The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

The Herman Cain Rorschach Test Continues To Mystify

Posted on | November 3, 2011 | 20 Comments

by Smitty

Herman Cain personally goes after Rick Perry’s campaign for the Politico scandal-ette:From Politicalistas:

It is suspicious that someone very close to the Perry campaign has recently distanced himself from the campaign as a “general consultant”. Dave Carney is known as one of the best political hit-men in the business.

More at the link.
Meanwhile, Dan Riehl links Dana Milbank and expresses his concerns about Cain:

Unfortunately, this is why I’ve been so against [Cain]. For reasons I can’t fully disclose, I concluded early on it was a lark and I resented the hell out of it. Yeah, maybe because Palin didn’t run and Perry imploded he received more attention than he thought he would going in and he upped his game a notch. But it’s always been just a notch. One of his big boasts is how much money he’s taken in … but, in essence, hasn’t spent.
The campaign irregularities now being investigated? Look, Cain isn’t a dumb guy. They didn’t care because they never thought any of it would matter. He’d sell some books, raise some cash, maybe take a shot at Saxby Chambliss for the Senate down the road, or something else – more radio affiliates, a Fox gig, etc…. But the dude just wasn’t in it to win it.

The problems that we seem to have with politics in general in the country are:

  • The primary phase resembles a high school class presidency campaign that collided with an episode of Seinfeld. Is candidate X doing a good job making nice-nice with the dyslexic Iowa soccer-mom demographic? Did candidate Y‘s campaign adequately staff the response to the accusation of having a sloppy shoe shine?
  • The boring, and important parts of public policy are almost nowhere on display. Does the Ruling Class simply think that We The People can’t handle the truth? We should be poring over the various tax plans of each candidate, and, in contrast, pillorying the abdication of leadership embodied in the Democrat Senate and Executive. Instead: piffle.

I don’t subscribe to Steynian negativity, in the long run. The country is in overall denial about how far things have decayed. So the silliness of the current campaign can be seen as avoidance behavior. But I submit that history repeats itself because of a sinusoidal nature. We’re bottoming out right now, before things improve.

Cain is a fine American, and one I could support with enthusiasm. Or not. No individual personalities matter. This Office of President isn’t just Dancing with the Stars, hold the dancing. The Commander-in-Chief is a commander, not some irreplaceable priest-king. That we seem to have forgotten the basic nature of the job as a job with Constitutional bounds is yet another sign of decay. I don’t even think the Reagan aggrandizement is helpful.

Update–Heh:

Category: Dan Riehl, Herman Cain

‘Inappropriate’

Posted on | November 3, 2011 | 16 Comments

by Smitty

Sexuality is cooked into the human condition at the chromosomal level. As a social conservative, one of my keys to a stress-minimizing, joy-maximizing life is keeping things really, really simple. On sexual topics, the less of anything above, say, PG level, the better. Let us not deny the existence of sexuality, but let us ensure we’re dealing with it in an ‘appropriate’ way.

Dominique Strauss Kahn, should his ignoble name come up in discussion with The World’s Youngest Blogger, will not be held up as an example of manhood to which to aspire. Nor will anybody trying to make a buck off DSK’s tawdry escapades (emphasis original):

Now, I personally do not want to police other people’s desires when it comes to rape/assault fantasies. Whatever floats your boat that doesn’t hurt anyone else or yourself, I always say. But it is beyond inappropriate for a rape/assault fantasy porn to act out a real incident that has an alleged real victim.

It amuses me to see an author like Jessica Wakeman at The Frisky get into high dudgeon over such a finely split hair. Does Jessica find appropriate of other rape/assault fantasy porn (that she doesn’t care to police) as long as it’s purely fictional? How much allusion to the DSK allegation would make it OK for Jessica?

No, it’s simply the least-worst way to go to take a libertarian, indifferent stance to what people are up to. If the law defines the edge of ethical, and no laws are broken, then fine. Morally speaking, I can’t differentiate between DSK, Jessica, or these pornographic actors. It’s all a muddle.

You want to know what’s appropriate? From Ancient Commenter Solomon, who I guess came by the wisdom the hard way:

Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Proverbs 5:18

I realize modern people have been trained to hate simplicity, but appropriate sexual conduct is one aspect of life upon which the Information Age has had little effect.

via Instapundit

Category: Sex

Can the Cain Campaign Stand the Strain?

Posted on | November 3, 2011 | 32 Comments

Our young friend Cody is calling for Herman Cain to fire Mark Block, which I seriously doubt is going to happen. As I said the other day, victory ultimately becomes its own argument and as long as the campaign is winning — ahead in the polls and kicking ass in fundraising — Mark Block will remain the chief conductor on the Cain Train, no matter how maddeningly disorganized and off-message the campaign may look.

