Unable To Produce More Cain Evidence, Politico's Allen Brags Of Big Number of 'Twitter Mentions'

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

"This is the biggest single Twitter controversy of the campaign. 48,000 mentions!"

That was Mike Allen doing his best "look--a squirrel!" impression on today's Morning Joe. Pressed by Joe Scarborough as to whether Politico had any more details beyond its vague allegation that Herman Cain had made gestures "that were not overtly sexual but that made women uncomfortable," Allen's telling first instinct was to point to the story's popularity on a social networking site.

View the video here.

[Huck]

I actually heard a lot of both those shows yesterday. On Rush, it came up from a caller, and my recollection is that Rush discounted it, and kept his sights on the MSM. That's a predictable reaction from Rush. That's his M.O. to keep his attacks focused on the MSM and liberals.

Levin basically took the same approach. "It's possible." But to me it's more than possible--it's probable. I can't see why liberals would play this card now. They would save it for later. The motive for this is with Cain's GOP rivals.

Romney would be my suspect. He's got the money. He's got the liberal tendencies. And he's not above dirty tricks. Perry and Bachmann would also be suspects, as they also have much to gain if Cain falters.

I can see no reason why the left would play this card now. Can't think of a single reason.

[Huck]

Levin said that both campaigns should question their staffers on this to determine if any of them were involved.

This is silly. That's like saying Don Corleone should question Sonny, Mike, and Fredo to see if they've been bribing politicians. Whatever campaign did this did so knowingly.

[Huck]

Here's Limbaugh. He basically discounts it, and pivots:

I suppose that it's possible that a Republican could be behind this. I doubt it because The Politico was used. If a Republican were behind this, I think a different publication would have been used. This is so liberal. Watch these people, listen to these people talk about a campaign commercial with a guy puffing on a cigarette. These people, I'm gonna tell you something, the American left and the Democrat Party and the media are so out of the mainstream of life in this country, while at the same time thinking they define it. Who but a bunch of absolute crazed feminazis could go nuts here over gestures?

[Hacklehead]

“The Obamabots would have held onto this until the last 72 hours of the campaign.”

That was the old strategy. The new more effective strategy is to disqualify strong candidates early so you don’t ever have to run against them. Better to eliminate them before the primary before they build a strong following.

[Redleg Duke]

It has Rove's fingerprints all over it.

Obama's minions will be pushing former Godfather Pizza employees as "Cains' Victims" next year during the general election.

[Huck]

Sorry to keep pinging you...hope you don't mind. Read Limbaugh's quote. It makes NO sense. If a GOPer were behind this, would he want his/her fingerprints on it? What's he gonna do? Go to National Review??

It makes perfect sense to me that a GOP campaign would do this through liberal channels. Hell, they could send an anonymous tip from a Gmail account! Of course it's made to look like it's coming from the left.

And maybe it is. I just can't think of a reason why they would do it. Unless you think the left wants to take Cain out. I don't believe that at all. I think they'd love to face Cain.

[tgdunbar]

re Cain’s handling of the matter, while it does seem that he could be handling it better, there is also the possibility that there’s some ‘rope a dope’ going on if the accusations are really as silly as Cain asserts.

[Matchett-PI]

Of course “he doubts it”, as does Levin, but they both say it is a possibility. That’s all I was saying.

[Matchett-PI]

Yopu wrote: “..It makes perfect sense to me that a GOP campaign would do this through liberal channels....”

I don’t disagree that it would make sense. Here is what I wrote yesterday:

To: Luther1917

“The democrats have no reason to spread garbage about Cain. They don’t worry about Cain. Karl Rove has been known to use every lowlife tactic in the world to gain the advantage. ...”

This is the type of thing RATS would do just days before the general election, leaviing almost no time for the accused to respond.

Timing is everything. At this particular TIME, those who have the most to gain from this smear of Cain are the Romney and Perry Campaigns.

Just sayin’...

25posted on Monday, October 31, 2011 12:44:51 PMby Matchett-PI
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2800335/posts?page=25#25

[Huck]

Of course “he doubts it”, as does Levin

"Of course" because that's how they use their megaphone, not "of course" because it's unlikely. If you look at the timing, the motive for doing this is among Cain's GOP rivals. But you're right---it's not surprising that Levin and Rush don't want to talk about that and would rather keep their sights on the left.

but they both say it is a possibility. That’s all I was saying.

Grudgingly, and only because callers brought it up. That's what I'm saying. Anyway, I won't bug you about it anymore. Thanks for the chat.

[Huck]

I see we are in agreement. Thanks for showing me that post. Have a nice day.

[muir_redwoods]

Big deal. I’ve read the accusations and it’s not like Cain bankrupted a great nation or anything. He’s still way better than the ignorant child holding the office today.

[Matchett-PI]

You’re welcome! You have a great day, too!

[muir_redwoods]

I’ll bet you a large cup of coffee that Rove is behind this

[Tex-Con-Man]

The occupiers hate corporate America.

In corporate America, a woman can complain about a “perceived” innuendo and win some lovely parting gifts.

In OCCUPY America, a woman is expected to quietly endure rape for the greater good.

Some questions for Mike Allen and all the investigative journalists at Politico...
Would your daughter be safer at a corporate job or at an occupy protest? And why wouldn't that be a much more important political story? Real sexual assault is occurring at these events, and the real victims are being told to shut up about it...isn't that story worth a twitter count?

[KarlInOhio]

I can't see why liberals would play this card now. They would save it for later. The motive for this is with Cain's GOP rivals.

The Obama campaign could have some internal polling numbers that say the Cain Train will split the black vote and end up being a landslide if he gets the nomination. If the numbers are bad enough, they may have played this card earlier than they wanted to get Romney or Perry back in the lead.

Romney would be my suspect. He's got the money. He's got the liberal tendencies. And he's not above dirty tricks. Perry and Bachmann would also be suspects, as they also have much to gain if Cain falters.

Romney is my top suspect too. Perry is next to try to set himself up as the main anti-Romney candidate which he was for his few weeks of fame. I could also see Ron Paul supporters behind it because they have that special combination of fanatic and crazy that you don't see very often.

[Huck]

I could also see Ron Paul supporters behind it because they have that special combination of fanatic and crazy that you don't see very often.

LOL. That's an excellent point, amusingly put. RP slipped my mind altogether, but I could see that. Certainly some flamethrowers in his camp, not above this sort of thing.

[driftless2]

If it ever comes outs, and it most probably will, who was the instigator, that person’s campaign, if it’s a Republican, will be finished. It would be utterly stupid of any of the Pubbie campaigners to do something like this. That doesn’t mean I don’t think they wouldn’t do it, but it would be so counter-productive to border on terminal stupidity. Leaks are all eventually found out. More likely a friend of one of the candidates. I don’t think Romney or Perry are that stupid to initiate it by themselves.