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Let's Kill Cain's Campaign
Townhall.com ^ | November 30, 2011 | Brent Bozell

Posted on 11/30/2011 5:07:35 AM PST by Kaslin

From the breaking news, one might think that with a woman who claims she had a 13-year affair with presidential candidate Herman Cain, someone is being seriously exposed as a hypocrite. That would be the press. The media can't deny they continue to display a lousy double standard. For Republican candidates, scandalous news is instant. For Democrats, it's eventual, if at all!

Ginger White's charges sound a lot like Gennifer Flowers in 1992, when she said she had a 12-year affair with Bill Clinton. So many in the press pounce on Flowers as unequivocal evidence of the media's sense of balance. After all, they will remind us, just look how we covered that scandal!

Yes, look. It's a wonderful exercise in media disinformation. Political junkies will recall that Flowers held a press conference carried live on CNN on Thursday afternoon, Jan. 23, 1992. It had all the elements for snappy news. She played audiotapes of phone conversations with Clinton. Despite all this, the first network mention was a short story by NBCs Lisa Myers, more than 24 hours later. Other than that, the three broadcast network morning and evening newscasts waited to breathe the name "Flowers" for four days.

nd then they dismissed the scandal as a non-scandal. On ABC, anchorman Peter Jennings (who was married four times) set the tone: "At several stops today, talking about Gennifer Flowers, Gov. Clinton denounced what he called 'trash for cash'. And there appear to be quite a few people who agree." Jennings declared a quick ABC poll found only 26 percent wouldn't vote for an adulterous candidate. "But our polling unit points out that at least half of those people who said no are Republicans and unlikely to vote for Gov. Clinton anyway."

The networks rewarded Clinton with all this tolerance because, as liberal journalist Hendrik Hertzberg explained, at the time, reporters loved Clinton's potential: "(T) hey think he would make a very good, perhaps a great, president. Several told me they were convinced that Clinton is the most talented presidential candidate they have ever encountered, JFK included."

Herman Cain is the polar opposite of Bill Clinton to these people. Political reporters consider him an under-educated buffoon and, as a black conservative, possibly self-loathing to boot. So there are no reasons to delay adultery charges. In fact, they should be rushed on the air, followed by sneering political death notices.

"NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams was the first network anchor on the scene. This is the same anchorman that just expressed great joy and delight that NBC will be blessed by a woman with zero journalistic experience named Chelsea Clinton. Williams oozed on CNN that Chelsea was "super smart and worldly and curious," an "impressive, impressive woman" with a "very, very unique viewpoint." Grovel, grovel, grovel.

But here's what's sick. Ginger White makes an adultery charge against Cain and she's on NBC within hours. But when Juanita Broaddick accused Chelsea's father of raping her in a 1999 Dateline NBC interview, then-anchor Tom Brokaw never allowed one second of her voice to break into the NBC Nightly News.

By morning, Cain was dismissed as a political corpse, or a ghost. On ABC, anchor Robin Roberts suggestively asked, "Do (White's) shocking revelations spell doom for his troubled campaign?" On CBS, political analyst John Dickerson proclaimed, "It's hard to see how he comes back from this...At the worst, it's a death blow to the campaign."

But NBCs Chuck Todd was the most colorful, citing movies: "Now we're in sort of 'The Sixth Sense' mode. Everybody knows this candidacy is basically dead except the campaign." Todd then suggested he wasn't so much a ghost as an object: "I think that Cain is not necessarily hurting the field anymore. He's become a sideshow. It's almost a shiny, metal object at this point."

These death notices may be entirely accurate, but that's not the point. What is salient here is that Cain's scandals have been covered aggressively from day one by the same media that summarily refused -- and to this day refuse -- to cover allegations against Bill Clinton that are a hundred-fold more serious.

To my knowledge, the only TV reporter to ask Clinton directly about the rape charge (twice) was Sam Donaldson. Did it not send red flags skyward when both times instead of denying the charge, Clinton referred the matter to his attorney?

Night after night and morning after morning, the broadcast TV "news" makers demonstrate their "journalism" is carefully managed and manipulated into tidy packages designed to provide the maximum political benefit to liberals and the maximum political damage to conservatives.