Many of my friends who support Herman are grinding their teeth at the endless string of screw-ups, but it’s been that way for months. I spent most of my Fourth of July weekend talking to sources about how hapless Cain’s Iowa operation was, and his Iowa bus tour in the days leading up to the Ames Straw Poll was not exactly what you’d call a masterpiece of smooth campaign planning.

Despite it all, however, Cain has now been the front-runner for an entire month. He wouldn’t be getting hit with this sexual harassment story if he was still down in single digits. So even the scandal, which all the “expert” types believe will destroy Cain, is evidence of success.

Has the campaign handled it badly? Yes, of course, but they’ve been handling things badly all along, and it hasn’t stopped them so far. From my American Spectator column today:

Herman Cain’s presidential campaign issued a press release last night blaming the rival Republican campaign of Texas Gov. Rick Perry for a Politico article that set in motion the D.C. media’s scandal factory.
“The American people deserve better than these underhanded tactics by the Perry campaign,” Cain’s chief of staff Mark Block said in the statement. “A desperate candidate is trying to steal the Republican nomination away from Mr. Cain.” . . .

Read the whole thing. It’s kind of amazing that they keep doing everything wrong and yet they’re raising $400,000 a day. If they keep screwing up at their current pace, they’ll raise more than $10 million in November.

And now it’s time for the $999,000 Iowa money bomb!

Category: American Spectator, Election 2012, Herman Cain

Democrat Supporter Says Romney ‘Masquerading as a Die-Hard Conservative’

Posted on | November 3, 2011 | 23 Comments

by Smitty

The Puffington Host has a simply incredible piece up about Mitt, featuring Rocky Anderson:

One of Mitt Romney’s oldest Democratic supporters says the Republican presidential contender is a “warm” and “decent” person who is only masquerading as a die-hard conservative to win the Republican nomination.
“Obviously the positions that Mitt’s taking now are different than the positions he did when he ran for and served as Governor of Massachusetts,” Rocky Anderson, the former mayor of Salt Lake City, told HuffPost. “His handlers got to him and said, ‘This is what you need to do.’ And that’s what he’s doing to get elected.”

Are we to believe Romney is some Bullwinke, saying “Hey Rocky, watch me pull a nomination out of my hat!”?

BHO has pretty well destroyed any need for consistency from politicians, so maybe being on all sides of every major issue is a boon to Mitt.

Update: linked by Political Junkie Mom and Daily Pundit.

Category: Huffington Post, Mitt Romney

LIVE AT FIVE – 11.03.11

Posted on | November 3, 2011 | 3 Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
Port Of Oakland Shuts Down As 4500 Protesters Show Up

City shuts down; poor, minorities hardest hit

Most businesses close; anarchists commit vandalism anyway until chided by crowd

Syria Signs Arab League Deal To Pull Back Military
Opponents fear it’s just a ploy to buy time for regime

Italian Opposition Aims To Force Berlusconi Out
Confidence vote planned if PM doesn’t resign first



POLITICS
Cain Rips Perry’s Staff For Harassment Rumors

Embattled GOP presidential contender Herman Cain

No solid facts yet, but lots of rumors and hearsay

Obama Says GOP “Holds The Purse Strings” On His Jobs Package

Millions Still Without Power In New England



NH Supporters Say Perry Was Stone Cold Sober During Speech

Cain Edges Perry In UTexas Poll

Texas Redistricting Keeps Two Courts Busy

40 GOP House Members Urge “Supercommittee” To Consider New Revenue



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Greek Euro Threat Looms Over Cannes G20 Summit
Fed Lowers Growth Forecast But Takes No Action
MF Global Customers Fume As Funds, Trades Frozen
ADP: US Companies Added 100K Jobs In October
Filene’s Basement Declares Bankruptcy, Will Close In 2012
Oil Slides After Europe Withholds Greek Aid; US Crude Stockpile Increases
Obama Administration Considered Bailout For Solyndra Before Bankruptcy
News Corp. Revenue Up 7% In 1Q
Killing The Courier: Right Decision, Wrong Reasons?
Apple Admits iOS5 Causes Battery Problems, Fix Promised
Small Spanish Firm Defeats Apple In iPad Patent Case
HP Still In Tablet Game, Unveils Windows-Based Slate 2



SPORTS
Peter O’Malley Joins List Of Potential Bidders For Dodgers

Former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley

Son of legendary owner Walter O’Malley wants another shot at running the team

Quade Out As Cubs Manager, But Sandberg Not In

Tribe Sues NCAA Over Ban on “Fighting Sioux” Nickname At NDSU

NBA Gets Chilly Reception From Judge To Claims Union Threats Hampering Talks

Couturier Gives Flyers A Lift In Win Over Sabres

Red Sox Interview Brewers Hitting Coach Dale Sveum For Manager’s Job

Lupul’s Hat Trick Boosts Leafs Past Devils

Carl Edwards Won’t Be Intimidated By  Tony Stewart Down The Stretch

Terps’ Alex Len Suspended For Ten Games, Cleared To Practice

Nationals Close To Deal With Wang



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Thirty Days, Lindsay!

