Mitt Romney: Allegations against Cain must be “addressed seriously” (WATCH VIDEO)

Hotair ^ | 11/08/2011 | Ed Morrissey

[SeekAndFind]

Was it wise for Mitt Romney to offer any opinion on Herman Cain’s campaign crisis? Romney tells George Stephanopoulos in an interview today that he finds the allegations “serious” and particularly disturbing,” although Romney declines to answer whether they are disqualifying if true. All he says in that regard is that Cain has to address the allegations directly:

Mitt Romney today for the first time characterized sexual harassment allegations facing fellow GOP candidate Herman Cain as “particularly disturbing.”

“These are serious allegations, George,” said Romney in an exclusive interview with George Stephanopoulos that aired on ABC News and Yahoo. ”And they’re going to have to be addressed seriously. I don’t have any counsel for Herman Cain or for his campaign, they have to take their own counsel on this.”

“Any time there is an accuser that comes forward with charges of this nature you recognize this is a very serious matter and it should be taken seriously,” said Romney.

There is a strategic concept that argues against getting in the way of an opponent’s collapse, and for good reason. Let’s say Cain’s campaign survives these allegations and goes on to contend in Iowa. Will Romney’s commentary help him convince Republican voters to peel away from Cain? Almost certainly not; he’ll be seen as opportunist, and his comments an unnecessary shot while Cain was trying to defend himself. If the allegations end up sinking Cain, it won’t be because Romney spoke out, either, and it makes Romney less likely to convince former Cain supporters to support Romney instead. Granted, that’s not a terribly likely outcome, but that’s what Romney is supposedly campaigning to achieve, right?

Sometimes the best move one can make is to stay out of an argument, especially when one has no direct connection to the issue involved. All Romney needed to say here was, “I’m concentrating on my own campaign, and you should direct those questions to Mr. Cain.” Or to paraphrase one elder statesman a few years back, Romney missed a good opportunity to shut up.

[USNBandit]

Gingrich is doing the same. I get the impression they both think Cain is slipping all these punches and they need to capitalize on the moment while it lasts.

[not2worry]

Herman Cain supported Romney in 2008.

Now Romney throws Herman Cain under the bus.

I will not vote for Romney if he is on the GOP ticket.

Romney would sell out his Mother if he thought it would put the title President of the United States of America in front of his name.

This is another reason I hate Politicians!

[Psycho_Bunny]

As soon as you address being a Liberal, Mitt....

[jessduntno]

Say, I’ve been out of town...what do FReepers think of this Mitt Romney fellow, anyway?

[SeekAndFind]

It would be a rarity to see at least one candidate say this : “Herman Cain is innocent until proven guilty and until he is shown to be guilty beyond reasonable doubt, I will deem him to be innocent”.

Somehow, I don’t see any candidate on the GOP front who is that magnanimous.

Wait till THEY get accused falsely of sexual harassment, we’ll see how they react.

[not2worry]

Interesting how all these GOP Establishment Politicians are pushing Herman not only to the back of the bus but are now throwing him under it!

One reason I support Herman Cain. He’s not a “what’s in it for me” Politician.

Right now I am so fighting mad I wouldn’t vote for anyone but Herman Cain!

[goseminoles]

You’re joking right?

[not2worry]

I’ve got one nerve left this afternoon - but you’re not going to get it!

LOL

[Jeff Head]

I believe Cain will address this issue directly in his press conference today, convincingly denying these sordid allegations. He will explain himself and let us know a lot more about this woman. She has a checkered history and a huge credibility problem.

Once he does that he needs to simply move on, and get back to his campaign...ignoring the hullabalou. The left is going to keep parading such individuals out...as many as they can find who will do so. Any new ones that have an actual accuser with a specific story come along...handle them the same and then move on.

As long as he does this, and there is nothing but this taudy he said she said allegations with nothing substanative, most people will stay with him because they know a hatchet job when they see one.

STAND WITH HERMAN CAIN AGAINST THE SMEAR CAMPAIGNS BEING WAGED AGAINST HIM

[DarthVader]

Yes Myth and so will the plot behind this. The guilty will be punished.

[exist]

Well this was the straw the broke the camel’s back. Mitt will never get my vote.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I will not vote for Romney if he is on the GOP ticket.

I'll take it one step further.

If Myth is the GOP nominee, I will vote for Ubama.

A President Ubama would be gridlocked by a Republican Congress.

A President Romney would have a green light to implement all his socialist wet dreams.

Plus, on Day One of Ubama's second term we could commence with the investigations and special prosecutors of Ubama's chicanery.

[DBrow]

So Mitt, the Conservative, is using the old liberal smear lines.

“It’s the seriousness of these allegations that lends me to believe we need an investigation”.

[NEMDF]

That is what I have been thinking. Let’s say, this all leads to Cain’s downfall, and Romney (God fordbid) winds up with the nomination. What is he going to do when the 0bama machine comes up with some baseless accusations in the last three weeks before the election, and keep people on all the MSM, all over the country, fanning the flames for weeks?

[Tomato lover]

Hello ‘not2worry,’

“Herman Cain supported Romney in 2008.

Now Romney throws Herman Cain under the bus.

I will not vote for Romney if he is on the GOP ticket.

Romney would sell out his Mother if he thought it would put the title President of the United States of America in front of his name.

This is another reason I hate Politicians!”

Worth repeating! Very well said.

Cain has our votes!

[bobby.223]

So you would have voted for mitty before this?

[Riodacat]

The guilty will be punished.

They rarely are....

[Luther1917]

“particularly disturbing.”

I find it particularly disburbing knowing that while better men than McRomney were fighting and dying in Vietnam, McRomney was calling himself a “minister” and knocking on people’s doors overseas trying to recruit new members to the Morman Church.

I also find it particularly disturbing knowing he supported homosexual marriage in Mass. I also find it particularly distburbing when he tried to convince the voters of Mass that he was for a woman’s right to murder her own unborn children and ran to the left of Ted Kennedy. I also find it particularly disturbing when he put the state of Mass on a mandatory socialized medicine program, which is the model for ObamaCare. I also find it particularly disturbing when he tried take away citizen’s guns in Mass and campaigned as an anti-gun liberal.

As a matter of fact I find everthing this old leftist has ever done in politics as particularly distburbing.

For the good of American please resign from the presidential race. You have tried for years to destroy the republican party with your brand of New England Elitist RINO politics. You nauseate all conseratives.

[truthfreedom]

Perry Operative Chris Wilson Accuses Cain Of Sexual Harassment…To Politico, Of Course
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2804047/posts