A candidate's prospects for success in a primary campaign have nothing to do with poll numbers at this point. They have everything to do with the candidate's ability to put the machinery of a competitive campaign in place. Cain hasn't done it, can't do it and isn't even trying to do it. He hasn't got the resume that can draw the personnel it takes to create a big-time campaign. Even If he could find the people, he couldn't pay for them. His fundraising base is nowhere near equal to the task of winning a major party nomination. It isn't happening for him. No way, no how.
Even if Cain could build a serious campaign he wouldn't be a serious candidate. He has already started wilting in he spotlight. His endorsement of the WaPo’s ridiculous rock smear on Perry was pathetic. His signature 999 plan isn't even half baked. He knows very little about geopolitics (Right of return? Huh?) He has a tin ear that comes from preaching to the choir as a media personality who never has to build coalitions in the political arena (”If you don't have a job, it's your fault”) Cain has none of the political skills a President needs and very few of the skills a candidate needs. His only relevant skill is this: He knows how to rev up a small slice of the Republican base by telling them what they want to hear. That's not enough, not by a long shot.
He is only riding as high as he is right now because he's the latest candidate to embody “none of the above.” He can't sustain his current position, let alone build on it. The Republican electorate will come to terms with its disappointing choices and select from the short menu of two serious candidates. Herman Cain will go back to flacking books. In fact, he already has.
Having wasted vast amounts of energy on the phantom candidacy of Sarah Palin, too many here at FR are now eager to waste some more on another phantom candidacy. It has been clear for months that Sarah Palin hadn't tried to build a competitive campaign and so either wouldn't be running or wouldn't be running with any chance of winning. But many of us waited with bated breath for Sarah to save us anyway. We really should learn not to be so gullible in the future. Conservatives can't be effective when they're fully occupied chasing rainbows.
Cain might as well not be running. Like Sarah Palin he hasn't done any of the things that make for a successful campaign. Sarah at least could have done so. Cain can't. He's just occupying space and wasting everyone’s time. We all need to get back to the serious business of beating Romney and Obama. Herman Cain isn't going to play an important role in that business and it's high time for everyone to recognize that.
Spoken as someone who has done absolutely NO research on the man, his speeches, his writings, his resume or his platform.
You didn't get very good marks in the 'Plays well with others' category, did you?