Are the Attacks on Herman Cain Actually Helping Him?

Muny Dews Blog ^ | 5-19-11 | Muny Dews

[Brookhaven]

Anyone can see that there is a concerted effort by Ron Paul supporters to attack Herman Cain. The reason is obvious: Herman Cain's performance in the South Carolina debate sucked the oxygen out of the Ron Paul campaign. Paul--a fringe candidate at best--was depending heavily on making a show in the SC debate to drum up early enthusiasm (and donations) for his 2012 run.

But an unexpected thing happened in the debate. Herman Cain not only won the debate, he dominated it. Ron Paul was reduced to making the most outrageous statments he could think of in an attempt to garner any attention what so ever (calling for the legalization of not just marijuana, but heroin). Ron Paul came away from the SC debate empty handed, and if things don't change that's how Paul will come away from future debates as well. As of now, it looks like the 2012 Ron Paul campaign is (like Newt Gingrich's) DOA.

Any YouTube, news story comment section, or internet forum making any mention of Herman Cain was suddenly flooded with anti-Cain posts. This was no accident. Just spend a little time on any Ron Paul forum and you'll see they're talking about two things: (1) how to support Ron Paul, and (2) how to destroy Herman Cain.

The plan seems to be to highlight Herman Cain's time with the Federal Reserve Bank; portraying it as an evil institution bent on taking over the world along with its Illuminati masters (and no, I'm not being sarcastic; I've seen a number of these posts mention both the Federal Reserve and the Illuminati).

Now for the typical Ron Paul supporter (as well as the fans of George Noory's "Coast to Coast" radio show) this is a powerful argument. But to non-Paul supporters (the 99.8657% of Americans who don't know the correct procedure for folding a tin-foil hat), it doesn't come across as negative at all. In fact, it comes across as a huge positive for Herman Cain.

Without the (unintended) help of Ron Paul's supporters, Herman Cain would still be fighting the stereotype that he's just a "pizza man." But now, he's know across the internet as an expert on the Federal Reserve System, the nation's money supply, macro-economics, and national/international finance. Given that the biggest challenges facing the next president will be financial, this kind of knowlege and experience will be a huge plus for any candidate--again, at lest in the minds most voters (the 99.8657% of voters that are not Ron Paul supporters).

Are the attacks on Herman Cain by Ron Paul supporters actually helping Cain? Yes they are, because they have exposed something about Herman Cain to the public that most people didn't know about--that he has an impressive background at the highest level of fianance.

[Minus_The_Bear]

All it takes is one article in support of TARP for me not to support a candidate.

America is a capitalist country. We should not pick winners and losers based on who is closest to the government.

[mnehring]

What’s funny, the one article everyone references does not mention TARP at all, it mentions is temporary minimal emergency loans and it was said at a time when our side was debating the issue and people were discussing all potential ways to work it, especially when it was a thought it was an external finanical attack.

...what is funnier is your second sentence is an almost word for word quote of what Cain said about TARP.

...what is even funnier is I noticed you have been corrected on this over and over and over here and you keep repeating the same thing...

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Brookhaven.

Anyone can see that there is a concerted effort by Ron Paul supporters to attack Herman Cain. The reason is obvious: Herman Cain's performance in the South Carolina debate sucked the oxygen out of the Ron Paul campaign... Herman Cain not only won the debate, he dominated it. Ron Paul was reduced to making the most outrageous statments he could think of in an attempt to garner any attention what so ever (calling for the legalization of not just marijuana, but heroin)... Without the (unintended) help of Ron Paul's supporters, Herman Cain... [is now known] across the internet as an expert on the Federal Reserve System, the nation's money supply, macro-economics, and national/international finance. Given that the biggest challenges facing the next president will be financial,... Are the attacks on Herman Cain by Ron Paul supporters actually helping Cain? Yes they are...

[Minus_The_Bear]

Actually the article does... Herman Cain says how it would be wonderful for citizens to hold preferred stock of the banks. He also tells "free market purists" to "hush."

Now, he can play John Kerry & say "I was for it before I was against it."

Or he can lie and say he never wrote it and he doesn't even know what TARP is.

Neither are going to work.

