You're under the assumption he ever "was." Cain never had a serious shot at the nomination. That's why Romney has continued to attack Perry rather than Cain. It may look like he's beating a dead horse, but Cain was never and can never be a serious threat to Romney getting the GOP nod. A resurrected Perry would.

You still take Perry seriously? He's an even bigger sinking rock than Cain. I think he's below Gingrich now. His performance in NH was even wackier than Cain's dada-ist campaign ads.

He was never my candidate. But he does have a realistic chance at winning the nomination from Romney if he had a competent campaign and stopped sounding like a lobotomized orangutan during debates. Cain, while popular with everybody, could never compete with Romney in any serious way once people started voting. He'd be lucky to replicate the Huckabee experience.

In Cain's defense regarding the sexual harassment *charges*...

Somebody else (or rather, multiple [two] somebodys), who claimed to be victims, broke the confidentiality agreement first by releasing the whole supposed story. Does this make an agreement of this type null and void? I don't know, I'm not a specialist in legal matters...

However, Cain did deny knowledge of the whole incident initially, presumable because he *didn't* want to break the confidentiality agreement. Once he'd consulted others, I'd guess he felt it was necessary and legally proper that he break the agreement and release more information.

Regardless, it's innocent until proven guilty - and we have very little reason to believe he's guilty. Why is nobody coming forth and saying what he actually *did* to harass people? Why did they wait until now, such an opportune time for anybody out to get him?

In businesses, claims of sexual harassment, regardless of if they're legitimate or not, are often settled with cash passed under the table and a confidentiality agreement - nobody wants to deal with the legal mess (it comes down to one person's word against another's), and such a settlement easily cleans up the mess.

On that note, I read the article and that is concerning. However, this is the first I've heard of the matter, and the article is written in a speculative manner. Again, innocent till proven guilty - let's hear the other side.

Regardless of whether he did anything wrong (and this having happened in the 1990s when sexual harassment hysteria was the zeitgeist) this is enough to pretty much put his campaign back down to Santorum levels. Rightly or wrongly, this is the thing that keeps him from being a serious contender for the nomination. If only the things which actually had merit had done it...

I fully agree with this 100%, the accusation alone, and his varying stories (which again, we must emphasize, are fully explained by compliance with the confidentiality agreement), have done him in.

The women didn't release the information (Cain now claims a Perry operative is responsible), and all the information said was there were allegations and a settlement. Nothing about details. Cain started badmouthing the women, talking about how they were subpar in their work performance. And people don't just drop a years' salary in order to remove them from employment and give them hush money unless there was something to it.

This defense that he didn't want to violate the confidentiality agreement, that's why he bungled his response to the allocations (read: lied) is ridiculous. But yeah, innocent until you're proven guilty, if you're a Republican anyway.

No, they're not fully explained. They're only fully explained by the fact that the guy is a lying snake oil salesman.

*allegations

The alleged sexual harassment scandal was leaked by the Romneyite who succeeded Cain as president of the National Restaurant Association:

http://northernvirginialawyer.blogspot.com/2011/11/former-president-of-national-restaurant.html

People settle all the time to avoid the hassle (or bad publicity, ever think of that?) that a case would bring, regardless of what the reality actually is. And from what I've heard Cain say, whatever settlement there was came from the company and not him personally, so he may not have had much of a say in the matter. Judging by how little interest he's shown in major policy areas on the campaign trail I'd say he probably just didn't care too much about this.

At any rate, this is almost a non-issue. The guy was never going to be the nominee, let alone president. If he were smart he'd drop out of the race and run for Congress in Georgia.

A year's salary in order to leave the company and keep quiet? So now we're playing the "Cain was President but can't be held responsible for what his company did when President" game. And this line about how the 90s was full of frivolous harassment suits, where'd you come up with that?

