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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

The Rick Perry Statement on Herman Cain

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  November 2nd, 2011 at 10:32 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

It is here. Just interviewed him.

More later with video.

COMMENTS

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  • jakeofalltrades

    “Our campaign had absolutely nothing to do with it. You know I I’m disappointed that uh ah there’s finger pointing going on uh and the sooner we get back to talking about the issues that are important to the people of this country the better, and that’s how we get Americans working again.”

    “There’s not anybody in my campaign uh that knew anything about this uh that’s associated with my campaign uh in any form or fashion. I mean, it it, end of story, I mean this is it’s one of those that’s uh about as clear cut a-as I I ca-an tell ya. We found out about the allegations against Mr. Cain same time everybody else did.”

  • http://www.AmericanThinker.com Hammer2008

    I’m still not convinced one of his people did not leak or tip Politici with the original story. Meanwhile Politico is hiding the source(s) while laughing at all the hits their site is getting. It’s like they struck web gold.

    Frankly, I’m on the fence with Mr. Cain now. I’ve donated to his campaign. He cannot wait for these women to get around to speaking out. If the comment made at the Iowa radio station is any indicator, voters will completely shrug this off.

    It’s time he holds a press conference, makes a firm statement (he will not waver from down the road), and answer all reporters questions. To boot, the podium should have visible placard that reads “HermanCain.com”

  • jakeofalltrades

    Cain could learn from Perry how to deny something. Perry’s denial is unequivocal. I transcribed every oh, uh, and ah, and there wasn’t a single verbal misstep by Perry when he said “We found out about the allegations against Mr. Cain same time everybody else did.”

    It very much has the ring of truth, and I think you have to have some serious bias against Perry to think otherwise.

  • avagreen

    Looking forward to the video!

    Impressed that you got to interview Perry so quickly.
    YAH! For Red State!
    YAH! For Perry!

    Agree with the unequivacal quality of Perry’s comments…………same kind of direct answers he gave to hannity (doesn’t deserve a capitol “h” to his name) tonight.

  • http://www.planettron.com NickDeringer

    It will be one of the most interesting debates we’ve seen in a long time is my guess.

  • txpat

    He spoke clearly, and denied it.
    Then talked about what voters want to talk about getting Americans working again.
    Cain should have put a choke hold on Block.
    He just extended this thing to the next debate and beyond.
    More time Cain and Block spend in the mud more the wheels on his campaign will fall off.

  • izoneguy

    Cain Camp: Perry Team Leaked Harassment Claims

  • deVere

    I had been in despair that a hord of Republican lemmings were about to follow Mr. Cain off an electoral cliff.

    In my eyes Mr. Cain is a fine gentleman, except for his peculiar animus toward Rick Perry (won’t support him as nominee, he has an insensitive racist rock (retracted), won’t be his VP, and now he done me wrong). But I am quite convinced that Mr. Cain is much too inexperienced to be a successful GOP nominee. I’m very glad this has happened during the primary camapign, and not the general election.

    So who is the winner in all this? Logically it would seem to be Newt Gingrich, the serial dumper of sick wives. If it’s now Newt against Mitt, I’ll hold my nose and take Mitt. I do hope that Rick Perry somehow makes a comeback. He has my support.

    Or, how about a “draft Mark Sanford” movement? He only cheated on one healthy wife, and she dumped him..

  • californiagold

    Whoever leaked the story should be thanked, not blamed. The voters have the right to know what Cain’s background is, just as they do any other candidate.

    More importantly, Cain’s responses to this scandal leave alot to be desired. Blaming Perry for this is about as credible as blaming the man on the moon.

  • txpat

    Like a super PAC for Romney.
    It is getting sad when I now go to CNN to hear the news.

  • benjaminz

    Congratulations Erick on the huge scoop!

  • clintonformccain

    More importantly, Cain?s responses to this scandal leave alot to be desired. Blaming Perry for this is about as credible as blaming the man on the moon.

    Don’t give him any ideas. The man in the moon is probably the only thing Cain hasn’t blamed yet.

  • proud2btexasmom

    for posting this!

  • txpat

    How that saying goes I see the moon and the moon see me.
    You might be on to something.

  • septembergurl

    Despite the many conspiracy theories swirling around, it’s not so surprising that the pool of Republican consultants and candidates is a small one. They know each other & work on each other’s campaigns and so on. I just don’t think there’s any benefit to any Republican to take Cain out at this point. From Perry’s point of view, Cain holds some anti-romney votes that Perry hopes to win back at some point. Romney is not bothered by Cain’s rise because he knows Cain is a flash in the pan ho is not going to go the distance. So what’s the benefit?

    Cain’s attack on Perry, OTOH, is simply bizarre and disgusting. The next debate should be interesting!

  • sethellis

    It will be interesting to see what evidence Cain has put together. Wouldn’t be surprised if he is making claims based on false unvetted information. It would be the final nail in the coffin if he was.

  • clintonformccain

    just took poor Herman completely out of context.

  • clintonformccain

    .. when I said I’d vote for Charles Manson if he were my choice over Barack Obama. But, sheesh, after taking a look-see at some of the whack-jobs running for the Republican nomination, ol’ Charlie is starting to look pretty good.

