point as well. There is no reason we cannot tell differences among the candidates without them all pretending this is a WWE survivor cage match.

    We can have disagreements among the “family” of conservatives, but the real opponent is warming our chair in the White House.

  • http://www.fpcr.org balloonjuice

    And whether one thinks Newt has won any debates (he has) or whether one thinks he has run a positive campaign (he has) or whether one thinks he has good ideas (he does) or whether one thinks he has kept his eye on the prize of the presidency rather than bickering for the sake of the media (he has) he still did not win the FL straw poll. He not only did not win; he did not surpass the front runners as did Cain.

    No, I still don’t think ANY of the pundits have put their finger on why Cain did as well as he did in the straw poll. And I’m sorry, but I have to include both Messrs Begala and Erickson in that number.

  • sdsundevil

    Ron Paul is usually the de facto ‘None of the Above’ selection.

  • freentn

    true that he said that his VP choice would be romney? If so that rules him out as far as I am concerned.

  • freentn

    Cain and Perry have not engaged in attacks on other conservatives.

  • rightwingmom52

    rubbing elbows with Begala and Carville. Hope you take a long, hot shower after your gig to make sure you wash the liberal odor away. LOL.

    However, I agree with Begala about Cain. After the debate the other night, I commented to my husband that Cain reminded me of Reagain in that he emits the same kind of optimism. Cain, like Reagan, can also throw a punch at his opponents, and they still walk away liking him. That, coupled with actually having plans, is a powerful combination.

  • edintexas

    “Anne Richards was quite a popular governor in Texas and George W. Bush still managed to beat her rather handily.”

    I guess that was one of the stories which Begala told you. She was commonly referred to as “Ma Richards”, which was not a term of endearment to many Texans. The original “Ma”, Ma Ferguson was so well liked that the entire Texas Rangers resigned when she became Governor.

    Ma Richards was anti-gun and her veto of the Concealed Handgun License legislation was the last straw. She didn’t run on what she had done, she just didn’t bring the subject up very often (before the local Brady Bunch was an exception).

  • acat

    This isn’t even really about Cain. It’s about candidacy.

    Romney could just as easily have cast a vision for the future, have an “It’s morning in America again” moment, could talk about putting men back on the moon, or doing more with nuclear power, or any other big plans. Make no small plans, for they don’t stir mens’ souls, as Burnham once put it. Same for Perry, who has done this better than Romney, but hasn’t gotten close to Cain.

    As alluded to, the last GOPer who really did this well was Ronald Reagan. I could see Herman Cain as Reagan’s heir.

    Mew

  • bk

    Someone was going to say it soon, so why not. You’ve been cited as being in the tank for about a dozen people, so we might as well add to the list. (Or perhaps in Cain’s case, put him back on the list.)

  • acat

    How else does he get from tank to tank so fast?

    Hmmm. Maybe not.

    Mew

  • streiff

    http://www.chron.com/news/houston-deaths/article/Former-Texas-Gov-Ann-Richards-dies-at-73-1481376.php

    Polls showed Richards was the most personally popular governor in 30 years. But a liberal image kept her job approval rating beneath 50 percent, and she lost her 1994 re-election bid to Republican George W. Bush, the future president.

  • pttx333

    was NOT a popular governor in Texas, and I cringed whenever I heard her voice. When she was voted out, my only thought was “thank God and Greyhound … . “

  • freentn

    who are not in the tank for anyone. We simply want the best Conservative to represent the Republican Party so that we prevail against BO/Hillary and Trump in 2012.

    If Cain or Perry or (Fill in the Blank) is that person then so be it.

    Anybody but romney!

  • http://impudent.edublogs.org/ kyle8

    from the yellow dog era. There were enough old white democrats still alive to put her into office.

    Those days in the south are gone, unfortunately Texas will very quickly begin to turn back to Democrat because of the demographic changes.

  • Justin Spagnolo (standardcandle)

    I alluded to this in a comment last night on Sophist’s Cain diary…

    I am going to give Perry time to course correct on this… My biggest complaint is that Perry’s website to me is all about some sort of Resume of past accomplishments of his in Texas…

    His “Issues” page is just LACKING SORELY… I presume its a matter of time before they get more content, and lay more groundwork for “plans in action” and “here’s how we’re going to achieve this”…

    I stated in that comment, that if Perry doesn’t show me something by the next NH debate, and if Cain can build on that momentum… I may jump ship… but let me put it this way:

    If Cain continues to be the center of gravity and comes out of the N.H. debate strongly… and if Perry fails between now and then to update his campaign with some actual substance if what he would do as POTUS, not what he has done as Texas Govenor, I may strap my ass to a rocket, Wile E. Coyote style, and try to catch up to the Cain Train…

  • onemovoter

    on the hill was exactly what people were looking for after Gloom and Doom Carter years. We now have the same Gloom and Doom situation, where people don’t think their kids will have it better than them.

    I do think if Cain starts to push the same Reagan message, while the others are just sniping each other, then Cain could end up winning this. I also think Cain understands to a degree to keep your campaign rather simple. Reagan had basically 3 issues he kept to. This kept him and voters focused on what mattered at the time.

    In the end, it is true, the Presidency is all about message packaging and getting people to follow it.

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    Acat, I wouldn’t expect a slashdot poster to get caught hotlinking. :)

  • http://impudent.edublogs.org/ kyle8

    cut spending, cut spending, and cut spending. Nothing else even comes close right now. Including tax policy.

    I don’t think most people, including even high ranking Republicans fully comprehend just how screwed we are right now. Gimmicks, and even growth is not going to be enough to get us out of this hole.

  • acat

  • Scope

    to hold more fair and honest debates in GA?

  • gmscan

    Eric’s main point — that voters need to be able to grasp what the candidate is saying. What is Newt’s main point? Why is he running? What does he want to accomplish? I really don’t know.

  • jimmyg

    The most important issue is the economy ergo the issue of Jobs. If the US economy was down to 4.5% unemployment other issues might take hold but until such time the issue of the day, and likely to be the issue of next years election is the economy.

  • jimmyg

    Gov. Perry’s web site is substance free. Although others on this board says he has laid out plans, if he has you have to search for them, and I am not so sure that he has.

  • dajeeps

    Herman Cain might be running on something, but I’d like to point out that Obama did too with likewise clarity. Looking and sounding good isn’t the always the best criteria, as we have found out, and the hard way for many. Mr. Cain didn’t answer the question about whether his 9-9-9 has any potential for permanence, by the way.