It's really astounding then after being told over and over how much of a great manager this schmuck is that he can't even be held to the standard of remembering when the company he managed engaged in a legal settlement. But what should we expect from a guy who thinks the President *signs* Constitutional amendments into law.

He's not going to run for office, that's too much responsibility. The new Tea Party/Fox News tend is to rake in the money with book tours. Fox News will probably give him a prime time show after this is over.

He can be held responsible and still have other people make the decision for him. It's pretty safe to assume the legal department just said settle and he went along. It's not as if he's been shown to be a deep thinker on everything (cough*right-of-return*cough). As for expecting him to remember the legal settlement, I'd like to point out that a large trade organization like the National Restaurant Association probably has an overwhelming amount of legal settlements happening all the time. Maybe everyone in the legal department doesn't even know. While he's responsible for it all in the end and in an abstract sort of way, it's silly to expect a non-lawyer to be intimately familiar with the specifics of a case the company dealt with.

As for the sexual harassment in the 1990s, I never made some sweeping statement that they were all frivolous. However, when the idea permeated culture like it did them I'd personally be suspicious about any claims. Plus there's no separate word to distinguish between the "sexual harassment" of saying "that dress looks great on you" and the "sexual harassment" of slapping a woman on the can and calling her "sugar-tits" ala MASH.

But ONCE AGAIN I stress this isn't really that big of a deal. He was never going to be president. It's almost as relevant as if we found out some shady thing in Mike Gravel's past in any of his runs for the presidency.

The guy greets female interviewers with "sweet heart" and hugs them. He's a creep. I don't care if the Republicans will say all harassment charges are always frivolous. He's a damn creep.

Many Southerners and black men greet people this way as it is a part of both cultures...

Or a friendly guy. Maybe the world needs more hugs.

No one says harassment charges are always frivolous. Speaking for myself, I'm just saying it's POSSIBLE some are.

At any rate, with Cain the walking scandal factory and Perry with his 25 minute long Dean scream of a speech in New Hampshire last weekend, I'm inclined to agree with Jon Stewart's new segment on the Daily Show "Mitt Romney: Luckiest Motherfudger on Earth".

Anyone else find it odd that the media is trying to crown the winner of the Republican primary process before the first primary vote is cast? They're keeping it entertaining, promoting a candidate one week and then shooting him/her about two or three weeks later. It is all just theater for public amusement. The winner of this primary was picked a long time ago - Mitt Romney, golden boy of the political establishment and perpetual 'top tier' candidate. The Little People I expect won't get a say at all; the 'race' will have been 'settled' by January when all the other Republican candidates will have become 'has-beens' who 'already had their fifteen minutes'. Amazing how Romney scandals that would've ended a lesser politician never hurt his 'front-runner status' as far as the Dead Tree media and TV Talking Heads are concerned.

Odd? No not at all. Remember last time around when everyone knew Hillary would win the nomination. Until she didn't.

I doubt any of you on here ever thought Cain had a chance to begin with for 1 of 2 reasons:

1. You are a die-hard liberal and believe all Conservatives are racists, even though Cain was leading in the polls
2. You are a racist, and most likely Liberal, and can't stand the thought of a Conservative black man.

The truth is, these so-called sexual harassment claims are meaningless. The evidence against your hero Clinton was *overwhelming* by comparison, and implicated him on *much* worse charges: *physical, sexual assault*.

As for illegal donations? THIS is going to end him? Haa ha ha! Yeah....funny....nobody cares about Obama's illegal campaign donations.

http://politicalpistachio.blogspot.com/2011/07/obamas-illegal-campaign-contributions.html

If it turns out to be true, he'll do what EVERY other politician on BOTH sides of the isle does: He'll return the money. Big fucking deal.