  • uhangtight

    I don’t care who leaked the story, but after Perry’s lie regarding the woman who came into see him and he ‘decided then to sign the executive order’ for 12 year old girls to be mandated for HPV shots. Well.. that wasn’t true.. he lied.. she came in AFTER he signed the executive order. Now you expect me to believe him when he says His camp had nothing to do with it? Nope lie to me once that is it don’t believe a word you say ever after that.

    So now, Perry.State, we don’t know who did, yet. If Politico has any expectations of being respected in the future, they better come out with who leaked the story and fast. Oh and the truth will come out…

  • baracksolyndraobama

    …Rick Perry is done. Many reasons, including his assuming the role of judge of “heartless” citizens and that of a below-grade, tongue-tied debate doofus. He is done.

    Next: Newt’s surge. Factors: substance, competence, and eloquence. All aboard!

  • runner12

    This was a straightforward and honest answer. It appears that Cain and his team owe Perry an apology fot falsely accusing them of leaking the story.

  • runner12

    That would be “for”

  • popdaddy

    I?m giving up on Rick Perry as a presidential candidate.

    I have voted for Rick Perry in every election he has been in since I moved home in 2004. He has been a masterful campaigner in each election cycle I have voted in but he has been a real disappointment in this Presidential race.
    Herman Cain is a grassroots Tea Party conservative. He has earned my support. It sounds like Rick Perry is linked to people involved in this smear campaign against Herman Cain.
    I?m ashamed of the people aliened with Rick Perry. He is a great Governor but just not presidential material by association.

  • runner12

    Which candidate do you support for President?

  • Swamp_Yankee

    Yet, it was his campaign who threw the first stone. Before the Cain campaign asked for an apology from Perry, the Perry campaign tried to implicate Romney and many sources ran with that false, unfounded allegation.

    “Perry communications director Ray Sullivan then suggested to CBS News and National Journal reporter Rebecca Kaplan that Mitt Romney’s campaign is behind the allegations…

    “I wouldn’t put it past them,” he said, stating that blog posts have noted that Cain’s successor at the Restaurant Association “is a big Romney donor… There are much closer connections between the Restaurant Association, Cain and the Romney camp than there are with us,” he said.”

  • jakeofalltrades

    So your handle is rather ironic when lain against your comment.

  • izoneguy

    Perry never said this: ?decided then to sign the executive order?

    He said she came to him and lobbied for him to keep the EO in place.
    After he signed it a firestorm erupted. This woman told Perry her story
    and he did not want the legislature to overturn his EO. They did and he
    did not fight it. OTH Jerry Brown just signed an order in CA that
    girls can get HPV shots without parents permission. Where is the outrage in CA? Crickets.

  • Xasteius

    They stand the most to benefit, and they both have a strong motivation to do so, and I did read an article somewhere that Obama should use his large pool of money to interfere in the GOP primary.

  • jakeofalltrades

    How about you respond to the article, or tie your comments in with the evidence we all just heard?

  • izoneguy

    You watch – he will start running interference for Perry after Newt goes nowhere in the primaries.

  • gekster

    I did the reaserch on that particuler item, and foung only one news source to have that. It was picked up by lefty blogs.
    The only proof was Perry sitting on the womans bedside after the law was enacted.
    The story didn’t show the timeline of when the woman visited Perry in his office, which was long before she was bedridden, to tell him of her cancer.
    And if this is a lie, why havn’t the other candidates, Bachmann comes to mind, pointed this ‘lie’ out.

  • jakeofalltrades

    Why are you behaving as if he has?

  • Tbone

    He isn’t and even if he were he is at best the black, male, Christine O’Donnell.

  • izoneguy

    When Cain denies something that DID happen, well that is just Herman being Herman.

    Perry gets attacked and denies it and he is lying…..

    Why don’t you guys make up some bumper stickers: Obama/Cain 2012

  • californiagold

    Cain is playing the Tea Party like fools.

    Whether it be Cain’s support of TARP, his support of Romney, the support of the Fed, the support of a national sales tax, or his numerous flip flops, one thing is certain. Herman Cain does not represent the views of the Tea Party.

    The sooner some of you come to realize he is nothing more than a snake oil salesman, the sooner the party can get on with nominating a serious candidate.

  • SoFiMil

    n/t

  • txpat

    Cain’s stories on this never quite the same each time he tells it.
    That was in a 24 hr cycle.
    What about the other things he has misspoke about,
    Gitmo, rock story, abortion
    It is all so refreshingly honest.
    I prefer someone who tells you what they think even if it isn’t something you agree with.
    I respect a person that willing to stand for something, and not waver in their
    Resolve.
    I will support Rick Perry, because 9 times out of 10 I agree with him.

  • avagreen

    and somewhere in there, Rove.

    Let’s see…….you believe the man who was accused and admits being accused of sexual misconduct.

    But, you don’t believe the man (Perry) who was smeared by the same man (Cain) by accusing him (Perry) and Rahm Emmanuel for “outing” him in his misconduct( and has in the s same paranoid fashion accused Rove in the past of being against him)?

    When did this man (Cain) grow wings?

    And, I guess the women (3 by now) as not to be believed, either? WTH? The whole world except Cain is believable in your universe?

  • deVere

    Dumping sick wives (plural), Pelosi, Scozzafava, denouncing Paul Ryan, and starting in politics as Southern regional coordinator for Nelson Rockefeller are all reasons I have much trouble stomaching Newt. Do Republicans in general have memory problems? Mark Sanford is a lot cleaner than Newt.