    Speaker Gingrich takes the cake in both debate performance and workable plans, and if the primary were held today I would likely vote for him after Perry’s embarrassing performance of not being able to string two sentences together regarding easily defensible positions. The reason I’ve ditched Perry is the same reason I wouldn’t vote for Cain, the intellectual deficit – not recognizing the nature of the beast to our peril and plain not being able to speak – just contributes to the case of big government in the long run. Those dogs don’t hunt.

  • http://lukos.com Ed54

    Let’s not hold out the 999 plan as something worthy of emulation by the other cadidates. Do we really think that 9% was chosen on the merits after rigorous analysis? I mean, why not 8%,, or 10%, or 7.6%?

    Because 999 is a lot more catchy and memorable than 8-11-6.2, that’s why. Which exposes the entire thing as a marketing gimmick.

    I think Cain is a great guy and I’ll support him wholeheartedly if his is the nominee. But national taxation policy and economic health are too serious to addressed with a solution taken from the lid of a pizza box.

  • wrenhal

    What he said was that if Romney would drop his annoying jobs program, whatever it was called, and support 9-9-9 he would think about him. But out of all the nominees on the stage he’d have to choose Newt. That tells me that as far as V.P.’s go, he’s still thinking, but it’s more than likely NOT gonna be one of the one’s on stage.

  • bk

    or at least had been around here a while

  • dajeeps

    Suppose that some politician came out and said funding the government is a big problem and so we get to have a national sales tax. There would be a megs uproar. It happened with the VAT discussion. It’s happening to Obama with just wanting to raise the income tax rate. Of course Obama should love the 9-9-9 plan because it is much easier of obfuscate how much money the government is confiscating. It takes one hidden tax, employer portion of the payroll tax, and converts to a different kind of consumption tax. But it doesn’t address the fundamental question of whether funding is the real issue.

    Of course we know that funding the mess isn’t the problem. It is the mess that is THE PROBLEM.

  • freentn

    is just a scheme for more taxation not less. It adds a new tax. Review the history of States that add a new taxation scheme at a low rate like 9%, the politicians always increase the taxes. It would be no time before Cain’s 9-9-9 became 29-29-29 or worse.

    Also Cain is a former membe of the Federal Reserve who opposes an audit of the Federal Reserve. Why does Cain not even want an audit of the Federal Reserve?

    Furthermore, it is my understanding that Cain said that he would pick romney as his VP. That instantly disqualifies Cain as far as many Conservatives are concerned.

  • naraht

    I consider the comparison between Reagan and Cain to be rather odd. Ronald Reagan served eight years as Governor of a State with more people than 75% of the countries in the United Nations.

    Every President of the United States has served previously as VP, Member of congress, member of the cabinet, Governor or General in the US Army. The last major party candidate not to have served in one of those offices was Wendell Willkie in 1940.

  • freentn

    that Cain would consider romney as his VP!

  • freentn

    for most Americans and that is why romney and bo will LOSE because they have both been Jobs KILLERS.

  • perry4prez

    He said that he would consider Romney if Romney endorsed the 9-9-9 plan (fat chance unless he sees it as a way to fund O’Romneycare for the Nation as a whole), otherwise he would pick Mr. Newt.

    I agree with you that the 9-9-9 plan will quickly grown into the 29-29-29 plan. Perry understands that we need to CUT SPENDING and CUT TAXES, Cain just wants to give us a new way of taxing and he is being very naive if he thinks that libs in Congress won’t raise taxes overall because of it. Cain is a decent guy but his inexperience at handling Washington DC is showing.

  • lineholder

    After the last few years of “pass it to know what’s in it” and basically blowing with the wind and making decisions based on impulse rather than logical thought, I find myself very receptive to details…the more the better.

    And I think Erick’s right…Cain’s done the best so far in getting his plans into the minds of voters.

    So if you have details about Perry’s plan, this would be a good time to see them. (No jabs, just curiosity)

  • acat

    Why does Romney keep insisting he’s a conservative and yet refusing to back away from his statist nonsense?

    Why doesn’t Perry throw out a vision for the future and a path to get there?

    Cain could win, ironically, by being the change we’ve been waiting for…

    Mew

  • kcdude

    comment that the question was a ‘game show’ question. I was not bothered and I am not supporting Romney unless he wins the nomination. It was in response to the final question and his attitude was more like – okay I’ll play.

  • freentn

    spin Cain’s statement that he would pick romney as his VP. As far as I am concerned that disqualifies him as the Republican nominee and as as true conservative.

  • Scope

    in the debate from the Youtube small business owner that wanted to know what all of the candidates would do to give him an incentive to hire new employees, and grow his business.

    Perry answered that he would lower the corporate tax rate, he would have only the necessary regulations, and that he would insititute tort reform and loserpays laws to prevent businesses from being hit with frivilous lawsuits.

    Now maybe that isn’t enough of an answer for some, and maybe some would like him to say the rate that he would set for corporate taxes etc. I’m OK with the basic outline as I can look at the jobs growth, and lower corporate tax rates in Texas to see an example of what he did there. I love his lower of regulations, and believe that the EPA, and anyone else issuing regulations, would get a steam roller run over it with a president Perry. I also love that despite the trail lawyers declaring war on him for ruining their gravy trains, he still stands by a position many conservatives supported during the Obamacare debate in instituting tort reform as a means of lower medical costs. The loser pays laws will also help businesses from being bankrupted by the slip and fall lawyers. I don’t believe that one other candidate has touched the legal reform issue with a ten foot poll, worried that the legal lobbyists would declare war on them as well.

    Perry did say that he is working on an economic plan in the debate. I will give him some time understanding that he has been in the race for about 6 weeks, as opposed to all the others being in for months.

  • BA Cyclone

    Worrying about potential VP picks at this point of the primary season is rather ridiculous, wouldn’t you think?

    And frankly, it’s not like “considering Romney” is akin to “considering Obama” for the Veep slot. When Romney is standing there on the stage, it is at least polite to say he would “consider” Romney — who by the way Cain knows personally.

  • Scope

    Look at Cain’s 999 plan. It can fit on a bumper sticker, which is clever. But I consider the opposition he has been getting over it, and I don’t like it for the same reason as many, the national sales tax. Look at Romney’s 59 point economic plan that fills more than 100 pages. Romney himself was questionoed about it’s validity, when it was pointed out that the WSJ was very critical of it. I don’t know anything about Huntsman’s as Huntsman is not viable. Bachmann, Gingrich, Paul, Johnson, Santorum all have not released any written plans.

  • BA Cyclone

    Try to keep up.

  • lineholder

    I really have had no idea of what Perry’s plans included. Now, at least I have an idea of what he’s looking at.

    I’ve got questions at different points for each one of them, including Cain. How they go about things can make as much of difference as what they strive to achieve, so I do have questions in my own mind that I would love to see someone ask of them regarding priorities.

