I agree with this comment at NRO:
There seem to be three basic camps in the comments at least:
1) “guilty as charged” This group is willing to overlook any and all inconsistencies and weaknesses in the accounts of the women involved and the motivations of the reporters who initially broke the story. This mostly consists of Liberals who voted for and still think John Edwards is a great guy, and Romney/Perry supporters.
2) “What the Frak?” This group looks at what is being reported and being said, and is saying, “Wait a minute, is anything specific going to be said by the people making the accusations?” Many in group 2 are not natural Cain backers, and often say so, but think there ought to be some sort of evidence presented before we crucify the man. This group also has been pointing out the creeping of the storyline which has now progressed (in a week) to sexual assault. The amplitude has gone up, but not the specifics. Having Gloria Allred yell at her client, “Don’t talk!”, as her client is yukking it up with the reporters just adds to group 2 skepticism. This is phony.
3) “It’s a conspiracy” This group, mostly Cain loyalists, through wisdom born of experience know that this is how you kill a candidate. The whole way this has played out is very formulaic...long on innuendo, short on verifiable/falsifiable facts. (such as remembering what suit they both wore, what you had to drink, and the shoes the hotel bartender was wearing at 6:30pm, but only remembering that Cain sexually assaulted you in “mid July” of 1997 and that you did not go to the cops or tell anyone about it) For this group (the ceiling, as you put it) to sway, you’re going to need to produce a love child.
I pretty much consider myself in the 2 camp, and continue to hope that Perry will have a Gingrich-style resurgence. But, I’m leaning 3 now mostly because of the media stunt by Allred yesterday. That story was so full of holes it was absurd. I was laughing as I watched it. Bad acting, over-the-top hyperbole and righteous-anger by Allred, cue quivering voice at just the right moments bookended by laughter and playtime.
It was also a statement written by lawyers, and loaded with even more innuendo. (note how they suggested twice that the accuser had been fired from her job under suspicious circumstances, then linked her firing and lack of re-hire to Cain) “Aha! See! They fired me, and after my BS story, I did not get my job back! He’s guilty!”
But I have not see a single commenter who regularly posts here say “no big deal, he made a pass, she said “no” and that was that”. And the full commentariat came down very hard on one of your contributor’s patently ridiculous “What if it’s true?” blog posts last week. Nobody is giving Cain a pass if he did it. But I think only a small number of people, mostly John Edwards supporters and Romney/Perry voters, are in group 1.
... 3) “It’s a conspiracy”
No, how about the camp that believes a good man is being slandered. I don't care if it is a global conspiracy or a couple of independent lawyers who see dollar signs.
I like, respect, believe and support Herman Cain, and will not throw him under the bus unless it is PROVEN that he is a liar.
GOP talkers who mindlessly follow Rove's lead on Fox had better buy a clue.
This may just cost the GOP the election in 2012.
1/3 of the Tea Party does not like or trust the GOP. It will not take a whole lot, such as the GOP helping the Democrat media lynch their candidate Cain, to cause them to bolt away from the GOP to a 3rd party in 2012.
If these people do bolt, they will take other GOP voters with them.
The GOP media machine is playing with fire here.