  • SoFiMil

    Cain leaked to both gather sympathy and to get the story out there that he knew would eventually break (whether founded or unfounded)

    Obama/Rahm leaked to create discord in the Republican party whomever the Republicans nominate, and to get the perception out there that Perry leaked against Cain, or Romney leaked against Cain, etc. and to drive independents away from internal bickering and slimy campaigning.

    Perry leaked to…

    Romney leaked in order to…

    An accusation like this is a serious charge, as the act of leaking would indeed be a serious matter. One better have proof to back up a counter-claim..

    The real questions that should be asked of each candidate, as well as the President, “Did you leak?” “Are you aware of anyone in your campaign who leaked this?” “If you later find out someone on your campaign leaked, what will you do?”

    To Cain: *If* you (or any other candidate) did sexually harass someone, is this cause to resign from the campaign?

    I wish Bill Clinton was asked this question after his original denial regarding Monica Lewinsky: “Mr. President, *if* you did have sex with Monica Lewinsky, will you resign the Presidency?”

  • notpropagandized

    Bummer. It’s becoming very obvious that HermanCain is Romney’s stalking horse. I”ve asked RedStaterPosters before if they know anything about this and none have provided insight.

    It started after the hunting lease insensitive painted rock when Cain declared that he could support Romney but not Perry. It seems that the KarlRove machine in hard at work making sure Perry is not the Romney opponent.

    From personal knowledge of RickPerry, he always calls people out for what they are and the Establishment fear is that Perry will make Romney’s flipflopiness and crony political payoffs to Pawlenty, Bachmann and county level Republican parties known and stick on him.

    Dear conservatives and independents – If you really want Obama out of office in favor of Romney, you’d better start working right now in getting out the vote b/c you’ll lose turnout to one degree or another from TeaParty, 2ndAmendmenters, Evangelicals, ValuesVoters, a few FiscalHawks, etc. Obama’s got a lot of thems’n than we got of us’n without a 2010 type enthusiasm.

    Up to now, my picks were HermanCain and RickPerry and see now that picking HermanCain equals picking MittRomney. So now, the only hope is that Perry can somehow get his message out without the dishonest distortion from Romney and his now political cronies.

    Dear Mitt – When your payoffs actually payoff for you, maybe you’ll look back a little when your Congress and so-called constituency do their best to hold you accountable to some principles. Oh my, how interesting this is.

  • goformitt

    Why not just release the accusers from their non-disclosure?

    Simple enough. But won’t happen. Cain’s got stuff to hide.

    Either way – his campaign is done.

  • retire05

    what had been previously reported. If you want to check it out, you can go to OpenSecrets and find out who has donated to who. It is public record.

    What is problematic is that Cain accused someone in Rick Perry’s campaign of leaking the story of his being accused of sexual harassment, now including Rahm Emanuel as well, but Cain’s claim that it was someone working for Perry, who has only worked for Perry since Oct. 24th, doesn’t square with the fact that Politico had notified the Cain campaign on Oct. 20th that the story was going to be released. Now, Cain is adding another demention to his ever evolving story, that he told Anderson about “the woman” in 2004. And even though Cain is trying to crucify Anderson, Anderson had nothing but nice things to say about Cain.

    This is a “killing the messenger” tactic that Cain is using. We now know that most of the Politico story is true. Yes, there were two women who accused Cain of misconduct. Yes, they were paid off and left the NRA.

    The story is NOT who leaked it; the story is is Cain guilty of sexually harassing women, now a third one claiming the same thing? Shooting the messenger doesn’t kill the message. And how inept is a campaign manager that has to read a prewritten response to a question being asked by an interviewer, which is what Cain’s campaign manager did tonight on Bret Baier’s show.

    The Cain campaign is, unfortunately, rapidly turning into nothing but a self inflected gun shot wound.

  • notpropagandized

    You’re done with Perry!!?? Hah, what a joke. Perry and Cain were all that’s left and now all done with Cain. Would like to get my tiny little donations back from this charlatan. How embarrassing to have been a Cainiac. What was I thinking? But how could we have known Cain was a plant for Romney? Look people, go find out where Romney spreads his money. Blow your mind. I’ll vote Nov’12 while pinching my nose.

  • gator_hoo

    What makes Cain, who indicates that he is for state regulation of guns, has held every possible position on abortion absent saying that everyone should have one, supports Romney, supports Greenspan, supports wealth redistribution, supports higher taxes, instinctually supports negotiating with terrorists, etc., a grassroots conservative?

    I am glad that you,pop daddy, Will finally answer my question.

  • easyb

    Yet. He’d be foolish to use this now. If Obama had this, he’d wait to see if Cain had the nomination, then wait some more, then drop it like an H-bomb in October ’12.

    I’m sure Obama’s content to let the R’s draw blood from each other at this point. Whatever oppo he has on each, he’ll bring out in the general election.

  • gator_hoo

    That was said in response to the allegations against Perry.

  • avagreen

    http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/06/herman-cain-most-black-people-too-poor-to-tea-party.php?ref=fpc

    BUT, I can’t find the link where he (early in the race and before being embraced by the Tea Party) refused to call himself a Tea Party member, but instead called himself a “thinking man” or an “independent man”……. or something like that.