    I am hoping that Erick will be able to persuade the candidates to participate in the type of forum that he mentioned, because I think it provide a lot of answers.

  • Raven

    And yet you push it again even after being shown you were wrong.

    Care to try again?

    http://www.redstate.com/erick/2011/09/27/because-herman-cain-runs-for-something-not-against-someone/#comment-129384

  • http://www.rightreality.wordpress.com andysmith

    I like Newt, but saying that Cain lacks in intellect as opposed to GIngrich is ridiculous.
    Very elitist of you…..sounds an awful lot like what we hear from the left.
    There are a lot of people that are sick and tired of hearing the supposed “best and brightest” in Washington with their policy knowledge that can’t govern. I’m one of them.
    Once again, I’ll never question Newt’s intelligence, but Cain speaks purely out of common sense. I know that has a tendency to scare off a lot of people that advertise themselves as the smartest in the room, but Reagan spoke purely out of common sense also. Maybe it’s time we get away from the policy wonk atmosphere and go with something simple that actually works.

  • Raven

    to “It still concerns me that Cain would Consider Romney” when shown the first was wrong…

    …right back to “He’ll pick Romney!” All in the same thread. Pathetic.

    Cain said he would Consider Romney IF…

    Bit of a difference there from “I’d have Romney as my VP,” or even a straight, “I’d consider Romney.”

    And that’s completely ignoring that he also said he might consider Gingrich.
    He responded to the question without answering it. Said a lot of nothing. We don’t have the first clue who he’d pick as VP if he was to win.

  • kcdude

    humility. You took quite a leap from ‘CONCERNS’ to ‘spin’. If you choose to ignore an explanation – not a rationalization – that’s a problem you have. I took his willingness to at least answer the question as a positive. He said it was gameshow – as in not serious.

    That said, he used his answer as an opportunity to say he was not just someone who should be considered a potential VP running mate but that he could be the nominee capable of picking anyone on the stage as his VP running mate.

  • carolina

    and the debt. We need to cut spending also……. but the GOP needs to emphasize growth (more jobs = more revenues for the govt) as a positive message. Too much talk about “cutting spending” and “sacrifice” is a big mistake.
    A successful candidate will lead the way to “peace and prosperity”.

  • traversecityconservative

    I don’t care if YOU see a path to victory for Herman Cain. Nor do I care what A.B. Stoddard thinks either with her little snarky laugh and her comments, “Well, I don’t think that the people — the bulk of people who voted, the bulk of delegates in Florida who voted in that poll believe that Herman Cain is going to be nominee.”

    Herman has been ahead in the polls – the REAL PEOPLE polls – for a while now. The only thing he needed was legitimacy – the thing that Fred Thompson was never able to pull off. People wanted to vote for Fred but were waiting for other people to vote for him first to make sure they could vote for him. It’s all very high school really. Vote for the best candidate, people. Don’t wait until the prom queen does it first.

  • Common_Cents

    We’ll see if he has some more specific economic plans contained in it.

  • carolina

    but I don’t want more federal govt laws. Let the states do it. Perry could encourage it from the ‘bully pulpit’.
    I’m looking for a candidate who emphasizes states rights.

  • http://impudent.edublogs.org/ kyle8

    Growth, while good would not be enough to make a dent in this kind of deficit, even the most optimistic rates.

    But more to the point you will not get any growth because the public borrowing is crowding out private investment, and causing the smart money to move to investments in other nations.

    we HAVE TO drastically cut spending. If you don’t see that you fall into the same arena of wishful thinking as the liberals.

  • bs61

    I’m not sure where I read it, but he does have a computer science degree and worked in the and was in the service working on ballistic missiles and his business career. And worked for the federal reserve. I wish everyone would quit calling Romney the businessman and refer to Cain like he only had one job!

  • bs61

    n/t

  • bs61

    I think that they referring to manner of speaking with Reagan, not their career.

  • explodinghead

    Cain stated yesterday that the Congress should go ahead and pass the FEMA funding without the offsetting cuts, and he supported TARP. I think the government has a serious spending problem that needs to stop. The lefties will always find a humane or emergency reason to spend now and find cuts “later”. This “emotional” response by Cain is way too populist for me. I’m beginning to wonder if he will cut spending, as his 9-9-9 offers a new tax (VAT)for the government to whack us over the head with and no long term way to stop that tax from being increased.

  • Scope

    Perry has been for 10th amendment rights, has been anti-Washington establishment (hence the Rove/Bush wars against him), has actually sued the EPA with at least 6 lawsuits for the onerous regulations, has been begging the feds to control the border, and has been against the out of control trial lawyers since before Cain ever even thought about running for the presidency.

    Try to keep up.

  • bs61

    I’m not stumping for Cain! But his own campaign site on the issues of spending he says in business he has cut and it just takes leadership to convince people why it’s needed.

    His site said:
    Nothing should be off the table. Every federal agency, every government program and expenditure must be reviewed and revised with a keen eye and a red pen. Leaders should be willing to shrink budgets by target percentages, and those charged with implementing those changes must be held accountable.

  • kevinj84

    Abraham Lincoln.

  • runner12

    what America wants right now. It is a positive message and very non-Washington insider, which I like. But now that the attention is on him, more vetting will occur in which we will know more and more about him.

    I hope others will take a cue from his campaign and add substance and optimism to their campaigns. This trashing of one another when we have Obama in the WH is not helpful. Pointing out difference is acceptable, slinging mud not so much.

    I am glad Cain is in the race, I think he brings common sense to the table to a certain extent. I have my doubts if he will get the nomination, due the pesky little fact that he has never held office. But I think he is challenging other candidates to be better.

  • Kenny Martsolf

    Lincoln was elected to the House of Representatives and served one term during Thirtieth Congress (March 4, 1847-March 3, 1849). Naraht specifically included members of Congress.

    Source

  • pantera

    I could vote for cain,santorum,palin,bachman without having to hold my nose.

  • perry4prez

    And Perry was cutting government in Texas when Cain was cutting Pepperoni, nice try.

  • kevinj84

    n/t

  • http://www.redstate.com/thesophist TheSophist

    As I see it, it’s three inter-related problems:

    1. We need growth in the economy to create jobs.

    2. In order to do that, we need to cut government spending, which drags on the economy both through borrowing (crowding out spending) and through over-regulation (bureaucrats have to justify their existence).

    3. Quite separate from the above, we need to dramatically shrink the size and scope of government, not for fiscal reasons but for liberty reasons, and foremost among these problems is the Entitlement State.

    The way I see things, we need to eliminate the Entitlement State even if we could afford every penny of every Medicare and Social Security and public housing dollar spent, because big government creates small individuals (as Mark Steyn is fond of pointing out). We need smaller government as an issue of LIBERTY, not as an issue of finances.

