Hmmm,

I find myself in the unusual position of defending Herman Cain. Make no mistake, I abhor his political philosophy, to say the least, he will not have my vote next November.

Well, the current smear campaign against him is unethical and cynical and damages American politics. I mean let us be real: no sooner does the man become the front-runner for the GOP nomination that he has one, then two, then three women allege sexual harassment against him. To me, from the outside looking in:

1. This isn't a coincidence. These allegations didnt' surface when he announced his candidacy. They only started to "pop" once he became a serious contender.

2. These allegations are all of them a decade or more old. Much like the Right tried to smear Clinton over a failed land deal that was many years old at the time, why is this suddenly news? Why should we care?

It looks like a smear to me.


This brings up the fiasco of how American Jurisprudence handles Sexual Harassment in general:

1. Someone can make a claim from the shadows, his/her identity protected. Organizations and individuals tend to pay off to keep things quiet rather than have their reputations sullied. This happened in the 1990s with that restaurant group that Cain headed in the 1990s. Paying off isn't the same thing as guilt. It means you want it to be kept quiet. Nothing more. And, those looking for a payout know this and take full advantage of it. They risk nothing.

2. If the accused fights, and the charges are dismissed, their reputation and career are still in ruins. The charges hit the press, the internet, the 24 hour news cycle. They have to walk the "perp walk". They are judged and condemend by public opninion before the trial, if it ever gets that far! The "accusor" risks nothing, even for the shabbiest of charges, and can walk off into the sunset, cloaked in anonymity.

This isn't justice.

It is also why those that deal in political dirty tricks go to this poisoned well again and again and again.

I don't know the cure, I just know that this isn't any way to choose a candidate, and it sure as hell is nothing like a proper way to discover guilt and determine justice!

---

"Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless, and do no wrong". (Knight's Oath, Kingdom of Heaven)

Seeker,

I consider your words well placed, and, a very apt addition to this post. Just how poisoned is the political process that a person enters it to make money. I am certain that Sarah Palin did so last time around. I'm not so sure about Cain. He seems passionate and angry about the recent turn of events.

Et tu, Brutus?

---

"Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless, and do no wrong". (Knight's Oath, Kingdom of Heaven)

Judging by some of the reports I've read it seems to be elements of his own party that are throwing him under the back of the bus.

---

Sanity is not statistical

Ex,

I'd heard that as well. The Cain campaign acutally accused Perry's campaign of complicity, though they quickly backed off that charge.

Some of the Republican candidates had a Forum (not sure if it was a full debate) and they avoided the subject entirely. I congratulate them for that. The man has been found guilty of absolutely nothing, yet his career in politics could be smashed by allegations of those that throw bombs from the shadows and risk nothing.

---

"Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless, and do no wrong". (Knight's Oath, Kingdom of Heaven)

Ex,

I'd heard that as well. The Cain campaign acutally accused Perry's campaign of complicity, though they quickly backed off that charge.

Some of the Republican candidates had a Forum (not sure if it was a full debate) and they avoided the subject entirely. I congratulate them for that. The man has been found guilty of absolutely nothing, yet his career in politics could be smashed by allegations of those that throw bombs from the shadows and risk nothing.[/quote]

I like this HWNN1961!

nowherenothere: I think of some types of alone-ness as a sounds of silence type of situation... and "smoke" always reminds me of fog... silence in the fog... it is so peaceful.

L'enfer, c'est les autres.

---

Sanity is not statistical

How soon we forget

---

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. Leo Tolstoy

Ah, JJ. So you've changed your mind and wish to share some of your vast insights on American Politics........ or the humor surrounding it. I have great respect for the views of ONE Dane regarding humor:

“Humor is something that thrives between man's aspirations and his limitations. There is more logic in humor than in anything else. Because, you see, humor is truth.”

Victor Borge

---

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. Leo Tolstoy

Met a lass yesterday on the road to Killarney touting her thigh as sporting fingerprints of Cain. Everyone thought it merry.

