Herman Cain: pizza boss, radio host, ballistics expert, minister. President?

guardian.co.uk ^ | 8 October 2011 | Staff

[BarnacleCenturion]

He is the latest Tea Party favourite to burst through in the increasingly heated race for the Republican presidential nomination and see their poll numbers rocket them to frontrunner status.

However, unlike previous rightwing darlings such as Texas governor Rick Perry and Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann, wealthy businessman Herman Cain, 65, can claim to be cut from a very different sort of cloth from the average Republican candidate.

First, he is not actually a politician. Cain, whose CV includes being a radio show host, a navy ballistics expert, a Baptist minister and a Federal Reserve official, has never held elected office in his life. His most famous job was as chief executive of the fast-food firm Godfather's Pizza.

Yet none of that seemed to matter to the cheering crowds at the Values Voter Summit in a Washington DC hotel late last week. There was much to celebrate. A Zogby opinion poll had just boosted Cain into first place in the race, with 38% of the vote, compared with 18% for former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. Perry trailed in third place with 12%. The study even showed Cain beating President Barack Obama in a match-up by 46% to 44%.

[jla]

Are you denying that Cain has not been behaving 'peculiar' inre to Romney?
Oh, could you tell me, why do supposed adults feel the need to invoke the site's founder when rebutting a post? Is it your childish way to intimidate someone you don't agree with?

[JDW11235]

I didn’t cite any poll, the article did. Are we not to discuss the article? Maybe you can check the sidebar for other polls you find suitable, like the One where Cain received nearly 5x more than Romney, and nearly 10x more than Perry. Unless you just don’t like their results, then you can fret all you please.

[Yorlik803]

Anymore ,NOT have experience in politics is a big plus.

[Grunthor]

Will you vote for him over Obama?

[ozarkgirl]

By the way, do you Cain supporters share your man's zeal and admiration for Mitt Romney?

Zeal?? This is FR, cite please.

He just said he wouldn't be VP to Perry, does that, in your mind, indicate zeal??

[SubMareener]

Herman Cain has addressed this. We have to stay involved to make sure that 999 is a transition to the repeal of the 16th Amendment and introduction of the Fair Tax. We have a lot of altering and abolishing to do, and we need to get started. If the GOP race is decided early for Herman Cain, then I don't see any reason why 999 can't be introduced into Congress right now.

Another minor point. Interesting that you stopped with the 1920 rates. Those were one of the causes of the Depression of 1920-21. In 1922 they dropped the top rate to 58%, in 1924 to 46%, and in 1924 to 25%. That brought in the Roaring 20's and everyone forgot the Depression of 1920.

[JDW11235]

“Is it your childish way to intimidate someone you don’t agree with?”

Funny, that’s exactly why people claim that anyone that exposes Perry has something to do with Mitt Romney. The fact is that most people dislike both of them.

[Leep]

It will be interesting to see Mr Cain debate Jr.
Mr Cain should constantly say he would be glad to compare his records of accomplishment with Obama’s prior to Ibama becoming President but he can’t find any.
Maybe Mr Cain could read allowed a poem Obama wrote while in college:

UNDERGROUND by BO

Under water grottos, caverns
Filled with apes
That eat figs.
Stepping on the figs
That the apes
Eat, they crunch.
The apes howl, bare
Their fangs, dance,
Tumble in the
Rushing water,
Musty, wet pelts
Glistening in the blue.

[JDW11235]

Perry’s groupies see anything that doesn’t glorify Perry as “pro-Mitt.”

[JDW11235]

Perry’s groupies see anything that doesn’t glorify Perry as “pro-Mitt.”

[tirednvirginia]

Cain wouldnt hire Cain. He didn’t bring Godfathers Pizza back by hiring unproven executives. The people he hired had time tested resumes.

If you dont have a resume of successful experience in the job you are seeking, you don’t get hired.

[McGavin999]

He's an unknown. You ONLY know what he says you have no record of what he has DONE. Just like Obama.

When confronted with a decision you get to see what a man is made of. When confronted with the decision of what to say about the rock on Perry's dad's hunting lease, you got to see what the man was made of. He quickly retreated and then denied he ever said anything.

[HotKat]

That’s disgusting.

[battletank]

“Someone whose expertise is delivering pizzas probably would find the position overwhelming in short order. “

Honestly. How insulting and ignorant! Maybe you just forgot to mention his “rocket science” expertise, or his business executive experience, or any of the whole lot of other experience to bring to the table? And being the head of pizza business is hardly expertise in “delivering pizzas”.

If you don’t like him, fine. But at least be honest in your criticisms!

[TomGuy]

That’s what we need, shoot, Reagan took heat for being an actor,

IIRC, Reagan was elected governor -- twice -- of California -- a rather large state, something like 8th world economy.

[mkjessup]

Are you denying that Cain has not been behaving 'peculiar' in re to Romney?

That isn't the issue. But if you want to talk about who behaves (or behaved) towards who, let's talk about Rick Perry endorsing and supporting Al Gore back in the day, you know, 'back in the day when Rick was a Democrat', would you like that?

Oh, could you tell me, why do supposed adults feel the need to invoke the site's founder when rebutting a post? Is it your childish way to intimidate someone you don't agree with?

You brought up the issue of Cain & Romney, I pointed out to you that JimRob has no problem with Cain, and it would be a safe bet that Cain's past statements regarding Romney are of no concern to our Founder, after all: Sarah Palin's past statements and overwhelming support for that scumbag John McCain were given a pass, now weren't they?

Get back to me on that.

(and it is considered good manners to ping who you make reference to in a post, which is why I'm pinging JimRob AGAIN. You DO believe in good manners don't you?)

[McGavin999]

If you dont have a resume of successful experience in the job you are seeking, you don’t get hired.

America did that very thing in 2008 and look what we got! They won't do that again.

Herman Cain is a great speaker, but he won't get elected and he knows it. He's not even campaigning in Iowa, NH and SC. He's on a book tour. He plans on a career as a motivational speaker pulling down $250,000 a pop or as a FOX personality with a show following Huckabee each week. His intent is NOT to be the nominee but to run as VP.

[SoJoCo]

I’ll take five out of five to be saved from having to vote for a two faced “moderate” again.

I think you'll be disappointed. I just don't think Cain and his wild ideas will win the nomination, much less the White House. And let me hasten to add that I view the possibility of a Romney win of the nomination with dismay as well. The only positive thing one can say about Mitt Romney is that he is better than the alternative. Marginally.

[mkjessup]

Cain wouldnt hire Cain. He didn’t bring Godfathers Pizza back by hiring unproven executives. The people he hired had time tested resumes.

In that case, you have demonstrated that you need to review Cain's resume' because you apparently don't know very much about him.

[KalaSamy]

I just don’t have enough confidence that Cain can do the job to jump on his band wagon. He is too much of an unknown quantity, politically.

You’re right of course ... a man of true character just can’t stand up against Obama ... we’d be better off keeping the devil we know vs. the one we don’t! /sarc