    It just so happens that we cannot possibly have a robust economy creating jobs, and therefore more taxpayers, and therefore more tax revenues to fund actually important government functions like national defense while we throttle our producers, tax the crap out of anyone running a business, and continue to saddle my grandkids with debt.

    Thankfully, the solution is the same: cut the size and scope of government. And thankfully, Cain’s whole plan is premised on (a) deregulate, (b) simplifying the tax code, and (c) encourage business activities.

    I think it’d be a FINE message for the GOP nominee to take the Reaganite position that government is not the solution, but the problem. Just get the hell out the way, and we’ll come roaring back. This can be done very positively.

  • http://www.redstate.com/thesophist TheSophist

    That every single candidate in the GOP primary is for cutting the size and scope of government?

    What is this unseemly hairsplitting between Cain and Perry and Romney and whoever else. There isn’t anyone running for office who isn’t on the record as wanting to cut spending, wanting to shrink government, and wanting to eliminate stupid regulations.

    I’m all for arguing the 999 plan, or Romney’s plan, or Perry’s plan, or whatever, but this idea that because Cain put forth 999, it must mean he doesn’t want to cut spending and eliminate regulations and even entire departments. The man has been speaking at Tea Parties for well over two years now. His sentiments on big government are perfectly clear.

    The same can be said for literally every single one of the candidates in the primary.

  • trickamsterdam

    “There is no reason we cannot tell differences among the candidates without them all pretending this is a WWE survivor cage match.
    We can have disagreements among the ?family? of conservatives, but the real opponent is warming our chair in the White House.” – BA Cyclone

    I mean, I appreciate the sentiment, but this isn’t CPAC. It’s not the free exchange of ideas among conservatives, libertarians, whoever, on the American Right…

    Part of this is also to determine who can beat Pres Obama. If Gov Perry can’t answer Gov Romney’s questions about SS effectively, can he answer Obama w/ his one billion dollars and the 75% of the MSM swearing fealty to him?

    If Michelle Bachmann lacks the message discipline to not repeat rumors as facts (e.g. the HPV vaccine) now, what makes us think she would not do the same against Obama (when she would then be crushed by the one billion and the press)? We needed to see her try to attack, to see she couldn’t attack effectively.

    Conversely, we’ve seen Romney does have some fight in him, and that Cain and Newt have endurance.

    A “no fighting” rule (or unwritten rule), would be like football practices w/ no hitting. They wouldn’t prepare you for the actual season.

    I’m for Cain, now, although I don’t mind Romney at all as my second choice.

    But whoever the nominee is, had better be prepared to fight, as the Liberal Media throws the kitchen sink at him or her in a last ditch attempt to save the first black President and big-government liberalism.

    Calling other Republicans “my distinguished opponent” for six months in a row won’t ready you for that fight (IMO).

  • smitch61

    The smart one’s think they know everything. They are all working too, oddly enough… Palin may or may not ever run, but she has been consistently correct about quite a bit… This will be a unconventional interview with America for the nomination of the presidency. I could very proudly cast my vote for Cain, and he would definitely split the black vote.. LOL

  • californiagold

    Does the fact that thousands of voters were willing to spend $175 to cast their vote for Cain suggest Cain’s campaign is real ? Or does it suggest that Perry and Romney supporters were more frugal with their money in a bad economy ?

    Personally, I think straw polls are ridiculous. So far, Bachmann won in Iowa, Ron Paul in California, Cain in Florida, and Romney in Michigan. And I’m sure there are a few I missed…..which probably is a good thing.

  • wonkish1

    I think Herman will have a pretty good showing this week in the polls, but Herman has never held the lead in any respected poll during this entire campaign.

  • jkines

    when he started defending the status quo on the entitlement state. As a result, I will NEVER vote for him under any circumstances.

  • wonkish1

    I don’t think you understand how the Florida 5 straw poll is conducted.

    Those tickets went out weeks ago and they go out to people that are big in GOP party circles. From what I understand you would expect a GOP Precinct Committeeman there from Orlando before you would expect someone who bought the ticket weeks ago purely to cast a vote for a particular person.

    That is why this straw poll got so much attention. It appears its a tough one to game. It is actually believed to be something of a true Florida “GOP insider” straw poll. The exact opposite of an Ames straw poll which is designed to test a candidates ability to organize and win support of the randoms.

  • wonkish1

    But I actually care what GOP insiders in Florida think since its not only a swing state, but an early primary state and those type of people should all be considered “centers of influence” in their respective communities. I’m sure its not a perfect gauge of that, but its the best we got.

  • californiagold

    No, we don’t all agree with your assumption that all the republican candidates want to cut the size and scope of government.

    If prior actions and statements mean anything, we already know that Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney talk a good game, but neither would make the necessary cuts in government that are needed.

    As Speaker, Gingrich started out as a fiscal conservative, but ended up as a statist. And just recently he blasted the Ryan plan before being forced to pull back. Sorry, his time has come and gone. As for Mitt Romney, are you kidding ? His record while governor was typical big government with his crown jewel being a health plan that greatly increased the size and scope of government.

    There are a few republican candidates that I believe would actually cut the size and scope of government. Johnson, Ron Paul, Bachmann, and Perry. Of those names, only Perry has a legitimate shot at the nomination.

  • wonkish1

    Something.

    I realize he’s a little south of you, but what do you think of your new rep Justin Amash??

    I have found his Facebook page may be the single best place to get a quick glimpse of each congressional vote that comes on the floor, even the lame ones. I should actually check it more often, its quite useful.

  • californiagold

    …and the fact is, those who voted had already paid $175 for the right to vote.

    Party “insiders” voted not so much for Cain, but as a protest to the weak performances of Perry and Romney only two days earlier in the debate.

    Having said that, I like Herman Cain’s personal story, and I like his quick one liners. But with the victory in Florida, he will now have the spotlight on him. Cain has many strengths, but he also will need to explain why he supported tarp at a time when tea party conservatives were in strong opposition to doing so. Cain cannot make a credible case that he is a limited government conservative while at the same time supporting a trillion dollar tax giveaway to the big banks and corporations.

  • momma

    Herman Cain is a very appealing spokesman for Tea Party conservative ideals, but the national polls have not yet shown him in the lead.

  • gekster

    from:
    http://votesmart.org/index.htm

    for his voting record, go here.
    http://votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=105566

    You can see his voting record.
    Hopes this helps.

  • cwilson

    You could buy a ticket for the debate. You could buy a ticket to be a guest/observer at the straw poll. But the voting delegates were selected by the county Republican Executive Committees from their ranks of P.C.s (in my county, 75% were chosen by lottery and 25% handpicked by the Committee’s elected leadership). Very hard to “stuff the ballot” at this poll. More here.