    Of course now, he’s fully embraced the TP’ers.

  • gator_hoo

    And one of the editors at Breitbart is on the record hypothesizing this. However, the accusation is a heavy one to make without more proof, which is fair. It’s certainly also possible that Cain sees Perry as his main rival in the anti-Romney camp,and wants to hold his face down in the mud.

  • perry4prez

    I bet you don’t even live in Texas.

  • gator_hoo

    But the response has been so badly mangled, I just can’t imagine that they would be so poorly prepared for their own leak. Then again, I am shocked by how poorly they have responded regardless.

  • wacowboy

    right – wing social engineering.

  • windwaker24

    http://nebraska.watchdog.org/17577/cain-voted-for-bill-clinton/

  • gator_hoo

    But he does have pro-Perry posts in his history, so seems to be genuine, if nonetheless misguided.

  • gator_hoo

    I was totally unaware of this.

  • usedtobelib

    there’s no one in your campaign not only that didn’t do anything wrong, but also that didn’t “know anything.” That takes in an awfully lot of people and a candidate can’t possibly know for sure who in his campaign did something or didn’t, knew something or didn’t. It would have been better had he worded this differently.

    I can still recall in ’88 Mike Dukakis staunchly and assuredly telling reporters absolutely no one in his campaign was the source of a leak that hurt an opposing candidate. He was sure what he said was true. Turned out his best friend and campaign manager, John Sasso, came to him later, realizing he had hung his guy out to dry, and admittted he was the leaker.

  • usedtobelib

    tells the truth all the time.

  • jonerik

    that the Perry campaign has been going through the ranks to ascertain if anyone from their camp leaked the info, and that Perry wouldn’t be so unequivocal if they didn’t find satisfactory answers.

  • clintonformccain

    Dana Milbank carves up Herman Cain in the Washington Post:

    The Herman Cain Crack-up

    ?Can you tell us why you lost your temper this morning?? Fox News?s Chad Pergram asked, as Cain and his entourage walked through the hall.

    ?Should a man whose company paid $35,000 for a woman to keep quiet be president?? asked NBC?s Luke Russert.

    This time, Cain ignored them. As the party got to the meeting room, his bodyguard resumed his shoving and elbowing, blocking congressional staff and reporters from getting into the meeting. When challenged, the bodyguard explained himself: ?I make the rules.?

    Or this:

    His presidential bid was meant to be a lark, likely a gambit to increase speaking fees and book sales, perhaps to gain him a gig on cable news. At first, he was in on the joke, gaming the primary process and making up policies as he went along. He drank alcohol during public appearances, even in the morning. He allowed the release of a bizarre ad showing his chief of staff blowing smoke. He greeted female interviewers as ?sweetheart? and occasionally gave them hugs.

  • redmymind

    he obviously wants to take Perry down with him. Won’t happen. Love how Cain has a habit of blaming others for his troubles. I actually don’t find Cain all that “likeable.” To the contrary, I find him kind of arrogant–not the kind of Romneyesque “sterile,” stand-off-ish arrogance but one whose common denominator spells: FAILURE TO SINCERELY OWN UP TO HIS FAULTS.

    He’s been pretty busy making a case against these women who have reportedly had some grievances over his struggles with the 6th and the 9th Commandments in relation to them. If false, he won’t mind their getting equal air-time to make their case against him.

  • gekster

    Good point.

  • bs61

    n/t

  • ammy

    I believe I saw a swipe by Erick at Romney earlier to day. Just a veiled inference that it was Romney that got all this started. Then we find out it is Perry – well, well. You owe Romney an apology. I love all the Perry apologists. Face it – he doesn’t smell all that sweet. Looks like maybe there are no perfect candidates, what do you know. Romney may have changed some positions but he has more character than Perry. A lot more.

  • ammy

    Stop smearing Romney just because you don’t like him. It’s unjustified. If Cain thought it was Romney he would say so. Romney lost his Senate race to Kennedy in the 90′s because he refused to play hardball and get dirty enough. Go back and research it, it’s true. I’m tired of the bashing and Romney is a man of true integrity.

  • txindependent

    I even loved his NH speech – he was quite animated and fabulous. ;) I also noticed many of the YouTube comments were from liberals admitting they liked him after seeing this speech. Could be an interesting strategy indeed.

  • ammy

    Yes, yes, let’s not talk about the issue, let’s talk about getting America back to work. LOL Please enough with the tired talking points. I like Cain, but he is making things worse, Perry is too dumb to be president and Romney is apparently too smart for this crowd. Things most people on redstate don’t know about Romney – he was the governor with the most vetoes overridden by the state legislature – meaning a lot of what was done in Mass was done over his objections, he was encourage to get dirty to beat Kennedy for the Senate seat but wouldn’t do it. Before you hate and revile get the facts.

  • jakeofalltrades

    Thanks!

  • jakeofalltrades

    I said Romney hasn’t been ruled out. I did not smear him.

    Romney secretly released oppo like this before, in 2008, according to the proprietors of this site.

    There are none so blind as they who have their eyes shut.

  • gekster

    Actual evidence or just what someone said that you chose to believe.

  • jakeofalltrades

    This thread is about evidence that Perry did NOT leak the info. You are being as morally casual towards the truth as Romney is when you say that we have found out it is Perry.

