Rock you like a Herman Cain!
Posted on 05/17/2011 7:11:45 AM PDT by justsaynomore
Most of the pundits do not believe Herman Cain has any chance of winning the GOP nomination. As is often the case, the pundits might be wrong. The Georgia businessman is showing signs that he just might be a force in the presidential race. Cain continues to win straw polls around the nation and was declared the winner of the first presidential debate. While tea party groups remain Cain’s base, his appeal is extending across the Republican spectrum.
Cain found plenty of interest among prominent Iowa Republicans Monday. He held private meetings with potential donors, was extremely well received at the State Capitol by Republican legislators, and shared a few minutes with Governor Branstad. That was followed by another very well received speech, as 90 likely caucus goers packed Smokey Row in Des Moines for a town hall meeting.
“Herman seems like the kind of guy that could win,” said businessman and farmer Wendell Eiklenborg following the event. “I’d like to see how he distinguishes himself from Judge Roy Moore on some issues, but I did like what he had to say.”
Iowans are noticing that Cain has a mixture of a lot of the qualities they are looking for in a candidate. The departure of Donald Trump gives Cain the exclusive edge of being the only businessman and non-politician in the race. Mike Huckabee’s decision not to run means Cain has little competition for the best communicator in the race. He has just as much Tea Party appeal as Michelle Bachmann.
Cain, like Huckabee, is a Baptist preacher. When asked during Monday’s town hall if Jesus Christ was his primary counselor, he quickly responded, “Yes”. Cain believes he will pick up some of the social conservative voters who backed Huckabee in 2008.
“I think the social conservatives might split into any number of candidates depending on who they want to support,” Cain told a gaggle of reporters Monday. “I think that my business background, my problem solving ability is what’s going to attract a lot of people. I am socially conservative, so I’ll probably pick up some of those but not necessarily all of them.”
Cain’s speech at last weekend’s Georgia GOP convention was interrupted by more than a dozen standing ovations. He spoke to a larger crowd and received much better response than his fellow Georgian Newt Gingrich. Although Gingrich is much better known, Cain believes he has an advantage over the former U.S. House Speaker.
“What distinguishes me from him is over 40 years of business experience, where he’s had over 40 years of political experience,” Cain said. “And I think over 40 years of business experience is resonating a lot more with people than simply having political experience. Knowing how Washington works isn’t necessarily an advantage. As a businessman going in, I don’t want to know how Washington works. I want to change Washington, D.C.”
Finally, perhaps more than any other candidate, Cain is naturally likeable and seems genuine. He is at ease while chatting with common Iowans. That is not the case with all the candidates. He also has a sense of humor and is able to tell jokes that aren’t scripted for him.
During the middle of his Q and A session at Smokey Row Monday, Cain interrupted himself and asked a man seated near him, “Are you gonna eat the rest of that sandwich?” It was an amusing, off-the-cuff moment that the crowd appreciated. “You can tell I like to have fun,” Cain said as the crowd chuckled.
Joyce Lutz, a retiree from Des Moines, says she will take her time to decide on a candidate, but impressed by Herman Cain. “I liked what he said,” Lutz said. “It was nice to hear that he’s a Christian. That’s a very positive thing.”
Cain is working hard to earn Iowans votes. He has a town hall meeting scheduled for Marshalltown on Tuesday, followed by a Linn County GOP chili cook-off in Cedar Rapids. He will return to the state Friday for the Pottawattamie County GOP’s fundraiser. On Saturday, Herman Cain will hold a rally in Atlanta to announce his official candidacy for the presidency. He remains a long shot, but no candidate has gained more momentum in the past few weeks that Cain. If that momentum continues, Cain very well might be able to win it all.
Photo by Dave Davidson
Sorry, that should read " and those who have made disqualifying bone-headed moves/statements (Gingrich, Romney)."
RE: I bever heard of any of them either. Seriously though, I bever have.
Herman Cain is not Alan Keyes.
Yes, they would be racist. This is due to Obama being
WHITE. Cain is the real deal.
Re: It didn’t work for Alan Keyes.
Herman Cain is NOT Alan Keyes. He is his own man.
I’m taking a very serious look at Cain. I like what I see very much. I can think of only three reasons why he might not get my vote. In no particular order, they are:
1. Palin
2. West
3. Bachman
Wait a minute!! Aren’t Republicans supposed to be racist misogynists? </sarc>
no
I personally think he has no chance.”
There really is no precedent for a Cain-like candidacy going the distance. You are quite correct.
On the other hand: what if some of these sort of fringe characters and non-political class candidates had not been freaks? Buchanan, Perot, Forbes...Trump...each of these guys is in their own unique way really freakish. Each of them has a major turn off factor.