    Now, because it is a straw poll it is obviously not scientifically valid: by definition it drips with “selection bias” since only activist party members were allowed to vote. However…those activists voted against the transparently obvious desires of the party bigwigs, and more along Tea Party/strictly-conservative lines. That says something about what the lowly field grunts are thinking about this race.

  • californiagold

    Now that Herman Cain is getting a second look, he will once again have the opportunity to explain why he supported TARP at a time when tea party conservatives where is strong opposition to doing so. In fact, the tea party movement started to grow as a direct result of the passage of TARP and other big government actions of the past three or four years.

  • schatziek

    from Perdue University… And he WORKED for the Department of the Navy as a GS-11 Ballistics Specialist.

  • wonkish1

    Was that I was kind of after a more local opinion of him than his voting record.

  • schatziek

    actually HELD office without being politicians beforehand, George Washington was Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, *before* there was a United States.

    Nice use of the Generals there, otherwise – that rules out the other two “non-politicians” Eisenhower and Grant…

  • californiagold

    …the debate instead of just after, then it might have had some meaning. But after Perry and Romney stunk up the debate hall most “insiders” were very depressed by the whole field. Cain was the only positive if the debate, and he got the votes in the straw poll for his good work in the debate – not because “insiders” think he is the best candidate to defeat Obama.

    It was a protest vote, nothing more, nothing less.

  • gekster

    But when he saw how it was implemented, he decried it.

    from:
    http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/rep_bios.php?rep_id=98516477&category=views&id=20110509185038

    excerpt:
    Months after the TARP plan went into affect, Herman Cain wrote that the plan had not been carried out as the legislation stated, noting that preferred stock was called for in the legislation but this restriction was not being adhered to by Congress. During the 2012 election, he has expressed opposition to the manner in which the plan was carried out.

  • schatziek

    he believed something needed to be done, and supported the initial IDEA of TARP but not it’s IMPLEMENTATION because of the Gov’t Bureaucrats picking winners and losers.

  • wonkish1

    They voted just as much for him as against anybody else. He won the straw poll. Its giving him some nice play in the news, his poll numbers should move up some, some more money should flow in, a few high level staffers should look a little more his way, and some folks may give a second thought of a Cain endorsement.

    The likely net effect may look something like this:

    1) Polling at around 11-14% due to increase in news coverage and debate performance
    2) Extra $2 million dollars in the campaign coffers(probably close to about 1/3 of what he’s raised so far)
    3) Pickup of 1 very high level staffer and 2-4 medium quality staffers
    4) Gains 1 high level endorsement and 2 inconsequential endorsements

    Then the game starts again at the next debate

    No earth shattering move, but definitely a sizable and deserved big step forward for Herman Cain.

  • californiagold

    n/t

  • jonnymadison

    Did he think the government was going to extract the money from us and then not pick winners and losers? I mean if they aren’t planning on redistributing it, why take it in the first place?

    I was on the Cain Train for a while, till I found out about his supporting tarp and I agree with explodingheads analysis of adding a new tax… The Cain Train is off the tracks for me.

  • californiagold

    …of the nomination. Do you think Cain will be the nominee ? If not, why not ?

  • cwilson

    I was.

    Some of what you say is true — a certain cohort was probably voting against Perry/Romney/etc — but that isn’t the whole story. There were a quite a few folks that were “sold” on Herman Cain during P5, and voted *for* him in the straw poll, rather than against one of the putative “frontrunners”. He picked up a few endorsements that weekend, including Tea Party favorite State Sen. Scott Plakon. Politicians don’t endorse candidates as a protest.

    Here’s my story (speaking solely for myself as an individual voter, and not as a P.C. or on behalf of the RPOF, insert standard disclaimer here): back towards the beginning of this cycle, Herman Cain intrigued me, and was arguably my favorite candidate. However, with rumors of Perry’s entry I felt, IF he were a reasonably strong conservative without disqualifying blemishes, perhaps he would be the better choice — both to defeat Romney, and then Obama. IOW, my head overruled my heart. But since Perry’s entry, I’ve been steadily less positive towards him — because of his terrible debate performances, and his whole attitude about border enforcement. (Spare me the arguments; I can make them myself. But he simply hasn’t done much to dispel suspicion that he’s another pro-Comprehensive-Reform W-style Texas governor).

    And then Thursday night.

    Well, that was that. I felt free to return to my first inclination toward Cain — PARTIALLY as a protest of a sort, but more as an assessment that with that GIANT ELEPHANT in his living room vis border security, coupled with his W-like direct personal attacks on people who disagree with his immigration policy…that Perry was not, at the present time, a viable choice for the Republican Party standard bearer.

    So…who is? And that question, coupled with Cain’s excellent debate performance and Saturday speech to the assembled delegates, brought me full circle, and back to the Cain camp.

    I’m not fully sold; I have concerns about Cain, too. Perry could rehabilitate himself, and then the calculus may change. But at the present time, I cast an honest vote FOR Cain, as the best choice for the RPOF as of Sept 24, 2011.

    More here

  • wonkish1

    Have predicted the winner of every race since….

    But given the low sample size of Presidential elections. This is only the 5th competitive Republican primary since 1980. A lot of things happen 5 times in a row. It isn’t really that amazing nor statistically significant.

    If you asked before that debate performance if Herman Cain was going to be the winner of the GOP primaries I would tell you that its a very, very steep hill to climb. After the debate I would take out the “very, very” part.

    This is why I have learned to stay out of being a vocal supporter of any particular candidate in the primaries. I try to find the good things in as many of them as I can. And if absolutely necessary I’ll pick out people I absolutely can’t support for whatever reason.

    So I’ve stayed on the outside. The only person I officially wrote off early was Bachmann, but I didn’t say anything because I knew eventually you guys would see that bird can’t fly so no need for me to go around raining on people’s parades.

  • californiagold

    First you claimed the straw poll was meaningful, now you’re dodging.

    Just answer the question, do you think Cain will be the nominee ? If not, why not ?

  • http://www.redstate.com/thesophist TheSophist

    I can’t argue against your points.

    Romney and Gingrich do talk a strong small government game. But their track record is spotty at best.

  • http://theheartlander.wordpress.com/ heartlander

    Have you read his book “Fed Up”?
    Have you followed his wranglings with Barack Obama?
    Perry is the most avid states’ sovereignty politician out there.

