The End of the Cain Train

Herman Cain suspended his campaign yesterday afternoon in Atlanta.  It was the strangest end to a campaign that anyone has ever seen.  It was a brand spanking new office that the press conference was held at.  It is said that staff and volunteers were working until the wee hours of the morning getting the office ready, it seems he kept his cards close to his vest and virtually no one in his campaign knew this was his decision.  There were people outside collecting donations for the campaign just before the announcement.  


As my regular readers know, I was a big Cain fan from early on.  Many didn't even know his name when I jumped on the Cain train.  He lost his luster for me once it became apparent that he was not qualified for the position.  He has many good attributes, but the ability to be in the big seat was just no one of them.  His lack of knowledge in foreign policy was so apparent that it became downright embarrassing.  He gave the appearance of not understanding even the most basic of issues; such as right of return.  That is Mid East Peace 101.  


Then all of these accusations of sexual impropriety came to light.  Two settlements on harassment charges while working at The National Restaurant Association, a charge of sexual assault, and a long-term affair.  The settlements on harassment don't necessarily mean anything.  The sexual harassment laws are written so vaguely that many companies get caught in their web.  Sadly, many people are overly sensitive and are more than willing to file a suit that isn't truly harassment.  The woman who made the assault charge with Gloria Allred in  tow is totally unbelievable.  While she never uses the word assault, that is what she described.  As a woman I find her story insulting.  When a man is trying to assault your reaction to him is not "I have a boyfriend".  Your reaction is get me out of this car and away from this man.  She was in the middle of downtown D.C..  She could have easily found a taxi to take her back to her hotel.  Speaking of her hotel, she didn't think anything when he upgraded her to a suite?  That would have been a big red flag and make you not want to get in a car alone with him.  You would want to meet in a public place.  As far as the Ginger Rodgers story, the only two people who truly know what exactly what their relationship entailed is them.  The fact that he gave her money that his wife didn't know about gives the illusion that something was not right about that relationship.  But, since we don't know how the Cain's handle money issues, we can't be sure of that.  But, as I said, it gives people pause.  


There are some who firmly believe that Mr. Cain never really expected to be taken seriously and was in it to raise his own profile and sell books.  I am not willing to go that far.  I think he truly wants to see this country change course.  The problem is he should have known that there was a chance that relationship and the money changing hands would come out, and put him in a negative light.  He came out with a bold plan about changing the tax code in this country.  He forced many other candidates to do the same.  No matter where you fall on Herman Cain's candidacy, conservatives owe him a debt of gratitude for tacking the debate to the right and getting people to have a serious discussion about it.