Posted on 11/24/2011 2:39:23 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
So, it’s no secret that Herman Cain has experienced a jaw-dropping dip in the polls – and not because of the competition. We’re all familiar with the inexplicable statements and his take on controversial positions … several out of error, misinformation and/or misunderstanding of certain issues that a man running for president maybe ought to know. Political prognosticators are saying that his continuous flubs and gaffes are to blame for his falling from top spots in Republican polls more so than allegations that he sexually harassed and assaulted women in his past.
For a guy presumably wanting the title of Commander-in-Chief, the faux pas’ are serious and damaging enough for some to call into question his readiness for the job. Some of his excuses about being tired, for example, as the reason for delayed thoughts on President Obama’s handling of Libya during a recent interview, just won’t fly. After all, national security calls will very likely come in the middle of the night after very little sleep
But the flubs are just that – flubs. They should not be representative of Herman Cain’s intelligence – or lack of it. Whether caused by fatigue, failing to brush up on issues he’s not firm on or reluctant to give interviews, nothing Cain says should define his past and his brilliance as a highly educated scientist and business man.
Seriously. How many Americans have a bachelor degree in mathematics or a master’s degree in computer science? How many can use their knowledge of applied physics to study and analyze the motion of missiles or projectiles of all types and the conditions that influence motions of weapons on behalf of the United States Navy? That’s not knowledge you can pick up in trade school easily.
Dumb and Cain should not be in the same two sentences.
Admittedly, he is guilty of having a limited world view. And, perhaps, he should fraternize enough with people of all faiths to know that American Jews, Sikhs, Muslims, Catholics and Evangelical Christians all want the same thing: to work, raise their families and be good citizens.
Had he been more exposed to diverse friends, he may not have declared that he’d be uncomfortable having a Muslim in his hypothetical future Presidential cabinet.
Had he been exposed to more hard working immigrant Hispanic families that are just like his, he may not have been so quick to pander to the legions of Americans frustrated with the illegal immigration problem in the nation. He wouldn’t have joked about plans to build an electric shock fence on the Mexico-US border.
Had he traveled more and been more widely read in history and foreign policy, he might have told Christian Broadcast Network’s David Brody that he doesn’t knowing much about other nations including who the president of a fictional “Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan” is or might have known that China already has nuclear weapon capabilities.
All of these flubs and gaffes don’t prove that Herman Cain is dumb as some are claiming. All it reveals is that he may not have a firm grasp on certain topics and doesn’t have the media team or isn’t listening to his team well enough to bone up on areas he is unfamiliar with.
It may be helpful to note that expert campaigner Mitt Romney doesn’t do too many media interviews and will rarely speak impromptu or reply to a random reporter’s question yelled at him on the trail. He’s disciplined.
Granted, that is what makes many people hate the man: being so rehearsed, established, polished, controlled (a.k.a. boring) and robotic. It has kept Romney from getting caught in any gotcha moments, especially given he has a record and reputation of flip flopping. You can’t flip flop if you’re not talking. You can’t contradict yourself any more once you limit your speaking roles to the confines of an organized debate whilst you’ve gone over your talking points and know them like you know the freckles on your face.
But what Romney lacks as a candidate whom many Republicans are willing to embrace is what makes Cain so appealing. He is charming and likeable. Cain’s humility and folksiness, a similar trait which has garnered Sarah Palin many fans, have helped elevate him to where he is now.
He is the anti-arrogant intellectual. He has the quintessential bootstrap story. Cain, who once cleaned toilets and flipped burgers at Burger King, is prototypical all-American: anyone can rise to the top with strong work ethic and dedication. You cannot grow up in a household where your dad worked three jobs as a janitor, driver and barber to feed the family and not appreciate the value of hard work.
Black pundits have pontificated that perhaps Cain is ashamed of being Black or of selling out to “the man” especially after he went on CNN and said Blacks are brainwashed against Republicans.
But, he knows his Blackness very well. The man never said he wasn’t Black.
Cain once told a policy review team, “Because I am a Black American, I’ve had to perform better than my White counterparts. This is a personal standard that I’ve set for myself: I’ve got to perform a little better in order to get the same opportunity. I can’t just be as good; I’ve got to be better. It should not be this way, but it is.”
A man who still mentors young Black youth isn’t one people can say hates his people. Several of his critics haven’t volunteered at all for anyone, nor done much for their own people. Yet, they cast plenty of stones.