    Prove me wrong: show me the evidence that Perry leaked it. Put up or shut up.

    You do not have the Constitutional right to spew libelous falsehoods about Perry.

  • jakeofalltrades

    There is nothing in your comment that relates to mine.

  • clintonformccain

    I mean, Herman Cain is just a self-promoter, looking to upgrade his talk radio slot to a show on Fox News. Basically, pulll a Huckabee with a little fling during the primaries…

    But, then he flew too close to the sun, his wings melted, and it all collapsed on him. He’ll be a laugingstock when all this is done, making Michele Bachman, Rick Santorum, and — god help us — even Ron Paul look like serious candidates in comparison.

    But, everytime I start to feel sorry for him, I think that this is supposed to be serious business. Our country is in trouble. And, it just hacks me off that the Republican party is treating this whole campaign like one big joke.

  • jrmax13

    I can see Newt’s star rising in the east. As the previous poster stated – Newt exudes solidity, knowledge, and class.
    Gingrich/Ryan 2012! OR ELSE we get stuck with Perry/Keyes 2012!

  • jrmax13

    Ava, is it possible that Rahm and Perry cooked this up while relaxing at Man’s Country?

  • Martin Knight

    Second, she requested the divorce – likely due to his cheating – but she did so earlier before she was in the hospital.

    It’s not right when supposed Republicans use liberal MSM slander against other Republicans.

  • avagreen

    Are there any rules being broken here?

  • circlegranch

    to suggest Romney has a very different record and that circumstances beyond his control are why he’s taken multiple positions on every single big issue is nothing short of stunning. We’ve done our homework and the ‘talking points’ that annoy you are going to be at the forefront of Obama’s campaign against your guy. LOL, indeed.

  • http://www.whyromney.com Ryan Larsen

    Because I’ve presented information here at RedState that people have indicated they hadn’t heard before.

    You may have heard enough to be convinced of your view, but that doesn’t mean the debate is over.

  • bzip

    It must be nice to be able to finger point to others for your problems.

    Excuse me, but this is Cain’s problem nobody else. It was Cain that had some type of encounter with these women, nobody else did.

    Cain Stop Blaming Everyone. Stop lying.

  • bzip

    Cain has become a embarrassment, he is the laughing stock of the GOP – thanks much.

    ABC station mocks Herman Cain with free ringtone
    http://dailycaller.com/2011/11/02/abc-station-mocks-herman-cain-with-free-ringtone/

  • bzip

    It was real cool to listen to Rick Perry clearly deny these charges.

    Just what does Cain hope to gain out of this? It should be clear Cain is trying to deflect all this attention onto Perry – that is real sick and disgusting since this is Cain’s problem and nobody else is problem.

  • bzip

    Cain and Team Cain represent exactly what NOT to do…

    Cain must give straight answers, and fast
    http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/02/opinion/gergen-herman-cain-controversy/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

    BLITZER?S BLOG: Cain?s testiness understandable, but?.
    http://situationroom.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/02/blitzers-blog-cains-testiness-understandable-but/?hpt=hp_bn3

  • circlegranch

    Cain actually doesn’t have to blame anybody anymore. He will never be held accountable for this mess as being HIS doing. Fox has been given another gift with which they’ll continue their Media Politics of Personal Destruction toward Perry. Let’s review:

    SUNDAY: Perry is slated to get grilled by Chris Wallace. Perry takes command, doesn’t get painted in a corner and puts forth a great performance. By the end of the day, Cain’s dirty little secret is Breaking News and nothing is said Mon/Tues/Wed about Perry’s interview. Perry gives another good presentation at the manufacturing event in Iowa and puts out some very good ads. Press coverage? Nah. We’re too busy covering for Herman Cain as we listen to him spin and lie and twist. A good and decent man has been smeared, you know, so that’s where our loyalty lies. When the story broke, Cain didn’t remember a single detail. By the time yesterday afternoon rolled around, he remembered a whole lot, including the fact that he’d had a sitdown with a staffer in ’04 when he ran and lost for the Senate. He couldn’t remember to tell anybody about his dirty little secret while running for president, but his memory served him well to talk about thelast time he ran for office. Suddenly, he’s had an epiphany of ‘who dunnit’ and its off to the Fox microphones they go.

    WEDNESDAY: Hannity announces (on Tues) that he’s interviewing Perry in Iowa and it’ll run on Wed night. Finally! His Highness Hannity decides to finally break with his instincts and actually be a little fair and balanced and spend some time with Perry. As the interview airing approached, Cain and his Smoking Gun take the opportunity to upstage Perry’s interview by coming out big and loud that it was Perry and his staffers that ‘leaked’ the ‘smear’ on him. They made an assumption and in keeping with the theme of trusting every single version of this story Cain has put out, Fox runs with it. Having been given the gift that will keep on giving in the effort to destory Perry, its time to bring out the big guns. O’Reilly calls in his top general, Dick Morris, who is simply giddy. Here’s his take: Cain can survive; all he needs to do is follow the Clinton formula—just let time pass and no worries, you don’t get taken out by sex scandals, only if you’re a draft dodger. Cain should just ride this out. He’ll be stronger on the other end of it. O’Reilly asks what happens to Perry if he is the leaker and Morris, with his characteristic shifty eyes and sweaty brow, huffs and puffs and shrugs with a smirk that Perry will basically get what he deserves.

