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
He has a foreign policy “framework”, it’s on his web site under his common sense solutions.
But his answer (for those who missed it is here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2720495/posts ) is right. It may not be popular but it is the right thing to say because it is the TRUTH. He is not privy to the classified information and the military experts to make specific plans.
He compares it somewhat to going into Godfather’s - he went in with very general ideas and principles, but he didn’t formulate a strategy until he went into the stores and talked to the people on the front line (managers and employees). It’s common sense and it’s a businessman/problem solver way of looking at thing. I’m sorry but career politicians have made a MESS of our foreign and domestic policy. I’m ready for someone who knows how to do more than talk.
I was proud to vote for Herman Cain in 2004 and I would be proud to vote for him in 2012. If he had gotten elected to the Senate instead of RINO Johnny Isakson we would be better off today.
How could Cain have voted for Tarp? He wasn’t in Congress when it came up for a vote. Seems like you are among those who are spreading misinformation about Cain on this point.
Why go after this guy about Tarp anyway? The Republican Party supported, President Bush supported it, the GOP nominee McCain supported it, Sarah Palin supported it.
Washington DC pretty much forced it down our throats with help from the GOP. If the GOP had not supported it, it could not have passed. So the issue is moot.
Holy friggen crap, dude. (I cleaned that up A LOT from my initial reaction). Why does skin color come into it at all? Conservatives don't see skin color, they see character and actions and words. And like another pointed out, Cain didn't have a vote on TARP. I don't know what kind of point you were making on that.
A very good analysis, one that I very much agree with. My own thinking is if we don’t pick a conservative candidate and back them now the Republican elites will pick one for us (Most likely Romney, because it his turn that’s how the pick them)and that means four more years of ‘Bammy’ and this country will be torn apart by four more years of his ‘un-leadership’. Someone posted yesterday the history of the United States is filled with unlikely heroes often virtually unknown individuals who stepped forward in our times of great crisis to lead us through them. I believe that Herman Cain is such a person.
And I was just stating MINE.
I would point out to others, that outside the few who express that concern on FR, the fact that he has not held political office is being seen as a very big positive for him.
Herman Cain just as any other raggs to riches person who earned his money legitimately became a legitimate contender a long time ago unlike the illitimate currently living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue who was little more than a typical Chicago mob thug and shakedown artist.
I’m thinking Cain has a legitimate shot. He may well end up on top simply via being the last man standing, not to mention he’s just a great conservative and charismatic as all get out, despite his lack of political experience.
If Palin runs, he’ll have trouble getting on top, in fact both of them would, but, if she doesn’t, Cain may ultimately be the candidate Tea Partiers and evangelicals work together to put on top as the Romney/Pawlenty/Daniels voters split up each others votes.
It would have to be a perfect storm of sorts, but the clouds are building.
And most of Ron Paul’s supporters are too high to make it to the polls, which is why he is stuck in single digits.
I’m in Cain’s camp!
Right now, Cain is my guy. And it’s driving my lib friends crazy! They called me a racist when I tried to warn them about Ubama.
“He doesn’t act weird (contra Perot).”
When I think of Perot, I get this vision of the little guy storming around the Oval Office, Waving his tiny arms around above his head, and squeaking, “Veto! Veto! We can’t afford this! Veto!”
Thanks for the tip! I went to the site and read chapter one in relation to National Defense.
However, I was dissapointed with the lack of any clear direction.
I agree with Mr. Cain that we need the greatest military force on the planet. Many regimes are bent on our destruction. But he did not address either of the 3 wars we are in. He also did not make clear if the national defense is best served with our armed forces securing our borders or by being deployed in at least 135 different nations accross the globe.
He also did not make clear if he belives in Washington’s advice to stay out of the affairs of other nations. I would also like a clearer statement on what our role is in the world, wether we are the police of earth or a beacon and refuge for freedom loving people.
Will it matter when he's running AGAINST a black guy (presuming he won the nomination?)
An AUTHENTIC Black American, one who decended from slaves, who was born here and is from Atlanta, vs. a mulatto of EAST African descent (most American blacks are West African - that's as different ethnically as Greeks and Norwegians are) who grew up in Indonesia and, later, with his lily-white grandparents in Hawaii?
Yeah being a chairman of the KC fed is NOT a good sign
The fed is one of America’s greatest enemies.
That is all true and I am certainly hoping that the tea parties are a history-altering game changer.
If that continues, then Cain might well have a shot.
I am sure hoping for that.
Far from being moot, I think the fact the the Repulican party DID force then down our throst has been a verys seious issue.
Take a look at the entire tea party movement and the elections of 2010. It is not a moot issue.
However, Cain did not vote for it. He’s never held any office.
When the media starts with the attacks on him and his family, we’ll know they see him as a threat.
I think Cain would be a fine President. I like his assertive plain-spokenness.
Wow nice argument.
Cain was KC Fed chairman for two years, during which time the Fed adopted a strong dollar policy. For those who dislike the Fed, it is not smart to never want a fiscal conservative strong dollar advocate on the Fed.
Or would you rather turn it over 100% to weak dollar Keynsians?
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