The ONLY turnoff factor that Cain has is lack of government experience (elected, that is).
He doesn’t speak or look weird (contra Forbes). He doesn’t act weird (contra Perot). He doesn’t have extreme views, or, more accurately, he can articulate his conservative views in a more Reaganesque and winsome way (contra Buchanan).
Under no circumstances should he be compared to Alan Keyes. The ONLY thing these two have in common is that they are both black. Pfft.
There is NO precise parallel for Cain’s candidacy.
Can he take all of the good from these guys above, and mold it into one effective, winning campaign?
I don’t know.
More realistically, I doubt it.
But it is exciting for this moment to think about it...and hope for it.
Did I mention this article is in the Iowa Republican? That IS significant. They have pretty much ignored him up until now, even though he is being well received there since January.
“Unelectable” is the new buzz word used by the media-government complex to dismiss any non-statist candidates. These are the only ones that interest me.
The question is flawed. Herman Cain is as legitimate a candidate as any other hopeful.
The real question is, does he have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning the nomination? At this point, I’m not convinced that he does.
I read a good article yesterday with Mr. Cain’s response to his non-positions on Afganistan and foreign policy in general.
He quite honestly said he doesn’t have answers because he hasn’t heard all of the information.
If Mr. Cain is serious he needs to form a foreign policy framework pretty damn quickly. At least give us some general prinicipals he will adhere to. Is he for international intervention, is he a neo-colonialist, is he a pro isreal etc etc.
I like him and I’m excited when I hear him speak but he needs to get his ducks in a row.
Palin isn’t running, West isn’t running. Bachman has the right ideas, but has a difficult time articulating it. She would have a difficult time articulating her positions but would be a great vp candidate. That leaves Cain and Paul as the only two non-statist candidates out there.
“The real question is, does he have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning the nomination? At this point, I’m not convinced that he does.”
I haven’t quite got that criticism figured out yet. There are just as many people out there saying Palin can’t, and Bachmann can’t. And usually the folks who say it, support another candidate anyway.
So I really don’t let people like you get me down. I’m very excited and will be one of the 10,000 supporting Herman in Atlanta on Saturday. It will be shown live online at http://www.arealleader.com and he will interview with Chris Wallace the following Sunday.
You make some good points from history, but history needs to be put in perspective. Don’t ignore it, but don’t be a slave to it. Consider the things that have happened in the last 3 years that have never happened before:
Never in history have we had the tea party. Never have we had the social networking where someone can become well known over night.
We’ve seen a little known state house rep beat a popular incumbent governor so badly the governor left the party in a senate primary. We’ve seen an incumbent senator lose a primary. We’ve seen the most recent Presidential candidate nearly lose his senate primary.
We’ve seen a Republican take the Kennedy seat and a Republican beat a wealthy incumbent governor in NJ. And we’ve seen more anti government and anti-politician sentiment than maybe ever.
Cain is a total non starter in every election before 2012. But this is 2012. Will he become big time? I don’t know. But it is more possible than ever before.
LOL, like you don’t get to choose whether he is legit or not, you only get to choose whether to vote for him.
By the way, you have no idea how much Cain has raised because he’s not out there touting it.
Second, Romney raised a lot of money in 2008 too, and it didn’t translate into votes. Same with Paul.
I'm not trying to bring you down. I'm just stating my opinion.
I really like Herman Cain, but he's not my first choice for 2012. He passes the conservative ideological purity test for me, but he's never served a term in a political office. If he'd been a state governor, and had a track record of accomplishment in that arena, he'd be on my short list.
Trust me, I'm not infected with any sort of 'derangement syndrome' in regards to Cain.
Positives (for me)
Christian “preacher” (didn't know that)
Fair Tax (I have been a supporter of “The Fair Tax” for 17 years).
Made statements on eligibility issue. (I am a PROUD “Birther”)
Pro Life, defund planned parenthood
Anti Obamacare
Pro border security
Drill, Baby, Drill
Supports Israel
Negatives (for me)
His health (serious colon and liver cancer only 4 years ago)
He is Black
In an anti Obama campaign, against our first Black president, which turned out to be a DISASTER, will America vote for another Black man for president?
Before you go all David Gregory on me and call me a racist, I am just stating an OBVIOUS fact. Fair or not it is REALITY.
Now I will say, it could turn out to be a positive, in that he is not “half” Black, some (remains to be seen how many), Democrat Blacks may vote for him. The white guilt people will vote for him, other Democrats and Independents may be able to abandon Obama (the first Black president) for a Black Republican.
He voted for TARP and doesn't regret it
He has NO government experience.
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