Why am I not the slightest bit surprised that a Washington Post employee is tweeting over the Internet: "Hey Tweeps: Looking for outlandish/incorrect predictions and quotes from Newt Gingrich's past. Any ideas for me?"

Gingrich, it's your turn.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2012; 2012gopprimary; billclinton; bozell; cain; cain2012; doublestandard; hermancain; lamestreammedia; msnbc
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To: LoveUSA
We are seeing how far Satan is exploiting your weakness.

Mr Cain has been falsely accused. No evidence of any sort but accusation has been presented.

An honest person would say “Hmm I am not seeing anything to back up these accusations, Mr Cain denies them, he is innocent until proven guilty”.

A person with a personal political agenda says “Hmm these accusations further what I personally want, they must be true”.

61 posted on 11/30/2011 6:35:33 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Giving more money to DC to fix the Debt is like giving free drugs to addicts think it will cure them)
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To: LoveUSA
OK let's discuss, the party of the KKK says a black man is a sexual predator, It's the same story they have been spewing since reconstruction. Look at what they did to Clarence Thomas. Same scenerio, always the sexual angle when it comes to conservative black men. They haven't changed their tune and unfortunately we are still falling for it. And, can we talk about double standards? Clinton can govern no matter what his sexual escapades look like, but, make an unsubstantiated accusation against Cain and he's unqualified? IMHO he's the MOST qualified candidate we've seen in years. BO says they closed the “English” embassy and no-one makes a peep but Cain simply hesitates while formulating a response to a “gottcha” question and he's completely unqualified on foreign policy? If I get the chance I will vote for him and I've already donated to his campaign. This is the man the liberals most fear and we could dismantle their precious base If we would just stand behind him like they did with clintoon. Anyway, that's my (discuss).
62 posted on 11/30/2011 6:39:00 AM PST by mistfree (The Law! How Quaint.)
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To: digger48

We learned nothing from Reagan.

Example. The Soviets were on the move. Central America, Afghanistan, our own congress.

What did Reagan do? He took the fight to them. Because in the end, the left are a bunch of fascist cowards who when hit over the snout with a newspaper, go back under the porch whining and embarrassed.

Want to win this? Start talking about Axelrods love affair with those poor boys from their last trip to Africa. Or the time Valerie Jarretts family in Iran sold those poor little girls into slavery. Get a thousand or so protesters to stand outside Jeff Immelts house about how he moved American jobs overseas.

Basically out Alinsky the left. That’s how you win.


63 posted on 11/30/2011 6:40:13 AM PST by EQAndyBuzz (To fix government, we need a rocket scientist. Oh, wait we have one!)
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To: Guenevere

I usually like Kilmeade but I agree he was off the rails this morning.


64 posted on 11/30/2011 6:42:04 AM PST by cripplecreek (Stand with courage or shut up and do as you're told.)
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To: miss marmelstein; Kaslin; LoveUSA; Mister Da
Mr Cain's fault is he is a very good and decent man competing in an area completely dominated by totally amoral opportunist scumbags.

He and his wife tried to help a lost soul and to thank him, this lost soul sells herself to his Political Establishment lynchers.

I want to know just how much she has been paid for her story?

I guess the message we are being sent by this Political/Media Establishment lynching of Cain is "No decent, honorable outsiders need apply"

65 posted on 11/30/2011 6:43:12 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Giving more money to DC to fix the Debt is like giving free drugs to addicts think it will cure them)
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To: skeeter
I cannot believe they've allowed it to go on so long.

This is their chance at destroying the tea party. Nothing worse than an enemy with a friendly smile on his face.
66 posted on 11/30/2011 6:44:21 AM PST by cripplecreek (Stand with courage or shut up and do as you're told.)
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To: surfer
Mr Cain's fault is he is a very good and decent man competing in an area completely dominated by totally amoral opportunist scumbags.

He and his wife tried to help a lost soul and to thank him, this lost soul sells herself to his Political Establishment lynchers.