A man who once sat on a Congressional Economic Growth and Tax Reform Commission and promised that his industry would give welfare recipients jobs, training and a chance to gain economic success isn’t one who doesn’t want other Blacks to succeed and do well.
There are different types of “smart”: intelligent smart, street smarts, book smarts, job-readiness smart, quick-on-feet-thinking smart. Cain is a few of these above, but – certainly – he is anything but dumb.
Those saying otherwise obviously aren’t smart enough to read up on the man and his accomplishments.
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Jeneba Jalloh Ghatt represents small, women, and minority owned business and technology companies at The Ghatt Law Group LLC, the nations’ first communications law firm owned by women and minorities. She's won landmark cases on behalf of her clients which include national civil rights and public interest organizations. In addition to actively authoring several blogs, being a radio show host and sitting on the boards of three non-profits, she is a tech junkie who has been developing online web content since the very early years of the Internet, 1991 to be precise! Follow her on Twitter at @Jenebaspeaks, on her blog, Jenebaspeaks, which covers the intersection of politics and technology or on her Politics of Raising Children blog at The Washington Times Communities section.
Damn this slow internet!
Lonestar is a flat-out racist. She has shown it over and over again.
Ping.
As I have pointed out for a long time, though, this is the seminal damning aspect of affirmative action: that those who are competent will be assumed to be of the same caliber as those who are not. This entrenches racist stereotypes, it does not remove them.
There are those, however, for those who are willing to look, who have accomplished much and would have without the program.
Cain’s done no gaffes as far as I’ve heard. Have only known him to be articulate and well spoken.
Liberals, leftists, live in a world of their own; where nothing makes sense. Their explanations (of why Cain’s not a REAL black man) are convoluted.
Our son was a liberal and voted for Obama; he’s feeling very BETRAYED now. Only those too proud to admit they made a booboo keep pinning their hopes on Obama.
I can’t believe any one on FR would ask that question. The answer is simple, 100 times more money in OWNING a national Pizza chain than a job as rocket scientist.
If Cain, with average intelligence (as you call it) has a net worth upto $6.8 Million, then I must be a duffer because my net worth is no where that. I imagine you are very intelligent and using that superior intelligence you are perhaps worth many times more than Cain.
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/oct/27/news/la-pn-cain-worth-20111027
How can you say any recent president has done a good job?
Nixon gave us galloping inflation which his WIN (Whip Inflation Now) campaign with price controls was a total disaster. Reagan actually tripled federal spending levels in just 3 years. Bush-41 gave us tax increases, Clinton gave us Hillarycare scare but was smart enough to partner with GOP congress later, and Bush-43 gave us prescription meds and Iraq war, both costing Trillions.
I had it with experienced politicians. Time to go for a proven successful businessman.
Frankly, I don’t think that Buffett, Gates or Corzine would get us out of trouble, but what the heck, let’s give Cain a chance!
Hmmmm...net worth equal smarts??
Kanye West - Net worth $70 million
Judge Judy - Net worth $95 million
Jesse Ventura - Net Worth $12 million
Buffet out of those 3 could, but he is not available.
Gates was more a computer programming geek than a manager. Microsoft has been run by a different CEO person than Gates for a very long time.
Corzine has never managed a main street business. He is from Goldman Sachs specializing in making buyout deals.
I woulda liked to see Lee Iacocca run for president. Would have made a great president. Perot was a bit nutty for my taste.
Correcting my typo, 3 years should be 8 years.
In business world, your earnings are usually based on your success rate. So yes, net worth is a good indicator of your business acumen.
Those TV & Movie stars & Wrestling/sports stars are a different situation. There success is very subjective. They are also not known to handle money well.
What this country direly needs is a good economy manger, with conservative core.
He must have had a crystal ball to know that is where he would wind up.
Cain benefited from Jesse Jackson's PUSH program.
When Cain was in BK management program, he didn't qualify to own one.
Art Laffer said that Herman Cain’s tax plan would get the economy booming again.
Arthur Laffer brings reality to 9-9-9 discussion
http://www.northstarwriters.com/2011/10/23/arthur-laffer-brings-reality-to-9-9-9-discussion/
You do know who Art Laffer is, right?
Rush Limbaugh said Herman Cain won the FL straw poll because he’s consistently conservative
http://www.therightscoop.com/rush-herman-cain-won-the-fl-straw-poll-because-hes-consistently-conservative/
Don’t forget, they told us for weeks that whoever won that straw poll would be the nominee.
I usually ignore totally illogical comments. Congrats, your qualified!
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