Why I Am Done Defending Herman Cain

US News and World Report ^ | November 11, 2011 | Mary Kate Cary, former Bush 41 speechwriter

[2ndDivisionVet]

People have been asking me all week if conservatives will stick with Herman Cain, but I think he's got a bigger problem than the conservative vote. A lot more women than conservatives vote, and the women I've talked to are finished with him.

There's a new CBS poll which says that 38 percent of female Republican primary voters are "less likely to back him" now that more accusers have come forward. Among all registered voters, CBS reports that Cain has lost support among women since last month—from 28 percent in October to 15 percent now. My sense is that 15 percent of female registered voters remaining as Cain supporters may be a little high, because the poll was conducted before Cain's attorney started threatening any other potential accusers with the notion that they'd better "think twice" before coming forward.

This whole thing is a shame, because so many of us liked Herman Cain's ideas and business experience. I've been defending him for the last few weeks as he spoke out against the anonymous and vague charges. But they're not anonymous and vague anymore. There are faces, and names, and ugly stories to match. As Kathleen Parker put it, three accusers is a trend. Four is a tipping point.

Women who have worked in politics have seen his type before—casual with staff, jocular, kind of schmoozy. Fun at first, but then it becomes clear that they don't think the rules apply to them. After a while, there's an arrogance that sets in. Washington is full of bosses like that. I've worked for several.

Women don't like to talk about being sexually harassed because it's embarrassing. Life moves on and most of us would rather put bad incidents behind us. So for busy women—at least one of the accusers is a single mom with a teenage son—to come forward years later isn't easy. The fact that they're contemplating doing a joint press conference says to me they realize how high the stakes are, after they saw how Sharon Bialek's personal finances and work history were trashed. Safety in numbers.

These accusers who have come forward are about my age, and they seem very credible to me. They're not selling their stories to tabloids. They're not random women from all over the country, like some of former President Bill Clinton's accusers were. They all worked with Herman Cain specifically when he was at the Restaurant Association. They seem believable to me, and right now, he does not. I'm not defending him anymore.

[Jemian]

Thank you. I’m still excited about it.

PS I can’t WAIT to get back on your side of the world.

[Deagle]

What the hell is that you served in Vietnam have to do with my statements or yours?

You seem to be disillusioned to the fact that you are a veteran instead of the fact that you sometimes go a bit left in your attitude. That is what is mainly discussed here - are you a leftist or a conservative?

We are both Veterans but I don’t take that as a plea for understanding or anything else - just a fact of life! You, I’m not so sure...

[lysie]

Excellent!

[humblegunner]

mixing OxyContin and cheap scotch isn’t recommended

I wouldn't know.

But then.. I didn't collect unknown sums of money for Sarah Palin and not need it.

Since she didn't run. So the money wasn't needed.

Like that two million you bragged about collecting.

Which might now be paying for Oxycontin and crack and hookers.

[susannah59]

I think if there was any truth to the present allegations those women would not have waited until now to come forth. I would not have but would have done so as soon as he announced his intentions to run.

I agree with this point completely. If he'd said something outrageous enough to cause me to file a complaint, or put his hands on me, I would not have waited around till he got to the top of the polls; I'd have come forward with my accusations when he was still in the exploratory stage, to let people know what kind of man he was.

I also can't get past the fact that no one else, in all the other places he has worked, has ever filed a complaint (I think we'd have heard about it by now if it had happened). There's no pattern here.

Add that to the fact that I've myself personally witnessed women totally twist and lie about things that were said to them to transform something completely innocent into "harassment" and I just don't believe it.

[MNJohnnie]

This is what pisses me off. These sort of politically motivated attacks discredit and cheapen the seriousness of the issue. Women should be the most angry about these slanderous accusations. It like the boy who cried wolf, it makes people start to automatically doubt the accusers.

[Eldon Tyrell]

I heard Mary Kate Cary is a lesbian.

I also heard she likes to drink.

[onyx]

Yes, you're right, I did!

^5

[AmericanInTokyo]

Total, COMPLETE, ABJECT CAREER BELTWAY INSIDER.