I guess the message we are being sent by this Political/Media Establishment lynching of Cain is "No decent, honorable outsiders need apply

67 posted on 11/30/2011 6:44:39 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Giving more money to DC to fix the Debt is like giving free drugs to addicts think it will cure them)
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To: MNJohnnie

I couldn’t have said it nearly as well as you did. No decent person can run for President in this country.


68 posted on 11/30/2011 6:45:21 AM PST by miss marmelstein (Let's have a Cain Mutiny!)
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To: miss marmelstein
Someone is coordinating these attacks. Probably the White House.

It is transparently the White House.

The NY Times just ran a story about how Obama was going to ignore white working voters and focus on minorities and those on the gov't dole.

Which GOP candidate poses the biggest threat to Obama's strategy of cementing the minority vote? Cain!

69 posted on 11/30/2011 6:46:23 AM PST by Erik Latranyi
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To: Mister Da
If what you say is true, Cain’s main backers should be eager to lynch the lynchers.

No interest in seeking to their level, but willing to burn down their plantation before we allow him to be lynched..

Why hasn’t a defamation suit been filed by Cain? If this woman is lying, surely he must want to clear his name & retaliate against a liar & slanderer.

Tempting...but when one uses wisdom, you are forced to conclude that any lawsuit at this moment would just add to the circus and distract from the ultimate goal. Which is to solve the problems we face as a nation that are beyond pesky, and have the ability to actually cripple us.

These allegations strike at the heart of Cain’s credibility. He must refute these allegations immediately & vigorously, or lose his conservative support.

Pure speculation. He will not lose true conservative support, he will lose support of folks weak at heart, unwilling to recognize the true battle and war- and how serious this is. Allowing this man to be dragged through the street as an example to those who challenge the elites, media, and powerful in DC would be the epitome of caving to the thought that WE the People truly control this government. The evil in this country wants us to believe that a good man without politically lined wheels cannot win, or even survive DC. They want us to believe that we need their help to guide us, they know how this works. We need to just accept those they put on the menu for us, Then we get a say.

You see, my problem with this is HOW Cain handles crises.

I can understand that being a problem. But it brings me to this. I don't want a well polished politico. If they can "manage" the media without a hitch, they can "manage" me as well....I don't want perfect, I want principled, I want someone willing to see corruption and put a stop to it. We will never end the corruption in DC if we are too scared to drive the corrupt folks out of DC. Newt and Mitt don't strike me as uncorrupted or principled. Cain and Bachmann are more likely candidates for such a thing.

If he “fumbles the ball” every time he is challenged, then he is not fit to be President. If he cannot deal decisively & brutally with liars, then he will fail miserably in Washington, DC. We already have a Fumbler-in-Chief - we can’t afford another!

What you may see as fumbling, I see as someone who is not letting media and rumors distract him from the priority of his real mission. He is not falling into that trap, and pundits and Rush wannabees want to label that as incompetence. It is human nature to react harshly to those targeting us with evil, vile, and lies. But don't mistake his ability to resist this urge as a weakness. It is the sign of someone who doesn't deal with ankle biters vs armed enemies in a priority of urgency...

Again, I understand your train of thoughts, and can appreciate your concerns. They are real, not imagined. But we are trained by pundits and media to allow us to be distracted. They are masters at teasing our logic and urges to right wrongs. They have truly mastered the ability to tap into our urges to think the worst, find flaws, and be convinced of their educated and knowledgeable experience....

70 posted on 11/30/2011 6:46:34 AM PST by eeevil conservative (GIVE ME A PLACE TO STAND AND I WILL MOVE THE EARTH....Archimedes)
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To: not2worry

Fox is not Fair and Balanced!

&&&
Most definitely. They have been shilling for Romney the whole time.

I have quit watching almost all of their programming, although we do usually DVR Greta. She seems to be fair. We still DVR Brett, but I find we are actually watching less and less of it.

A few days ago, my husband was watching the DVR of Fox and Friends, so he called to me to watch because Cain was coming on. The entire time he was on screen, they used 2 alternating banners under his shot. One said something like “Cain in distant 3rd” and the other was equally negative.

They are becoming more and more like MSNBC.


71 posted on 11/30/2011 6:47:23 AM PST by Bigg Red (Maryland girl on the Cain Train)
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To: not2worry

Fox is not Fair and Balanced!