  • http://theheartlander.wordpress.com/ heartlander
  • trueredfromtexas

    It wasn’t just the gardasil mandate, the selling out of free road s in Texas to the highest bidder, cronyism being alive and well under Perry with Perry awarding several of his big campaign donors with millions of dollars in taxpayer grants, and his support of illegals getting in-state tuition…. but all of this and much more. In the end, I hope neither Perry nor Romney is the nominee, but whoever the Republican nominee, that should be the one to get the Republican vote in November 2012. What’s the alternative??? Not good!

  • trueredfromtexas

    Anyone but Romney and Perry.

  • trueredfromtexas

    Please… Obama is in office now because he looked like some sort of savior and is a good debater. Let’s put the best Republican Candidate forth based upon the facts and knowledge we have learned… not from some prepped up website that may often be misleading by not offering up all the facts or misrepresenting the facts. Republicans were fooled by Bush… so let’s not be saying 4 years from now we were fooled by some website that gave forth wrong information. All of these candidates have previous records of sorts. Take off the blinders.
    As Republicans we all have a ‘duty’ to inform ourselves of all the candidates and then pick the one each of us would like to be the nominee.

  • JSobieski

    Palin’s record at reducing the size and scope of government is . . .

  • trueredfromtexas

    May I suggest that when looking at the plans that these candidates have or will present… also look at their past actions. Only then will one make the best choice. Candidates cannot deny their past actions… but words can spin them.

  • horizonscanner

    People look for the wisest person to lead them, especially at a moment of harrowing crisis. Wisdom cannot be manufactured by media hacks. Wisdom cannot be the result of a socio-psycho-pathology.

    The People don’t like stiffs. Donald Trump is right about this.

    Destiny. From his earliest days, Herman Cain has been, and remains, a child of destiny.

    Herman Cain is one of US!

    He is the strongest man in the room, and no one is smarter. Cain has the Reagan ebullience. He is the go to guy. In the final analysis, we want to know what he thinks before we, the People, decide what to do.

    Only Herman Cain can rebuke the nemesis who animated by demons curses us from the White House, only Herman Cain can, and will, redress the traitor ZeroKing in public, for all to see.

    Redress also means to “knock out” in the repartee of televised debate. Cain will ignore the maniputaring question asking flaks and go right at the Alinskian tyrant, and call him out for all to see.

    Like Secretariat, Herman Cain will thunder down the track, he will run the ZeroKing into the ground to the massive hurrah of hundreds of millions of patriots.

  • trueredfromtexas

    Speaking about the right of states (10th Amendment) is easily spoken. View their past to see their future… whoever that candidate may be.

  • davesinsanantonio

    then whatever help the federal government doles out should have offsetting cuts elsewhere. If it is so important that the federal government has to step in with cash, then it must be more important than something the federal government is mandated to do. So, if it is that important, something else must be less so, and must be cut for the duration of the emergency.
    That is what individuals and families must do, and we have to hold the federal government to the same sane standard.

  • davesinsanantonio

    but not the others. Perry too, but only because I have actually seen what he can do here in Texas. He is not perfect, but he would do the job correctly. Mittens would require two clothespins.

  • mndasher

    Obama had the advantage of having the media and the debate hosts in the tank for him. When Obama speaks off the cuff he can hardly complete a sentence. He is great at ums and ahs though.

  • rick57

    That answer was provided by Cain and he said Newt would be his pick. He’s the one with the Romney comment.

  • mort

    Neither straw polls, primary votes for nominees, debates, nor even the media will nominate the Republican candidate for president. Therefore the question is: Will the delegates at the convention see that Cain is the best candidate for the country and cast their votes for him? Remember that your vote for delegate is more important than your ballot cast for president for they are the ones doing the nominating, not us. Investigate the thinking of your delegates judiciously.

  • otets

    999 or 666 is a clear way to compare Cain’s economic plan to Obama’s. Cain’s plan flips Obama’s destructive 666 plan 180? up right to the productive 999.

  • cctp

    I don’t believe Mitt Romney, or Rick Perry, nor Ron Paul, or Michelle Bachman. I do believe Herman Cain. I believe he has a good plan, as easy to understand plan, and the willpower and conviction to act. Additionally, I believe he can more than hold his own when debating President Obama. Also, he totally takes “race” out of the equation.

  • bryankdonnelly

    I WAS THERE as a delegate in Florida’s “Presidency5″ and had originally planned to vote for Rick Perryl “Obamneycare” Romney disqualified himself when he stuck his state with socialized medicine, the template for Obama’s monstrosity. He is NOT a conservative and has NO principles apart from the latest poll or focus group. We got rid of one of those in Florida last year’ Charlie “suntan man” Crist.

    When the vote came I went for Herman Cain. Why? Not the least because he’s a GREAT speaker and DEBATER. He WON the debate and gave a speech Saturday, equal to Ronald Reagan’s great 1964 “appointment with destiny” speech; the one that launched ” the Gipper.” He brought the entire house to it’s feet cheering TEN TIMES and capured our hearts. But he did it by actually offering an understandable concrete PLAN; “9.9,9.”

    We are sick of disingenuous “mush mouthed,” consultant and poll driven slick professional poltician types who refuse to take a real stand on anything like Romney. And we’ve had a :”tongue tied Texan” unable to defend himself and his record; GW Bush of the “noblesse oblige” Kennebunkport Bushes; not a great success. One wonders about Rick Perry’s ability to do so.

    Now we’re hearing that Herman is merely a “protest” and will prove a “flash in the pan” from the liberal media and even our own “conservative” pundits like Bill Krystol and Charles Krauthammer. They don’t have a clue! Been isolated inside the Washington-New York bubble too long.

    Herman Cain is a SERIOUS contender who can clobber Obama! No elected office background? GOOD! We Tea Party types are disgusted with professional pols on BOTH sides of the isle. Indeed we plan to replace some of our RINO senators next year; Hatch, Lugar, Lidsay Graham. The American people are READY for a non-politician! Herman Cain might be it. He could DESTROY “teleprompter” Obama in a debate.

    Herman CAN win the Florida primary next year and I plan to contribute to and work in his campaign. Who cares about New Hampshire? Florida has COUNTIES bigger thant that!

  • bryankdonnelly

    When Newt Gingrich spoke before us at “Presidency5″ he mentioned that he’d been wrong in his debate question choice of VP. Said he should have said that he’d not pick anybody on the stage with him because MARCO RUBIO wasn’t there!

  • geah

    were held today I would put Newt in as Pres and Cain as V.P.

    Newt, know D.C and politics, Cain is the business man this nation could use in this time.

  • dudette

    that the candidate that lays out the vision based on founding principles and emphasizing this, taking america back to its principles is the one who will capture the imagination of hthe electorate. we are in such a spin that little green eyeshade details and the like, simply dont register. we need a broad vision to see the light.

  • spinoneone

    at the same time is the right idea. This is a total win-win: I get to vote for Cain and his policies and against 0 and his debacle.