---

Off to Singapore for a spell!

Yes.

---

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. Leo Tolstoy

Clinton's problem was that he didn't get it off her chest.

This guy's going to need a pretty good lawyer ; I wonder if any of Tiger's guys are free ?

---

Sanity is not statistical

Just curious. Did you feel the same way about Bill Clinton?

---

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. Leo Tolstoy

i can only hope herman cain survives this debacle and wins the republican nomination. he is a fresh face , a self made man ,highly educated but at the same time a down to earth everyday man . a phd in mathmatics, a degree in computer science and a civilian balistics weapons expert with the navy and a self made business man, makes hermain cain more than qualified to lead the country. i can only hope and pray that the grace of GOD and the mercy of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, grants the u.s.a. the blessing, that such a man may once again lead the u.s.a. Your country is in great need at a time of great peril, of such a man.

From the nether world of Chicago politics:http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=47438

As is often the case when politics meets legal wrangling, we may never know the
full story. Howsoever, this is interesting and plausible.

Trivia: Gloria Steinem

Though she was a staunch supporter of Anita Hill and fierce opponent of Clarence Thomas, believing that Thomas had committed acts of sexual harassment against Ms. Hill, she gave her full support to President Bill Clinton when numerous women came forward to accuse him of sexually assaulting them. Most of her critics believed this was the case because Thomas is a conservative Republican, while Clinton is a Democrat. Steinem herself is a lifelong supporter of the Democratic Party.

Personally, I don't see it.

Despite the 24 hour news cycle and even the speed of modern communications it's pretty difficult to dig up decade old settlement cases with a gag order attached to them. The timeline makes me think the information was put out into the public as soon as it had been found and vetted.

The impact of such revelations would have been better after the primary because swing voters are more likely to be influenced by such things. Putting this kind of information out at this point may scuttle his bid, but it doesn't look like it. It would be better to wait until the beginning of the next year (about February) for the heating up of the actual election cycle.

If this thing had been timed and orchestrated it would have been much better organized and backed. The women involved would have been already prepped and their identities released along with the allegations. More sordid details would have been released first rather than giving Cain the time to get his story out first. If it's a conspiracy then it's a particularly feeble one, especially considering that the machines that exist out there to perform such media attacks are well-funded, highly organized and quite slick.

That said, it is the kind of conspiracy that is tailor made for such organizations, and they've certainly picked it up, but even their attention has been lackluster in comparison to such scandals in the past. I don't see any call to reopen investigations. There's no independent council. No state investigations. All the heat appears to be coming from actual facts that contradict his own statements, not a witch hunt. I suspect that's because most people think Cain is something of an empty suit, and his candidacy will be something of an historical blip.

Of course, it's possible that that's all part of the conspiracy. The logic might be that they only whip out the big guns when one is necessary and Cain doesn't warrant that much effort. But that's the conspiracy theory version....

So.......... Would you agree, then, that there is NOTHING a strict fiscal Capitalist Conservative could say that would make him/her an acceptable candidate?

THAT'S the basic difference between what liberals think and what the majority of the American people think.
See congressional elections, 2010, as well as the recent transformations of various state legislatures across the country.

---

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. Leo Tolstoy

Ah...... but the goal is NOT to inspire the left. That's been one of the problems all along. If one tries to make 'liberal' overtures in hopes of getting some of the leftist vote, it's a losing proposition. Who on the left would support someone who only 'plays at' a socialist philosophy? Cain isn't doing that. And it's a good thing. As for understanding the platform of his own party, have you looked at the waning support that Our Socialist President is getting from HIS party lately? It seems he's forgotten their platform as well.

Right now, Obama is losing by significant numbers to a blank Republican opponent. IF any 'debates' are held with open questions, I don't see any way that Obama can provide answers that will be satisfactory for the majority of the American public, whether their other choice is Cain, Gingrich, or - heaven forbid - Romney.

---

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. Leo Tolstoy