&&&
Most definitely. They have been shilling for Romney the whole time.

I have quit watching almost all of their programming, although we do usually DVR Greta. She seems to be fair. We still DVR Brett, but I find we are actually watching less and less of it.

A few days ago, my husband was watching the DVR of Fox and Friends, so he called to me to watch because Cain was coming on. The entire time he was on screen, they used 2 alternating banners under his shot. One said something like “Cain in distant 3rd” and the other was equally negative.

They are becoming more and more like MSNBC.


72 posted on 11/30/2011 6:47:23 AM PST by Bigg Red (Maryland girl on the Cain Train)
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To: Kaslin

They are not finished with Cain yet, because he is not finished with THEM. Indeed, it is HE who is going to have the last laugh over this whole sordid situation. Any many so called iconic Republican talk show hosts are going to have to line up in chaste apology for their partial hand in the high tech attempted lynching of Fundamental Threat Number One to the White House/RINO Establishment Complex.


73 posted on 11/30/2011 6:48:06 AM PST by AmericanInTokyo (RINO Establishment's next move: State GOP parties boot conservative candidates from future debates)
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To: LoveUSA

Cain knows a lot of women, but let’s look at this realistically...

He is said to have had sexual relations with this women during the time he was undergoing treatment for stage 4 cancer, which included chemo and radiation.

If that isn’t a clue to you that this is nothing but a smear campaign there is no hope for you and you might as well vote for Obama, at least you know he isn’t sleeping with women....


74 posted on 11/30/2011 6:49:53 AM PST by usmcobra (Happiness is a belt fed weapon.)
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To: Kaslin

Not only did the media ignore the Clinton scandals, but once they were in the open, the media praised Clinton’s handling of them, marveling at his ability to lie.

With Cain, they jump on the accusations before they are known and then say Cain handled it badly.


75 posted on 11/30/2011 6:53:36 AM PST by Erik Latranyi
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To: cripplecreek

He will just have to go around them, then, as he would CNN, MSNBC, New York Times and the others. It can be done in this day and age of viral marketing, online outreach, Facebook “likes”, tweets, talk show guesting, money bombs, remote virtual phone banks, you name it. We can go RIGHT AROUND FOX NEWS, too, which is most certainly collusively in the tank for Mitt Romney even to the pathetic, sinful point of having a hand in character assassination of a truly good man who has hurt nobody. I won’t countenance it. Not as long as it is within my power to do something about it, guerilla marketing style against these bullies and toadies and RINO jockstrap carriers.


76 posted on 11/30/2011 6:54:34 AM PST by AmericanInTokyo (RINO Establishment's next move: State GOP parties boot conservative candidates from future debates)
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To: Thermalseeker

Fox is not even close to fair or balanced. Fox manufactures news just like all the rest and ignores stories when they don’t fit into the Fox story line.

***
Exactly. Many of us were roped in, in the past, though. Have to admit they were pretty clever in their approach. I was drawn in for a while, thinking that they actually were on the conservative side. Now, they feel just as comfortable as MSNBC in showing their bias.


77 posted on 11/30/2011 6:54:41 AM PST by Bigg Red (Maryland girl on the Cain Train)
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To: Kaslin
If it isn't possible already, by the time the next presidential election rolls around it will be within the reach of any campaign to generate "tapes" of an opponent saying anything you want them to have "said." We're almost there with video too.

We are entering a new world where you can't even trust what you see.

78 posted on 11/30/2011 6:58:41 AM PST by Carry_Okie (There are people in power who belong in jail.)
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To: neocon1984

No. It makes you a very gullible person.

**
Or a concern troll....


79 posted on 11/30/2011 7:00:52 AM PST by Bigg Red (Maryland girl on the Cain Train)
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To: digger48

True enough, I just didn’t think there was much new in this, but I guess he’s just doing what he always does. I suppose someone has to keep banging the drum. It’s just that he hasn’t had much of an impact over the years—I like him—I just think he has been preaching to the choir with not much penetration of the general electorate’s consciences.


80 posted on 11/30/2011 7:03:33 AM PST by Sudetenland (Anybody but Obama!!!!)
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