Interestingly enough, he has raised MORE campaign money SINCE this so-called sexual harrassment scandal erupted. Maybe he's got a little street cred now....you know, every Democrat gets a bump in the polls when found with a hooker. So maybe Cain is getting his scandal bump. lol

And for any of you idiots about to take what I just said here seriously...grow up.

http://biggovernment.com/pgeller/2010/10/14/obamas-campaign-contribution-records-scrubbed-clean/

Yes...Obama returned his illegal campaign contributions...at least the ones he got caught with...

I guess Obama is finished. <rolls eyes...>

Oh...no...he's ACTUALLY finished because he has destroyed the economy and our national credibility and standing int he world.

"And for any of you idiots about to take what I just said here seriously...grow up." - It would be easier and save a lot of time and trouble if you'd just grow up, so that you would stop making posts like that in the first place.

how about

3. I believe the Conservative base in this country would never pick a black man

"3. I believe the Conservative base in this country would never pick a black man"

How, then, do you explain the fact that a guy with no political experience who is obviously in over his head is getting such support from the most conservative quarters of the Republican Party?

Prove it. I'll believe it when the rank and file come out and the votes count.

I love how Cain says racism is dead, except when it comes to deflecting criticism of himself.

"How, then, do you explain the fact that a guy with no political experience who is obviously in over his head is getting such support from the most conservative quarters of the Republican Party?"

Elijah Cummings explained that quite well - they seek absolution from their hatred of black people, and Cain is perfect because he hates his own people anyway, says they're "brainwashed". And no political experience my ass, he was a big restaurant lobbyist and he ran the federal reserve in KC. I'm surprised the Paulies would leap to his defense. Oh wait, we need another "establishment conspiracy theory" because he haven't heard of that shit from the libertarian cranks.

So Cain's sudden surge in popularity in the Republican Party (according to polling data) is really just a massive media conspiracy to portray the Republican Party as something other than inherently racist?

"Speaking for myself, I'm just saying it's POSSIBLE some are."

It's possible, right, yeah, that's exactly what you said when you claimed that the 90s zeitgeist was to accuse people of harassment. Typical frat boy. Unsolicited hugs and condescending nicknames are just being "friendly", and any woman who complains is a golddigger.

"So Cain's sudden surge in popularity in the Republican Party (according to polling data) is really just a massive media conspiracy to portray the Republican Party as something other than inherently racist?"

Cain gets more air time from Fox than any other candidate. They love to trot out self-hating conservative minorities to act as human shields for when people like Neil Cavuto say minorities are to blame for the financial crisis. Explain the meteoric rise of Michelle Malkin, who did nothing but concoct a sloppily researched book justifying race-based internment of Asians. Explain why they appointed Michael Steele head of the RNC right after Obama's victory, despite the fact that it's clear as day that they hate him. They use minorities as props, and always have. The more reactionary and self-hating the better.

Somehow the fact that Putin finds friendly displays of affection revolting, disgusting, and criminal does not surprise me.

The lady at the donut shop down the street always calls me (and all her other male customers) 'sweetheart'. Guess I should call a lawyer...

Somebody explain to me how a guy with no organization whatsoever, and the extent to which there is organization there is widespread discontent within it towards Cain, leads in the polls other reason other than he is a media creation. It's obviously not because of his policy proposals, which he ripped off from Sim City. He's another Sarah Palin. A media event. And like Sarah Palin re: the historic Democratic primary, the impetus to create Cain as a media event was because he could take the heat off racists and give them a free hand in attacking Obama. Nobody could attack Palin without being called a misogynist, even though Palin herself criticized Clinton for using the gender card. Ditto Cain.

"Somehow the fact that Putin finds friendly displays of affection revolting, disgusting, and criminal does not surprise me."

Somehow the fact that a Ron Paulie thinks nothing of unsolicited groping of women doesn't surprise me. Probably explains why the Paulie crowd is overwhelmingly male (90% of donors to Paul were male in 2008, compared to about 72% for McCain and 50% for Clinton and Obama). Since as soon as their cult leader gets in power he'd scrap sexual harassment and gender equality laws anyway.