    Now Hannity is up. For the past 3 hours or so, Perry has been taken to the Fox Woodshed for well deserved thrashings he’ll not soon forget. Why, the dirty rotten smear-meister, leaker, Cain-bashing jerk! We’ll teach him who’s boss of the effort to see to it that Rick Perry doesn’t get a boot toe inside of the WH! Once again, Rick Perry gives a very good interview: clear, crisp, articulate, on the money. Hannity’s facial expression looked as if he’d been sucking on lemons prior to going on air. He was snarky whenever he could get a jab in. At every commericial break, he taunted and teased by saying, “Coming up, find out who the Cain campaign believes is behind the smear attack’ and yes, he referred to Cain’s mess as a smear–all of someone else’s doing, of course. Poor Herman.

    By the time that interview was over, Perry’s positive momentum of sitting with the Hallowed One was overshadowed. Fox personnel across the board had all gotten their licks in to make sure Perry didn’t get any positive feedback from it. The poison of the pundits did its work. By then, MSNBC broke the news that the ‘accuser’ had decided not to come forward; they went on to make a quick reference to a rumor Rahm Emanuel may be the leaker and they and CNN both quickly moved on. All of a sudden, Herman Cain’s Really Bad Day was over. Fox had sealed the deal that its was the dastardly Rick Perry’s fault–again–end of story.

    I’ve haven’t seen a politician be so lucky as to slip and slide in and out of a self-created mess this easily, turn things around to where HE’s the victim and have at his behest, the power and influence of major media sources working hard to cover for him since, uh, Bill Clinton or Barack Obama. Whew, that was a close one, Mr. Cain.

  • evilleramsfan

    You haven’t listened to him much at all, have you? No, I’m not talking about those sound-bite debates…. I’m talking about his speeches out on the campaign trail. Perry is consistent in his message unlike windsock Mitt.

    As far as Romney being too smart for this crowd, sorry sister….don’t buy it. I’ll put my degrees in Mathematics and Physics and my experience up against Romney any day.

    You apparently have more reading to do….

  • evilleramsfan

    n/t

  • bk

    When his supporters come on here and tell people they’re too stupid to realize how great Romney is, that won’t win a lot of fans.

    It also helps when you use the Obama approach of “if it’s good give me the credit; if it’s bad blame someone else”. Romney does that all the time and it doesn’t make him look like a leader.

    And here’s an example from yesterday of why people dislike Romney more and more all the time. Perry criticized Romney on some environmental issue. Maybe he was right or maybe not, but the Romney spokesperson’s response was that people should ask Perry why he supports Al Gore’s wacko environmental positions. That’s nothing but a flat-out lie, and makes Romney look like an idiot.

  • Marcus_Traianus

    Good job Politico!

    Meaningless allegations which have zero to do with the issues confronting our country and the inept, destructive President that is crashing our economy have taken the spotlight off him and caused a feeding frenzy! Bonus- the cannibals are eating each other!

    I can’t wait until they pull out the baseless, fallacious stories from anonymous sources that Perry is gay, Romney claims to be visited by Joseph Smith, Bachmann had an affair and the Easter Bunny is really a Republican plant trying to poison the minds of young voters.

    Sense a pattern? Funny how people representing a genuine threat to the boy-king President never seem to get traction because some fallacious, irreconcilable, speculative story gets into the liberal press. What does this do to the Republican brand by the time this election comes? Eureka!

    Just wait until we have a candidate. Maybe we can all simply drink the Jonestown Kool-aid at that point.

  • Vaughn Harold

    n/t

  • Vaughn Harold

    I’m just wondering when Redstate front pagers are going to stop aiding and abetting!

  • supergirl2911

    I find myself watching CNN and headline news haha. I feel much like I did right before and after 08 election. Like the whole world was crazy and I felt isolated and depressed. My fear is that while redstate is a comforting respite from the entire media being anti Perry (and I don’t mean any valid criticism of his experience or mistakes ) I am a little concerned that red state is an echo chamber.

  • bk

    I’m not sure one can read it any other way.

  • avagreen

    Puts a lot into perspective.

    I’m watching CNN and NBC for a better and more coverage of what is happening in this election.

    FOX can go suck eggs for all I care. Cretins all. Hannity can stand in line for the first egg.

  • bk

    It sure sounds like Cain had accused Perry before Perry suggested Romney. To say that it was before Cain came up with this ‘apology’ nonsense is sophistry – that was way after the mud had been slung.

    It could be that Anderson tipped off Politico and then joined the Perry campaign. Or it could be he had nothing to do with it. Maybe we’ll find out some day. At any rate, it seems inaccurate to me to say that Perry threw the first stone when it comes to cross-blaming each other.

  • baracksolyndraobama

    Zero evidence Newt would have thrown $500,000,000 at any company, especially one DOE (which he favors abolishing) new to be insolvent, doomed to fail at the time of the loan.

    My comments here are often harsh, but I try to square them with reality. I suggest you do the same.

  • http://slcliberty.blogivists.com randy streu

    and not the fact that he sat on a couch with Nancy Pelosi that one time.

    Also, threadjack.

  • nepanyrush

    While your post criticizes Cain’s “fingerpointing” at Perry, it also notes at the same time that you are a “staunch supporter of Governor Rick Perry.” It should be noted that the Perry camp also used fingerpointing — to try and blame Romney for the allegations.

