[PieterCasparzen]

And then there was that e-mail to the staff about traveling in a car with Mr. Cain: “Do not speak to him unless you are spoken to,” the memo said.

“I found it odd,” said a former staff member who liked to prep Mr. Cain for appearances while driving. The aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, quit not long afterward, citing the e-mail as one of the deciding factors.

Sounds like he had some know-it-all, nervous, trying to be the political-consultant-hero-genius political staffers that kept prattling on every second they were in his presence and he had to actually put it in writing that he needed them to shut their yaps unless he actually asked for their input.

In the car on the way to the event is too late.

Personally, I'd be real clear (as he undoubtedly was), something like: I want advice from advisors at least once a week. But boil it down because I can't spend time reading a new book by everyone every week. Constant chatter is not advice. Make notes as all these world-saving thoughts pop into your mind, then think them through, edit them, summarize them, then report to me on them. Tell me why what you're saying is important.

[hocndoc]

Still, and email is not the way to pass on this sort of information. A phone call would be better and some personal word to the wise face time would be best.

This is clutzy, especially since Cain is selling himself as a folksy, charming guy.