[DarthVader]

Ron Paul has no chance whatsoever. He will pull no more than 2-4% of the vote and that’s it.

[taraytarah]

Herman Cain's performance in the South Carolina debate sucked the oxygen out of the Ron Paul campaign... Herman Cain not only won the debate, he dominated it.

Not only does Mr. Cain offer direct and thorough answers, but also a very commanding presence.

Herman's Answers Only Video

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!

[April Lexington]

Magnificent fanny??? Weird.

Hey! Give me a break! I had to get it past the moderators!

[taraytarah]

You’re welcome! His responses reveal an incredibly savvy candidate whose comprehension of practical solutions extends far beyond financial parameters.

[taraytarah]

I had to get it past the moderators!

Point being: 'Palin getting her "magnificent fanny" into this race soon' is a weird comment when referring to one's choice in a candidate.

Sarah Palin in Helen Thomas' body would never work.

[Gvl_M3]

I wanted to make a minor, but important correction, to your comment:

“First, Cain is a real African AMERICAN who shares the American Experience,”

If you ask Mr. Cain, he is an AMERICAN who happens to be black. He has no ties with Africa. He has be very vocal about this on his talk show over the years.

[kidd]

Its got my attention

[Brookhaven]

At the end of the day, the TARP attacks agains Cain will also end up being a net positive for him.

Cain is bound to be attacked eventually by his opponents as a “right-wing, tea-party ideologue”—someone that simply parrots the tea party line without thought. This attack would have some weight with voters, because after four years of having a left-wing ideologue in charge, Americans will be wary of putting another ideologue of any stripe into the White House.

Cain can point to his TARP “support” to counter any charges that he is a right-wing ideolouge (easing the minds of voters wary of ideologues of any kind), and instead make the case that he has came to his positions long before the tea party arrived via serious study of the American economic system (which also has the advantage of being true).

By accusing Cain of having a pragmatic side instead of being a total ideological purist, the Paulanistas have inadvertantly adied Cain.

[truthfreedom]

Before the tea party, which pretty much says the same stuff as Ron Paul, he was getting numbers like these -

Ron Paul in 2008
iowa - 10%
NH - 8%
nevada - 14%
maine - 18%
alaska - 17%
minnesota - 16%
montana - 25%
north dakota - 21%
kansas - 11%
washington - 22%
pennsylvania - 16%
nebraska - 13%
oregon - 15%
idaho - 24%

Again, this was before the tea party, before his son became a top tea party senator, etc.

[John D]

All it takes is one article in support of TARP for me not to support a candidate.

All it takes for me not to support a candidate is for him to blame America for 9/11, but then cut and run also supports gays in the military, puts as many earmarks in as many bills as possible and insists that an under aged girl be allowed to cross state lines in order to get an abortion. There is plenty to of reason NOT to support the surrender monkey.

[John D]

Ron Paul has no chance whatsoever. He will pull no more than 2-4% of the vote and that’s it.

It depends on how many code pinkies and gays he can get to the polls. They are the only ones who can stomach such an anti-American.

[John D]

Montana at 25%? Well I guess queers do like steers.

[Minus_The_Bear]

I have no idea what you are talking about.

If you are still playing the "if you don't support Herman Cain & TARP you must like Ron Paul" song find a different tune.

[Minus_The_Bear]

"At the end of the day, the TARP attacks agains Cain will also end up being a net positive for him.

Cain is bound to be attacked eventually by his opponents as a “right-wing, tea-party ideologue”—someone that simply parrots the tea party line without thought. This attack would have some weight with voters, because after four years of having a left-wing ideologue in charge, Americans will be wary of putting another ideologue of any stripe into the White House.

Cain can point to his TARP “support” to counter any charges that he is a right-wing ideolouge (easing the minds of voters wary of ideologues of any kind), and instead make the case that he has came to his positions long before the tea party arrived via serious study of the American economic system (which also has the advantage of being true).

By accusing Cain of having a pragmatic side instead of being a total ideological purist, the Paulanistas have inadvertantly adied Cain."

_________________________________________

Wow. And you call yourself a conservative?

[John D]

You said you could not support Cain because he somewhat backed part of the tarp. I am just saying I could not EVER support an anti-American surrender monkey who blames America for 9/11. I do not know who you support.