Caucus Update: "I just liked you more" edition

The last time we met I predicted that Herman Cain's sexual harassment claims would have no effect on his campaign.

It is still hard to say as this story develops on a daily basis as a third accuser steps forward.

I am still not sure what this story will continue to bring, but I still think he might win Iowa and the nomination.  Republicans (especially the conservative ones who caucus in Iowa) like a good 'liberal persecution' story, and may play this off as an attack from the 'mainstream media'.

Even then, there's at least eight people who would benefit by attacking Cain (they're called candidates) and the story has topped both local and National news for the last three days.

Herman Cain's Iowa campaign manager was on the local news defending her candidate.  She said proudly that two people had called the office, and heard the story, and and decided that they want to donate.

This of course borders on ridiculous.  One tends to forget that those who volunteer at this stage of games and run things on the local level (and come to think of it, are pretty damn important given that whole 'first in the nation' thing) aren't smooth polished talkers like Rahm Emmanuel (or even Karl Rove or even even James Carville).  They resemble your ex-roommates girlfriend.

Someone should have told her to say that donations were rolling in like crazy despite the allegation, not because of it.  Then again, maybe she is telling the truth.  Let's face it, the last time we had a philanderer in the White House, things were pretty good (the low unemployment.  the surplus thing.)

Sensible pundit Glenn Beck probably put it best.  Cain is a radio host-turned-politician and he's been acting more like a radio host than a pol.  Being flippant and making outrageous comments about the allegation is the thing that will grow your ratings (It never hurts to go full-on Stern, or full-on Imus in that industry), but it's hard to suggest anything else than a presidential candidate should keep it short, keep it professional and hope it rolls on.

Cain is going with the "Leave me the hell alone" defense, which likely will be fine with the faithful, though I think it might ultimately hurt him in the end.  Sen Charles Grassley has kindly described this as saying it's proof that Cain isn't a hardened campaigner, which is a nice way of saying "He's handling this horribly, but he's on my team so I got to support him."

Interestingly, the Des Moines Register who released Sunday the poll showing Cain as a front runner, went ahead and followed up with those supporters (post-third accuser) and found out, none of them wavered in their support for Cain.

I think we will have to wait and see where this story goes next, but indeed, maybe Cain weathered this.

Caucus Update: "The people no one are voting for" edition

Yesterday, five Presidential candidates (Gingrich, Perry, Bachmann, Santorum, Paul) spoke at a Pella, Iowa manufacturing plant. This Vermeer Corp. event was a 'one candidate at a time 'get to know us' event ( called the Republican Presidential Forum on Manufacturing) where each was interviewed by Governor Terry Branstad and a PBS news anchor.

It was on local tv, so I had to watch it (though to be fair, I could only watch in fits and bursts. I can't be the only Iowan who is sick of seeing these mugs).

The Register awarded best performance to Gingrich, and second prize to Paul. I don't think anyone did bad (Well, Perry, but more about that lately), but I would have called it the same way.

Newt has been slaying them at events like this. Agree or disagree, but no one comes off as more knowledgeable than Gingrich. There is no doubt anyone has given the issues of the day more thought than Newt.

Ron Paul looked bold with his plans, and he's piggybacking with radio ads which state his plan is to essentially cut all (or seemingly all) government funding except military and medicare.

Romney and Cain missed the event, though the Register did print a Q&A session with Romney (and Huntsman).

I wasn't impressed with Perry's performance, and wonder how much of that is 'Dubya fatigue'. There's only so much "I'm a doer, not a talker" tough talking Texan rhetoric that I can take before i am sick of it.

I guess everyone was right. Perry is just a terrible talker.

It's not that Perry can't be exciting. This weekend, he had what I consider his best performance yet, where he channeled a combination of George W Bush (as played by Will Ferrell) and that noted 20th Century orator Dean Martin.

I love that Perry's response to the questions of whether he was high on muscle relaxants or drunk is "No, that performance was awesome".

To be fair, no one accused Perry of being drunk until Monday, two full days after the speech.  No one at the speech mentioned anything.

Plus, let's face it, New Hampshire does have a cool logo.  "This is such a cool state. I mean, come on, live free or die. I mean, it's like, live free or die. Victory or death. Bring it."  For once, a politician was having a little fun.

Caucus Update: "Better Days" edition

Let's take a look back at some Herman Cain news from better times in his campaign.

Specifically, the video that made the rounds last month of the former Godfather's CEO and Gospel Recording Artist Cain singing "Imagine no pizza".

Someone told me it was a Weird Al song, but as more-of-a-Weird-Al-fan-that-you probably-would-imagine, I don't believe that is true. One of the rules of the internet is that every parody song ever gets attributed to Weird Al (unless it's country, then it's attributed to Ray Stevens or David Allen Coe).

Pretty sure this is a Cain original, and pretty sure John Lennon didn't have this in mind when he stepped into the studio in '71.