Lindsay Lohan and Judge Stephanie Sautner

Sentenced for violating probation; sheriff says she’ll wind up doing six days

Short Sainthood For Steve Jobs

First Photo Of Bieber’s Alleged Baby

Kate Gosselin  Actually Lands Job


Jennifer Lawrence On “The Hunger Games”: “It’s Not ‘Twilight’

Jessica Simpson To Wed Eric Johnson After Baby Arrives

Talking With Our Mouths Full: Snooki



FOREIGNERS
US House Panel Approves Tougher Sanctions On Iran
“100 Lashes If You Don’t Die Laughing” And Three Other Mohammed Controversies
UK Court Rules Wikileaks Founder Can Be Extradited To Sweden To Answer Rape Charges
Pro-Palestinian Activists Set Sail For Gaza From Turkey
Pakistan Grants India MFN status
Russian Deal With Georgia Clears Way For WTO Bid
Egypt’s Ruling Generals Pardon 334 Civilians Convicted By Military Courts



BLOGS & STUFF
Neo-neocon: The Cain Chronicles
Kathryn Lopez: God Endorses Son Of Stimulus?
Gateway Pundit: Obama Says “We’re Better Off Today Than When I Took Over” (He Thinks We’re Idiots) (Video)
Weasel Zippers: Wall Street Occupier Arrested After Raping Two Women
OWS Exposed: NYPD Officer Says Rape & Other Crime “More Widespread Than Even they Think”
Lonely Conservative: Occupy Update – Putting People Out Of Work, Except For The Homeless Getting Paid To Protest
Michelle Malkin: Live From Occupy Oakland
Sipsey Street Irregulars: No Sooner Do I Note The Georgia Geriatric Terrorist Plot…
Jawa Report: Tea Party Versus #Occupy Checklist
Hit & Run: It’s Everybody Bomb Anybody Who Draws Mohammed Day In France!


SOTD: When You’re Hot, You’re Hot

Category: Live at Five

Will Perry Be Blamed for Cain Scandal?

Posted on | November 2, 2011 | 42 Comments

Sunday’s original widespread suspicion that the Rick Perry campaign was responsible for the “oppo” hit at Politico appears to be shared by many others, including the target himself:

In the summer of 2003, Cain recalls briefing Anderson—his general campaign consultant at the time—that sexual harassment claims were brought against him while he was chairman of the National Restaurant Association from 1996 to 1999.
“I told my wife about this in 1999 and I’ve got nothing to hide,” Cain told me Wednesday. “When I sat down with my general campaign consultant Kurt Anderson in a private room in our campaign offices in 2003 we discussed opposition research on me. It was a typical campaign conversation. I told him that there was only one case, one set of charges, one woman while I was at the National Restaurant Association. Those charges were baseless, but I thought he needed to know about them. I don’t recall anyone else being in the room when I told him.” …
Aside from knowing about the alleged sexual harassment accusations, Cain campaign officials point to the timing of Anderson’s hiring by Perry as evidence of his involvement. The campaign announced Anderson’s role on October 24, just a week before Politico broke the story.

Related headlines:

Cain Faults Perry as More Allegations Emerge
— New York Times

Cain accuses former adviser Curt Anderson
— Politico

Cain Camp Accuses Perry Campaign
of Leaking Sexual Harassment Claims
— Fox News

Perry Backer Says He Witnessed Cain
Harassment, Cain Blames Perry Staffer
— Business Insider

Perry Pollster Worked for Restaurant
Association at Time of Cain Allegations
— The Weekly Standard

Regarding Herman Cain: It’s Not
Racism. It’s Opposition Research.
— Erick Erickson, Red State

In that last item Erickson is essentially defending his candidate, saying that even if this was an oppo job by his buddies on Team Perry, Republican voters should not blame his buddies for doing it. But this is still merely a hypothetical. We have only suspicion at this point, and even if there is evidence that appears to support that suspicion, “evidence” is not a synonym for “proof.” Republican voters, of course, may not care to quibble over such fine distinctions. And if suspicions toward the Perry campaign take root . . .

“Howdy. Thank You, Erick.”