And THAT is NOT "Bearing False Witness".

Here below, I present my case (and keep in mind, this is the year of Grassroots Political Tea Party type Conservative Rebellion against the "Old Order", be it in the Democrat or Republican elite circles. Sorry, very sorry Mrs. Cary, but, YOU LOSE!! We are on to your antics.

Mary Kate Cary is a professional speechwriter specializing in political and corporate communications. Located in Washington, D.C., Mrs. Cary writes for a variety of national political and business leaders. Some of her assignments have included State of the Union responses, Republican National Convention addresses, and domestic and international speeches. She is also a contributing editor at U.S. News & World Report, writing a blog and a biweekly column on politics, and is a regular political commentator on National Public Radio. Mrs. Cary authored over 100 Presidential addresses by former President George Bush, serving as White House speechwriter for President Bush from 1988 to early 1992. She then went on to become spokesman for U.S. Attorney General William Barr, serving in the Office of Policy and Communications at the Justice Department until the end of the Bush Administration. After leaving office, Mrs. Cary became Deputy Director of Communications at the Republican National Committee in 1994. Mrs. Cary now serves as an Advisory Board member of the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum at Texas A&M University. She has taught speechwriting at Georgetown University and Texas A&M. Previously, Mary Kate Cary was a founding member and managing editor of the daily political news service The Hotline during the 1988 primaries, before becoming Senior Writer for Communications for the Bush-Quayle national campaign. She served as a staffer on the ABC News program “This Week with David Brinkley,” and as an aide to Congressman Hamilton Fish, Jr. (R-NY). Mary Kate Cary is immediate past president of the Child Health Center Board at Children’s National Medical Center, and served as a member of the Children’s Hospital Board. She is a member of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation and the executive committee of the Parents Association at National Cathedral School. She is a board member of the Capitol Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Mrs. Cary holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Virginia. She lives with her husband Rob and two daughters in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

[Josephat]

You hint that Cain will be able to prove these allegations false. If that is true he can inflict great damage to the left and its lapdog media. Go Cain.

[RichInOC]

And...yeah. I’d like to tell you I don’t, but yeah. For me not to miss her, we’d have to have a lot higher-quality field than we do now. Right now, if Cain goes splat, I’m writing her in. Because as of right now, the rest of the field either doesn’t have the stuff to win, or doesn’t have the stuff to govern in a way that I (or most of you) should care if they win.

[verity]

"Mrs. Cary holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Virginia. She lives with her husband Rob and two daughters in Chevy Chase, Maryland."

Eldon? lol

[Gabz]

Poor Mary Kate. I’m a woman who spent more than 20 years working in politics. Yeah, there are some jerks, but I actually had less trouble with them than I had with the absolute a—holes in management I dealt with when I worked in radio or the media a—holes I had to deal with in the years I have spent out of media.

[Josephat]

Others seems to be reticent to come forward... Why?

They don’t exist.

[hosepipe]

Cain should apologize for the other things he didn’t do..
then American women can support him again!!!..

The vote of most American women is pretty cheap..
Maybe he could apologize for the 2 trillion dollars he didnt steal from the american people..
then make it almost impossible to trace where that money went..

The bastard should apologize for that..

[2ndDivisionVet]

WTF are you talking about? Left? Where in the Hell did I go left? Please show me? I’m befuddled!

[murron]

Making an inappropriate comment is one thing. Pushing someone’s head into your crotch is a whole different ballgame. He’s not being accused by Buy a Lick of inappropriateness. He’s being accused of sexual assault, and there’s no way I believe this man did that. And I have been a woman in the workplace for many years.

[Rebelbase]

“Crackers for Cain!”

Love it!

[Deagle]

Heh... exactly! The more I learn about the accusers, the more I hate the MSM. Seems that both are in collaboration.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Could you really be that obtuse? I said I “would” raise $2 million dollars for Sarah Palin IF she runs. She DIDN’T run, so I DID NOT fundraise for her. You’ve got to be the biggest $#*+ stirrer since pissant was banned.