  • mort

    His knowledge is excellent, but his electability is extremely questionable as he turns so many people off. He was part of the problem all those years. What good would it do the nation if Cain is only VP? When has the influence of the VP been of any value? Cheyney? Gore?

  • bryankdonnelly

    Newt is the smartest guy in the room wherever he goes, brilliant debaster and speaker, more full of GOOD ideas than any other political figure I’ve encoutered, AND unfortunately, un-nominatable. Ever since he made that idiotc TV spot with La Pelosi plugging “global warming” and can and trade, he’s been a non starter. What was in his mind?

    Moreover, his personal life is a MESS. That doesn’t bother ME but it IS a major problem for our Christian Conservative freinds. Sorry Newt, its all over for president; cabinet post maybe?

  • Common_Cents

    in this case the VP would be empowered and there would more a division of labor. Cain needs insider knowledge to learn the game and know where the bodies are buried. Gingrich needs a new shot of fresh outside energy that Cain can provide.

  • Right Reason

    . . .don’t do much to further discussion. Your post reads like so many that I’ve seen here lately; you’re plugging for a candidate, but trying to make it look like you’re not by not naming him (or her).

  • kywrite

    Cain has implied (and in the case of foreign policy, stated publicly) that where he recognizes deficits in his knowledge, he will surround himself with smart people who make up for it. The essence of leadership is not in knowing everything and being able to micromanage all of it; it is, rather, in matching the right people to the right positions, and then managing all that human intelligence to make smart, informed decisions. Judging by his resume, Cain excels in doing this.

    He’s had my vote since I accidentally tuned in to his radio show last December while driving thru Atlanta. He’s brilliant and magnetic, fair and reasoned. If you think he is somehow intellectually or verbally lacking, you probably haven’t listened to him enough. Seek out his old shows; I’m sure there are some online. He’ll impress you.

  • barleycorn

    Both Bachmann and Romney engaged in the latter in my opinion.

    Bachmann could have taken Perry to task over Gardasil without entering the arena of the absurd with the retardation foolishness..

    Similarly, Romney could have created ample space between Perry and himself on Social Security without pretending that Perry hates grandma.

    If to my surprise either Bachmann or Romney gets the nomination they will get my vote, but I’ll be holding my nose with my non-voting hand.

  • carver1961

    voice to support the idea that the candidates should be running against Obama, not each other. Later, as their individual positions become clearer, then I will pick out what I consider to be the weak points of other candidates as compared to my “favorite.”
    Right now, I want them to tell me how they would do things differently from Obama, and why they are the answer to America’s prayers. Nothing bothers me more than setting aside 2 hours to watch a “debate” and then listen to a whole lot of bashing of and piling on one candidate or another. Herman Cain has done things my way, and I like him for it. More than Perry or Romney telling me why the other guy is no good.

  • paulplantowin

    naraht
    All these comments (you and others) about the way elections have always worked are statistical in nature. They skew the discussion it seems to me.
    History, and analyses of mistakes and successes in the past are vital when they concern unchanging principles (Founding Fathers on liberty, interpreting the constitution, etc.)
    However, statistical type info from the past is more about predicting behavior, and not so much about guiding us in making good decisions.
    Good decisions come from doing what it right far more than doing ‘what will work.’
    Cain for President seems to me to be the right choice among the available options.
    How pragmatic that choice is takes second place to whether it is right in principle IMO

  • richp89

    Enough said.

  • spolson

    Like Obama ,Cain doesn’t have to defend himself from attacks or withstand the scrutiny of a full vetting, because he is black. I have heard Mr Cain talk on the radio and he seemed like a good conservative. But I will never know very much about him because of what I mentioned and because he has no record to prove his worth in politics again like Obama. We can’t afford another mistake like Obama. Our country will not survive another. He is the media choice of course and being an arm of he DNC, anyone they support is bad for conservatism.

  • barleycorn

    Anne Richards barely defeated Clayton Williams, a terrible candidate, in 1990 and then GWB defeated her comfortably in 1994.

    Richards was the political type who becomes famous primarily for being them-self rather than for any accomplishment or ability. Her schtick wore thin pretty quickly.

  • paulplantowin

    This seems to be a sign that he is being taken seriously. He is called the ‘center of gravity’ by Da Man.
    I like so many things about Mr. Cain, but I still have an incomplete picture.
    The core of the attraction is his character, his basic honesty. I rarely get that impression with politicians.
    When it comes to details, like his stand on issues such as TARP, I have it all summarized in my mind under one main heading – he is non-constitutional.
    I believe his conservative credentials are from his nature, he is conservative at heart.
    This does not always lead to a true appreciation for the LIMITING of federal government called for by the Constitution.
    If he grasped the core of Constitutional theory, the rest would fall into place, I think.
    Problem – none of the others seem locked on the Constitution either.
    He is not Rubio, but he seems to be the best one running.
    So far anyway.

  • barleycorn

    Do you think that is a profound question? Really?

    Attack 9-9-9 on its merits and I’m interested in your POV. But grumbling because the numbers are easy to remember does not impress me much.

    Contrary to what liberals would have us believe, governing does not have to be complicated. Tax systems don’t need to be leviathan and labyrinthian.

    9-9-9 would be simple and bring in roughly the same revenue the current system does. It would almost certainly spur economic growth.

    Having said that I don’t like the fact that it introduces a new tax and there would be no guarantees that 9-9-9 would stay at those levels for long.

  • http://theheartlander.wordpress.com/ heartlander
  • steveinfl

    I love the guy. Just not as president. I don’t need to assuage my white guilt by voting for a black guy because I’m not guilty of anything. When you have a candidate who answers he is “still formulating his foreign policy”, so he has no answers to simple questions about America’s foreign policy , he gets crossed off my list. His litmus test for Muslims on his cabinet remark was a terrible reminder he is in over his head.
    He is a great speaker, speaks with passion, and would be a great economic adviser for a republican president. All of this Cain hubris serves once again to pass over Mitt Romney’s true record of being an unabashed liberal. Savage is right – the fix is in for Romney.

  • acat

    instead of trying to bluster his way through?

    I’ll take honesty here. I want someone who knows what he or she doesn’t know, not someone who’s convinced of their own infalability.

    I do agree re. Romney, and it sure seems like the media want to coronate him. It’s up to us, the activist-voters, to keep that from happening.

    Mew

  • barleycorn

    Let’s take it a step further:

    All previous presidents have been males so that disqualifies females.

    All previous presidents have been white or half-white so that disqualifies, blacks, browns, and yellows.

    All previous presidents have been between 5’4″ and 6’4″ so disqualifies anyone outside that height range.