Meanwhile, via Hot Air, we get a weird story from Iowa talk radio host Steve Deace, who remarks on “awkward/inappropriate things he’s said to two females on my staff” and then says:

Especially since I have very talented employees that happen to be women. I go out of my way to treat them like my sisters. For example, I wouldn’t tell them or any other woman I am not married to nor related to how pretty she is.

Hold on a minute there: It is now “inappropriate” — perhaps even career-destroying harassment — for a married man to compliment a woman on her looks? According to conservatives?

Strom Thurmond never would have survived in 21st century GOP politics.

Now, as I keep reminding readers, we don’t yet know the names of Cain’s accusers and haven’t heard their accusations directly. We therefore are unable to judge the credibility of the charges.

However, it strikes me that Deace’s testimony about Cain’s allegedly “inappropriate” remarks might actually be viewed as exculpatory. That is to say, no reasonable person could possibly believe that Cain was “hitting on” Deace’s female staffers, right? Yet this incident might suggest that Cain — like the late Strom, like me, like many other old-fashioned men from the South — considers flirtatious flattery and jocular banter an innocent amusement.

Coming from a time and place where every diner waitress called you “honey” or “sugar,” and where extravagant compliments were the routine currency of social life, I am probably more sympathetic to the cultural defense of such behavior than the average Iowan would be. The many people who know Herman and praise him as an amiable gentleman perhaps see his down-to-earth jocularity as charming, whereas others might see it differently.

There is of course a line, recognized even among Southerners, between harmless flirtatiousness and “hitting on” someone, and occasional misunderstandings used to be settled the old-fashioned way. When I was about 21, I got sucker-punched by a college buddy who did not appreciate the cleverness of a double-entendre made in reference to his girlfriend (whom I’d known before she ever met him). And my extroverted wackiness may make others feel “awkward.”

At any rate, I think the lovely and charming Gail Collins shares my basic viewpoint of the allegations to date:

Sexual harassment is a matter so serious that I’m not prepared to prejudge anybody, including the woman who accepted money in return for leaving the organization, until I have a pretty fair factual understanding of what actually happened.  If you feel you have no power, that everybody with clout is aligned against you, and the situation makes keeping your job untenable, you might feel compelled to just get out of there with whatever compensation is available to tide you over. On the other side, if none of Cain’s accusers speak up in public, it’s hard to judge him guilty.

So far, we have a sex scandal with no actual sex and only vague descriptions of accusations made by unnamed women. Cain might be wholly guilty or mostly innocent, and there is simply no way yet to judge. It wouldn’t want to see the women targeted by some kind of James Carville “nuts and sluts” attack, but neither can Cain be condemned on the basis of anonymous accusations.

 



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Category: Election 2012, Herman Cain, Rick Perry, Scandal

Santorum Ad Cuts To The Heart Of The Real/Fake Problem With Politicians

Posted on | November 2, 2011 | 21 Comments

by Smitty

There isn’t a thing for me not to admire in this ad:

Rick Santorum is to Newt Gingrich what Tim Pawlenty was to Mitt Romney; Rick has all of the knowledge of how the sausage is made, without seeming a two-dimensional cardboard cutout.

I keep wanting to respect the fact that the Iron Law has made some inside grasp of that Byzantine/Rube Goldberg device we call DC a useful resume bullet. Thus, a guy like Santorum who, for all appearances, is cognizant but not compromised is an attractive candidate.

It is the height of irony that a nation which touts the Judeo-Christian underpinnings informing its founding spends so much energy ignoring an unabashedly Christian candidate like Rick Santorum. I’m talking around juxtaposing the words ‘nation’ and ‘Christian’ here because I don’t think such is theologically or practically possible, short of a Triumphal Return.

Rick Santorum for my vote, is the most underrated GOP contender, and the obituary of his campaign has been written far too soon.

Category: Election 2012, Rick Santorum

Science. . .Fiction

Posted on | November 2, 2011 | 11 Comments

by Smitty

Slashdot has a story from Reuters about a Dutch social shrink who was unencumbered by that messy ‘data’ stuff that restricts the output of so many researchers near you:

In a statement posted on the internet via the Dutch newspaper Brabants Dagblad this week, Stapel admitted to falsifying data and apologized for his actions.
“I have failed as a scientist, as a researcher,” he said. “I have adjusted research data and faked research. Not just once, but many several times, and not just briefly, but over a long period of time.
“I am ashamed of this and I am deeply sorry.”
Science published a study by Stapel and colleague Siegwart Lindenberg in April which found that people are more likely to discriminate against others when their surroundings are disordered and messy.

Sure am glad that isn’t true. My desk is cluttered, and I cannot discuss Stacy’s work environment in mixed company, though, if he veers into furniture design, the resulting product line will be named ‘Gonzo’.

Category: Science
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