The question Cain ducked was something about medicare.
He started to answer it, then backed off and said “you first newt” or something to that effect. Newt went on and gave strong answer without hesitation.
That was odd, it looked like Cain did not know how to answer.
You know, I didn't quite understand what the question was until Newt started answering it and chalked up Cain's deferring to Newt as him being in the same boat I was in. Another thing that might have been either my hearing or my internet connection...but the latter part of the question was kinda' garbled. Anyway, it's possible that Cain didn't quite hear all of it, like me?
I would guess that Newt's total knowledge of all these subjects is why none of the other candidates had the guts to even show up for this!
I'll go with gutsy Cain....the only one, it seems, who's not afraid to go up against Newt.
The question, IIRC, had to do with defined benefits. I saw the exchange, and I think it was more tactical than ducking. It’s an advantage to have the other guy go first on a difficult issue because you can react to what the other guy puts out there, and people generally remember what was said last better. This may have been Cain’s rationale for deferring to Newt, because I seem to recall he did follow up with a fairly detailed discussion of defined benefits versus defined contribution, so he didn’t defer for lack of knowing the subject matter. He may also have been uncertain of the context of the question, as the moderator was posing questions that were tremendously open-ended, sort of like a poorly written essay question, “tell me everything you know about WWII.” Um, where to begin... But I’m not sure. I suppose I’d have to watch it again to nail it down. But that was my impression as I saw it live.
Cain didn’t duck. they were supposed to take turns answering and Cain started to answer then realized Newt was supposed to go first.
There was another instance where he was going to answer, but while formulating his answer he allowed Newt to go first since the question was in his wheel house.
These little non issues are just that, non issues from those that have nothing better to complain about.
>...it looked like Cain did not know how to answer.<
I think it was Newt’s turn to speak first, and Cain realized that after he began to address the question. As CEO he understands Medicare well.
When it was Mr. Cain’s turn, he covered the subject very knowledably in more detail that Newt did, and more understandably.
Mind you, as a critic, I am judging how many people would receive what either man said, and how they said it.