    All previous presidents have been born in one of these 21 states:

    Virginia, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, Texas, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Missouri, Arkansas, Hawaii, Connecticut, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, so people born in the other 29 states are……gee whiz, now that I think about it this is a really stupid way to choose a president.

  • westcoastpatriette

    I was impressed with Cain when he admitted he had to bone up on the “right of return” issue in Israel. Anyone who tries to pretend they know everything about everything is much more troublesome than a person who is strong enough to admit they don’t know it all.

  • gekster

    Isn’t that why they have a cabinet.

  • westcoastpatriette

    .

  • mort

    as his choice for running mate or chief adviser, that could counsel him in those areas like foreign affairs, that he is weak on?
    Cain- Rubio? Seems to me, Cain has to have the backing of someone strong in being the head of state and commander in chief. Powell? (Sorry, I know he is a liberal). Not just an endorsement like Pawlenty gave.
    Reagan did not know everything, but he surrounded himself with people who did.
    And is this the week Sarah is going to announce?
    Palin-Rubio?

  • rightwingmom52

    graps the “core of Constitutional theory?” He spoke in early summer at our local GOP fundraiser spoke very eloquently about returning to an adherence to the Constitution and limiting the federal government, including the elimination of regulation.

    In fact, all of the GOP candidates have spoken about limiting the federal government. I understand that we must decide whether or not we think they will actually put policies in place to do so, but you seem to indicate that they’re not even talking about it. Is that what you meant?

    As for Cain’s support for TARP, they all have baggage. It’s just a question of what you’re willing to forgive. Here’s what he said in a June interview: here

  • cacharlie

    “The essence of leadership is not in knowing everything and being able to micromanage all of it; it is, rather, in matching the right people to the right positions, and then managing all that human intelligence to make smart, informed decisions. Judging by his resume, Cain excels in doing this.”

    You provide a great review of what attracted me to Herman Cain. Cain is the polar opposite of Obama – a no nonsense. common sense real deal!
    I see Cain’s mature respect for others, the power of his positive thinking and his track record of making the most of the American Dream as spot on Reagan.

  • rkcon

    Worse than the litmus test for Muslims was the First Amendment/building religious temples debacle. It’s pretty much on Bachmann and mental retardation caused by vaccines territory.

  • rkcon

    To Cain’s credit, he apologized for his statements, unlike Michelle.

    So the statements are in the same ballpark but not the candidates. Cain is certainly a lot better. Just not nearly good enough for a presidential race or prepared for the job.

  • calfcreek

    One of the things Cain excels at is disarming his opponents with a country boy laid back non involved image. While his mind is going ninety to nothing figuring out how to destroy them, all the while smiling and friendly. He’ll probably be mad that I let the cat out of the bag. It’s a pretty effective tool. I’ve used it more than once…

  • soljerblue

    “Do I see a path to victory for Herman Cain? No. But that may now change. It is too soon to tell. He has some internal issues that need to be resolved.”

    Who among the candidates doesn’t have ‘internal issues’?

    What Cain showed — besides the truth of the Richards axiom — is that Americans this cycle are far less concerned about foreign policy issues than the ways in which government intrusion and incompetence is destroying the economy and personal freedom. I think they’re ready for a skilled conservative business person with a record of success, and the character and good judgement to match. And I believe would come to his camp if they thought he could win. Florida proved that he can.

    All that said — the Republican nominee, whoever he is, will get my vote — but I want it to be Herman Cain, and I’ll support him on these boards and with what few dollars I can spare.

  • cacharlie

    Just what I liked about Fred Thompson!
    Guessing like me, you’d like Fred’s book Teaching the Pig to Dance?

  • cacharlie

    It seems to me that Cain’s Fed experience and 9-9-9 plan indicate the authenticity of his statement that he learns all he can by participating in the process of the business at hand in order to effectively lead better business practices.

    I see Cain tapping, among many excellent resources, the expertise of Bolton in foreign policy,

  • drawer22

    …to explain the obvious to freentn, even though the effort is apparently fruitless.

    ??i ?y Paul (????? ????)

  • irbobert

    Do you own investigating and THINK!

    JUST THINK 111

  • http://www.tinfoilhelicopter.com lunaticrex

    Many 5′s, Sophist. I especially like the concept of small government being all about liberty and not about money. Fortunately, when we start making government smaller, it will have the automatic and synergistic effect of saving money. Good times…

    Thanks for this. I’m a bit tardy because RS hasn’t made the cut much today. I’ll do better.

  • devereaux

    I like Cain, but he fought for bailing out the big banks and called those opposed Free Market Purists.

    I think the evidence is in, TARP was a waste of money.

    Also he’s against auditing the FED. If there’s one thing that needs to be audited it’s the FED.

    All that aside, I’d gladly vote for him if he’s the nominee. I just have reservations about his economic philosophy.

  • olsmithie

    I hope that that crowd will learn some principles and decency from EE, Please don’t let the CNN crowd rub off on you.

    Regards

  • olsmithie

    on my scorecard. Of course I rank pols just under lawyers who are just under well…. Just sayin’

    Regards

  • center77

    and one thing I’ve not heard one person say is, that Chris Cristy and Rubio both have the same views on immigration as Rick Perry. Fix is selling people garbage because they want Romney. Perry has made the Bush people mad, Fox has admitted to building him up to crush him. Rubio wanted the same law Texas has in Florida. If we let the establishment chose our candidate, then we made a mistake. Perry is the only one who has stood up and protected his positions. That means more to me than anything. He is a strong man to take what he has a stood tall. You guys already know what the Texas law really has in it, Ive read that. Romney is so not worthy of president. His flip flopps are major, and they are so John Kerry. Rove beat Kerry because of that issue. Romney killed jobs at Bain Capital (Obama will kill him on that) Romney has a Mormon problem (I do not care, but everyone at my church does, a lot) and Fox will not admit this. They keep shoving him down our throats. We cannot let this happen. Romney will never get my vote, because principle does matter to me, even if it does not to Romney.

  • msjallen

    you vote for him if he wins the nomination otherwise we have 4 more years of 0 and no more America as we know it can become again. Please don’t waste your vote. We need it to vote 0 out in 2012. I don’t want to have to vote for Romney either but I certainly don’t want 0 to win. Make it a matter of prayer.
    Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

  • msjallen

    I heard Cain’s 9-9-9 tax system explained today and I believe it would be great for our Nation.

  • JSobieski

    Maybe you want to share some other facts? With links?

    I know of the three facts:
    1. Oil companies pay more than they used to
    2. A certain pipeline looks like it will not be built anytime soon
    3. Palin enacted an ethics law that resulted in her early retirement

    If you have data about reductions in the size of government, I would love to see it.