    Specifically, Perry’s Communications Director, Sulllivan, suggested to the media the Romney was to blame and that allegation received wide coverage. As a spokesman for Perry, Sullivan should have kept his mouth shut if he has only speculation, not hard evidence. I suppose muddying the waters is good political strategy, but I find it upsetting.

    If one has hard evidence of a legal or character flaw, I do not have a problem with it being exposed by another candidate. I do have a problem with unfounded speculation being used for political gain. Perry should distance himself from Sullivan’s remarks and make clear to Sullivan that such slander will not be tolerated.

  • bzip

    http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/03/perry-aide-i-didnt-leak-the-cain-story/

  • snappy101

    “Rick Perry gives a very good interview: clear, crisp, articulate, on the money. Hannity?s facial expression looked as if he?d been sucking on lemons prior to going on air.” circlegranch

    I thought Perry did a great job with the Hannity interview, probably his best since he began his run. The questions weren’t hard but Perry’s answers were emphatic and detailed because Hannity actually gave him time to answer, something I appreciate with any candidate interview. O’Reilly, on the other hand, asks questions and then answers his own questions. The interviewee is irrelevant on his show.

    The Hannity interview wasn’t conducted the same day it aired, was it? This could be why the Cain issue wasn’t at the forefront of the questions. I don’t know why Hannity looked like he was sucking lemons but you are right with that one.

    Eric Bolling likes Perry.

    Fox News is in the Romney camp (although not sure about Hannity – his radio show airs at night in my area).

    After the last debate Bill O’Reilly, Dick Morris, Dennis Miller and Bill Burton all commented on the Romney/Perry debate brouhaha about Romney and illegals. But NONE of them, NONE of the 4 of them, commented on Romney saying “I?m running for office, for Pete?s sake. I can?t have illegals.” Yet that opportunism is what the Democrats honed in on immediately. Why the omission by O’Reilly and guests? Look, they could have taken any side on that “running for office” bit from Romney. They could have mentioned it in terms of how the Democrats responded to the debate, but NO, it wasn’t mentioned at all. This is why it’s just as hard to trust the Republican media as it is the Democrat media. Bias does not just rear its head overtly. It rears its head covertly in what is not said.

  • edintexas

    To be objective, Cain can’t release the accuser(s) from a non-disclosure agreement if, as it appears to be the case, the agreement is with the National Restaurant Association.

    However, still being objective, Cain could disavow the position staked out by his campaign manager and categorically support waiving the non-disclosure agreement. If the interested parties (Cain, and the accuser[s] ) agree to waive the agreement, the National Restaurant Association will have no legal exposure in waiving it.

    As it now stands, as Streiff has pointed out, Cain’s campaign manager’s position is it is none of their business, it is only the business of the National Restaurant Association and the accusers. And since release without Cain’s agreement might subject the Restaurant Association to legal action by Cain, release isn’t going to happen unless Cain agrees.

  • Calvin Dodge

    Sorry, but the military (whether it’s the Air Force or the TANG) does NOT let “dumb” people fly jets, whether they’re C-130s (Perry) or fighters (GWB).

    If you want to discuss Perry’s debating ineptitude, fine – but debating or speaking styles have little to do with intelligence (or governing ability), as demonstrated by the well-spoken but utterly incompetent current President.

  • edintexas

    Newt has enough political/policy baggage anathema to Conservatives. There’s no need to delve into his marriages.

  • cbartlett

    Thought I was the only one thinking this. The timing of Cain’s mess is just too coincidental. Perry has ALWAYS done better in one-on-one interviews than he does in debates. So he has two fairly decent interviews in 4 days and not one word is repeated, not discussed, and completely overshadowed by Cain’s disaster. How many times a day, all week long did Fox show clips from the debates? Why did these interviews get NO coverage at all? And to top it off, people are feeling sorry for Cain now and contributing piles of money. I think I agree with EE – stuck on stupid is pretty accurate. Is there any hope for this country when we constantly have to choose the least worst candidate?

  • edintexas

    Politico is respected with the Left leaning. It is not respected by Conservatives now, and will not be in the future. I’m not sure where you get the idea that Politico is anything other than a blog for the Democrats. albeit somewhat kinder and gentler than Moveon.

  • edintexas

    Romney light? Or is it vice versa? I will give him eloquence – and without a teleprompter, unlike the current eloquent occupant of the Oval Office.

  • carolynr

    I didn’t get the exact quote..but you all heard this. Who do you think that the GOP and the Washington Elite…either party…DON’T WANT TO SEE COMING? Rick Perry. What the heck was the TPM about anyway? It was about the policies of Rick Perry BEFORE the TPM was even in existence.

    Know what…I am PO’d. Yeah…I am a Perry fan and I know that he can turn this country around. Herman Cain…I have gone to his events…listened to him…but now…I don’t like him much anymore. Poor victim Cain. Nothing Burger, EE. I don’t think so. Where there is smoke there is fire. Oh…he so religious…well so was the Reverend Jim Baker and he wound up in jail. Oh…he’s a person of color…I AM SO SICK OF HEARING THAT I CAN VOMIT.

