Posted on 10/23/2011 2:56:22 PM PDT by Steelfish
Cain, Now Running as Outsider, Came to Washington as Lobbyist
SHERYL GAY STOLBERG October 22, 2011
WASHINGTON — Herman Cain, the Republican presidential candidate with the sharp wit and easy-to-remember tax plan, is a cancer survivor, radio host and former chief executive of Godfather’s Pizza. On the campaign trail, he talks up his business experience, casting himself as a “problem solver” and Washington outsider.
But the role that helped propel Mr. Cain into politics was that of an ultimate Washington insider: industry lobbyist.
From 1996, when he left the pizza company, until 1999, Mr. Cain ran the National Restaurant Association, a once-sleepy trade group that he transformed into a lobbying powerhouse. He allied himself closely with cigarette makers fighting restaurant smoking bans, spoke out against lowering blood-alcohol limits as a way to prevent drunken driving, fought an increase in the minimum wage and opposed a patients’ bill of rights — all in keeping with the interests of the industry he represented.
It was a role that gave him an intimate view of the way Washington works, putting him in close proximity to Republican leaders at the time, including Newt Gingrich, now one of his presidential rivals, and John A. Boehner, now speaker of the House. And it helped Mr. Cain lay the groundwork for the next chapter in his life, his entry into electoral politics, beginning with a short-lived bid for the White House in 2000.
Those who knew him then could see his ambitions developing. Rob Meyne, an official at the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, which contributed handsomely to the restaurant group, wrote in a 1999 e-mail to his colleagues that Mr. Cain’s presidential plans were “not totally unexpected.” In the message, part of an online archive of tobacco industry documents, ....
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
So Cain will sweep the LIBERTARIAN vote too. Dang, this guy is too good to be true..
Oh my! He lobbied to PROTECT private business from the over reaching intrusive Federal Government! No wonder the NY Times is in a panic about him!
I enjoy a fine cigar once in a while and love having them after dinner. Now, with all the nannie state laws in place, I feel like some kind of criminal when I travel around trying to find someplace to smoke.
Well now at least the Perry fans have something in common with the New York Times, BOTH of ‘em don’t like Herman Cain, LOL
Debating on national TV with Bill Clinton against Socialized medicine, successfully if I may add, is exactly the type of Lobbyist we need.
By definition, any one pushing for any agenda is a “lobbyist”. There are good lobbyists and there are bad lobbyists. Some one pushing for pro-life issues is a lobbyist. Another one pushing for flat tax is a lobbyist for tax reform. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.
this is so silly it’s hardly worth the effort required to type.
lol
And in 3 years, “Mr. Cain ran the National Restaurant Association, a once-sleepy trade group that he transformed into a lobbying powerhouse.”
But he is inexperienced and naive and stuff and things. ROFL.
Eeeek! A LOBBYIST! Run!
But wait - a lobbyist with Constitutional principles? Um, gee....
My gosh man, how inane can you be? You’ve been here long enough to know better than this.
“So Cain will sweep the LIBERTARIAN vote too. Dang, this guy is too good to be true..”
I know, right? LOL
Just might be fishing for perritos, we shall see if the bait is fresh.
Bwahahah!!
This article makes me admire him even more. I’m a bit fuzzy on what the NRA has to do with a patient’s bill of rights, though.
Previously, for the NYTimes, Cain did not exist. They wrote nothing about him. I guess now that their is a chance he could topple their pseudo-chalenger Romney, they feel compelled to bring out the daggers.
I'm a Perry fan and I don't dislike Herman Cain at all.
I would have too.
Next.
Amen.
How about we let restaurants, and the market, decide whether or not they want to allow smoking?
Many restaurants would opt to ban it, many would not. And everybody would be happy, except the nannystaters.
The Cain fans and NYT have a lot in common as well...they both don’t like Perry.
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