Ridin’ The Cain Train

I admit it.  I am pretty perplexed by the continuing popularity of Herman Cain as potential GOP frontrunner.  Even when people explain why they like him?  I am amazed.  Mainly because their reasons do not gel with the man.

I get that he has some down home charm. And okay, that John Lennon parody is kind of amusing.  But people point to his career as a business man.  And yes, I get the appeal of the guy who grew up with nothing becoming a CEO and even buying out a company.  If that was all we had to go on?  I would understand.

Cain himself claimed that people have been crying out for a business man to be in the White House for years.  Of course, we have had business men in the White House as recently as the last administration.  Both Bush and Cheney were business men.  “But!” you protest,”Unlike Cain, they switched to politics.  They were really politicians!”  But then, Cain is not really a businessman either.  He has run for office (back in 2003), and he ran a lobbying organization after leaving Godfather’s Pizza.  He is part of the political game.

Then there was his whole Uzbekibekibekistan answer on foreign policy.  And, you know, I can understand and forgive a Presidential hopeful not knowing who obscure leaders of small little known countries are.  But then, this past weekend he showed that he applies the attitude to even well known incidents…like Libya.  He stumbled around, even unsure if he agreed with the President’s handling of the situation.  He was unaware of  China’s nuclear capabilities.

While I think the jury is out on the sexual harrassment stuff, his reaction makes it more plausible that these women are telling the truth.  His denials are kind of nonsense ones.  He says he has never behaved inappropriately with anyone ever.  That is pretty broad and rather difficult to believe.  He has been quick to try and discredit them by leaping on potential mental health issues and money problems.  He drew non-existant connections (a Politico reporter and one of the victims share the same last name, the Cain Train claimed they were mother and son.  They were, in fact, not).  Cain has more to lose or gain in denying the allegations, and so I am unable to give him and more credit than I give the accusers as far as possible motives (less, actually).  And sorry folks, your wife is not your best character witness.  Your wife saying “That doesn’t sound like you!” is not proof of what a goodman you are.  First, how likely is a wife to say:

“That totally sounds like my husband!  Why just last Sunday, we were at church talking with one of the ladies in the choir when he grabbed her head, pushed it towards his crotch shouting ‘you wanna sing?’  Oh, that Herman!” 

No, wives tend to deny their husband is like that-even if there is proff to contradict them.  And the number of wives (let alone other friends and family) who had no idea their husbands were con men, rapists, thieves, serial killers, etc is pretty long.

But really, what kills me is Cain’s absurd tax plan.  999 is terrible just on the basis of the Federal Sales Tax portion alone, but it is flawed enough that Cain has suggested making some changes (to be less regressive and damaging to the poorest among us).

The Cain Train may derail itself soon, maybe later… I don’t see Cain being the finalist…but the fact that he manages to keep from toppling over when he seems to not take the role very seriously is kind of stunning to me.