    Rick Perry had a great interview and all we heard about what POOR HERMAN. Herman…get your answers straight and perhaps the media would leave you alone…and while you are at it…Herman…with the 999 that nobody can really understand BECAUSE IT IS A TAX INCREASE ON THE POOR…China has been a nuclear power since 1964.

    DO YOU WANT THIS PERSON IN THE WH. Now … people…I want to hear about solutions. Fox News has turned out to be the very thing they have accused the MSM of….bias. Herman, with your remark today about the Perry camp, where in you stated “ABSOLUTELY” that you knew where it came from…Well…ABSOLUTELY…WE’D LIKE YOU TO CLEAN HOUSE AND GET ON WITH THE CAMPAIGN…We’ve had it.

  • cbartlett

    I have very little respect for anyone who thought Clinton ever had enough brains to be president. Thanks for posting the link.

  • edintexas

    It wasn’t even doing a commercial with the Wicked Witch of the West. It was buying into the Anthropogenic Global Warming scam. And wanting an “altered” individual mandate on health insurance. And wanting a national database of everyone’s medical records (which only the government could mandate and maintain – for every hacker in the world to look at), which would, of course, be paid for by taxpayers – but if it saves one life… And supporting D. Scozzafava in the NY-23 Special Election. And bad-mouthing the Republican Senate nominee in DE. And supporting Charlie Crist in FL, though I will give him credit for withdrawing that support when it became unmistakably clear that Crist would lose.

  • edintexas

    Or at least I hope that was just a sarcastic comment on the excuse(s) being offered.

  • cbartlett

    This petty stuff is really getting in the way of trying to solve very serious problems in this country. Can we please just get the candidates views on the REAL issues? All we are doing right now is giving the Dems ammunition to use against whichever candidate survives all of this name-calling garbage.

  • tyman

    Slick Willie!

  • tyman

    For everyone that’s complained about Rick Perry supporting Algore in 1988, remember that Bill Clinton chose Algore because he was the conservative and had the family values that Clinton lacked to balance the ticket.

    Everybody knew that Bill Clinton was a sleazy liberal campaigning as a moderate.

  • retire05

    Cain has been on Fox so much the last three days I am beginning to wonder if they laid a bunch of commentators off and have to fill slots. I am just waiting for the Cain Show. Fox can call it “The Untouchable.”

    I remember last week when Dick Morris was on. He commented that it wasn’t the Tea Party, or conservatives, that would influence the primaries, but people like him, Bill O’Reilly and Fox. That may have been a slip, but I think Morris actually believes that.

    It bothered me that Fox harped on the rock story for a week, never bothering to get Perry on to discuss it. But the minute the Cain story came out, Fox had him on, at 7:00 a.m. the next morning. And he has been on almost non-stop.

    I think you premise of pre-emptive responses from the Cain campaign when Perry is scheduled to give a high-value interview is correct. But the proof, for me at least, will come if Perry is scheduled to give another high-value interview and Cain intercepts it again.

  • avagreen

    He just gets worse to get attention.

  • deVere

    But it is at variance with what Jackie Battley Gingrich said to the press in the early 1980s. And Newt’s daughter is a Republican consultant.

    You believe whatever you like. I’ll stick with what I in good faith believe to be the truth.

    And it’s not good when a supposed Republican tries to cyber-bully a real Republican.

  • Martin Knight

    Newt’s daughter says that’s not what happened – that her father and mother sat her and her sister down and told her they were separating some months before the infamous hospital visit.

    You are calling her a liar … because you were there?

  • deVere

    Newt was Southern regional coordinator for Nelson Rockefeller?s last presidential campaign, made an infamous ?climate change? commercial sitting on a love seat with Nancy Pelosi, endorsed ultra-liberal Dede Scozzafava, and denounced Paul Ryan?s conservative budget proposal as ?right-wing social engineering? (and then “apologized”).

    I?m convinced that deep in his heart Newt is a big-government Republican, not a conservative. I?m supporting Rick Perry, but if forced to choose between Mitt and Newt, I?ll reluctantly choose Mitt, who at least doesn?t have the personal baggage to encumber him,.

  • deVere

    I wouldn’t insult you as you’ve insulted me by calling you a credulous fool. After all, it’s always possible you are a paid advocate, and even barely possible you could be right. I would never suggest that my opinion of people and events is absolute. It is just my opinion, based on a lifetime of experience.

    Here’s the daughter’s statement:
    http://townhall.com/columnists/jackiegingrichcushman/2011/05/08/setting_the_record_straight

    It’s true as she says that the tumor removed that day was benign. However the tumor previously removed was malignant, and her mother was a cancer patient receiving follow-up treatment, and when Newt went to the hospital he had no way of knowing the tomor removed that day was benign. Why do you think the daughter failed to mention those relevant facts? I infer that she is writing as an advocate for her father, not to present the truth in all its aspects.

    As to her statement that her mother requested the divorce, that is at variance with what the press reported that her mother said at the time of the divorce, and what the press reported that Newt said at the time of the divorce.

    My opinion is that apart from his unsavory personal life, Newt Gingrich is also a big-Government Republican. So while I support Rick Perry for President, my second choice is Mitt Romney, another big-government Republican who at least has a clean personal life (it’s the tie-breaker for me).

  • Martin Knight

    [nt]

  • http://www.AmericanThinker.com Hammer2008

    It’s not in their nature to go on the attack against liberals.