Cain: "Bring me the accuser"

[King]

Badass.  So badass.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

"Bring me the accuser"

LOL!  Sounds like a line from Darth Vader

[Keystone Phil]

Badass.  So badass.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

the Cain Train would be extremely fun...if it were capable of actually carry freight.

[Lief 🗽]

Good to see Dr. Rev. Cain fighting back against the pro-Romney media's high tech lynching.

[M]

Good to see Dr. Rev. Cain fighting back against the pro-Romney media's high tech lynching.

The media is pro-Romney in the same way it was pro-McCain in 2007-8.

That is, up until the instant that he clinches the nomination, and not one minute longer.

[Likely Voter]

Attack the messenger and media? That old canard again?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Attack the messenger and media? That old canard again?

dude, you can get sued for sexual harassment nowadays for simply telling a woman, "You look nice, today."  to bring up these past unspecified allegations is a real cheap shot.

[Peeperkorn]

Attack the messenger and media? That old canard again?

dude, you can get sued for sexual harassment nowadays for simply telling a woman, "You look nice, today."  

Probably that  happened. Or look to the Strauss-Kahn affaire; at the end is was bullsh**t.

I mean, how many of these accusations would JFK have to deal with in this days?

[Middle-aged Europe]

Bring him!

[Likely Voter]

My point is about attacking the media. I have worked in journalism and I know how these things come about and it is just silly to go after the press. Apparently the facts are that Cain was accused of sexual harassment in the 90s and the accusers were paid to leave the NRA. This info came to Politico via a tip. They gave the Cain campaign over a week to reply. Was Politico supposed to just sit on the story? How many other presidential candidates have been accused of settling sexual harassment cases? If they sat on it, they would be accused of being in the tank for Cain.

[Peeperkorn]

Political journalists are like a mix of paparazzi and mercenaries. How many of the Lee Atwater lies did they publish back in the eighties?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

My point is about attacking the media. I have worked in journalism and I know how these things come about and it is just silly to go after the press. Apparently the facts are that Cain was accused of sexual harassment in the 90s and the accusers were paid to leave the NRA. This info came to Politico via a tip. They gave the Cain campaign over a week to reply. Was Politico supposed to just sit on the story? How many other presidential candidates have been accused of settling sexual harassment cases? If they sat on it, they would be accused of being in the tank for Cain.

being an adult and knowing all the lame reasons people get sued for sexual harassment...I would NOT have published this story without having specific information that reflected poorly on the character of Cain.

Maybe it was as serious as Cain saying, "Wow, your breasts look huge today!  I'd sure like to go 15 rounds with those."...or maybe Cain simply said, "You look nice, today" and thus the women are completely full of crap....Politico doesn't know which one it was, therefore going public with this was A CLEAR ATTEMPT TO SMEAR CAIN.

[izixs]

The exact nature of any alleged harassment is irrelevant. There was information found that suggested a candidate had been involved in something not so moral at the very least and that the accusers were paid off to drop complaint/potential charges and to be quiet. This is indeed a tricky situation. Cain could easily deal with this, if it is all lies, by asking the NRA to open up any records they have about this. Then at the very least he can point to any non-compliance to his requests by the NRA as them blocking things instead of him. It would also sow enough doubt about the validity of the story that the media would be prone to dropping it.

He's not doing this, he's asking folks that probably signed a contract not to talk about this to come out and talk about it. Its asking the guy with no tongue to sing opera. Its a tad insane. These women could be in legal trouble for breach of contract if this is the case, and so they won't be showing up any time soon. And by calling them to come out with their story, Cain is obviously relying upon that fact to build his defense. Which from my view means he's either really really stupid or that the allegations are true. In either case, I don't want him to be president.

[King]

There is no doubt in my mind now. SNL NEEDS to get Samuel L Jackson to play Herman Cain.

[Ⓐnarchy in the ☭☭☭P!]

Good to see Dr. Rev. Cain fighting back against the pro-Romney media's high tech lynching.

High tech? Really? Romney supporters barely know how to operate computers if online polls and forums are anything to go by.

[Torie]

My point is about attacking the media. I have worked in journalism and I know how these things come about and it is just silly to go after the press. Apparently the facts are that Cain was accused of sexual harassment in the 90s and the accusers were paid to leave the NRA. This info came to Politico via a tip. They gave the Cain campaign over a week to reply. Was Politico supposed to just sit on the story? How many other presidential candidates have been accused of settling sexual harassment cases? If they sat on it, they would be accused of being in the tank for Cain.

being an adult and knowing all the lame reasons people get sued for sexual harassment...I would NOT have published this story without having specific information that reflected poorly on the character of Cain.

Maybe it was as serious as Cain saying, "Wow, your breasts look huge today!  I'd sure like to go 15 rounds with those."...or maybe Cain simply said, "You look nice, today" and thus the women are completely full of crap....Politico doesn't know which one it was, therefore going public with this was A CLEAR ATTEMPT TO SMEAR CAIN.

No, the fact that charges were made, and money paid, is news - reportable news.  You don't need to can a story just because you don't know everything.  In any event, this will all come out anyway over time, and Cain not stepping up front immediately to spill his guts is a good way for him  to continue to bleed to death. He needs to staunch the wound.

[Ⓐnarchy in the ☭☭☭P!]

My point is about attacking the media. I have worked in journalism and I know how these things come about and it is just silly to go after the press. Apparently the facts are that Cain was accused of sexual harassment in the 90s and the accusers were paid to leave the NRA. This info came to Politico via a tip. They gave the Cain campaign over a week to reply. Was Politico supposed to just sit on the story? How many other presidential candidates have been accused of settling sexual harassment cases? If they sat on it, they would be accused of being in the tank for Cain.

being an adult and knowing all the lame reasons people get sued for sexual harassment...I would NOT have published this story without having specific information that reflected poorly on the character of Cain.

Maybe it was as serious as Cain saying, "Wow, your breasts look huge today!  I'd sure like to go 15 rounds with those."...or maybe Cain simply said, "You look nice, today" and thus the women are completely full of crap....Politico doesn't know which one it was, therefore going public with this was A CLEAR ATTEMPT TO SMEAR CAIN.

No, the fact that charges were made, and money paid, is news - reportable news.  You don't need to can a story just because you don't know everything.  In any event, this will all come out anyway over time, and Cain not stepping up front immediately to spill his guts is a good way for him  to continue to bleed to death. He needs to staunch the wound.

Cain's weak under pressure if the "APPLES AND ORANGES" tirade is anything to go by.

Anyway, his views were so shallow that he would be (and was, in fact) falling right about now anyway. This scandal is just speeding up the process. Maybe it really is entirely frivolous, but if some people will only stop voting for the crazed man with no solutions if he slaps some asses (or what have you) then I can go with it.

[pbrower2a]

Well-documented accusations of sexual harassment or sexual impropriety write finis to a political career. This is especially so for a black man (sure, that acknowledges overall racism in our society, but that remains true).

The only question of how damaging that they are is their veracity.

Don't get me wrong -- sexual harassment is a major offense against decent moral standards. Someone who does that shows dangerous, perhaps even sociopathic  tendencies. If I were a boss I would fire anyone who does sexual harassment.  

 

[Reluctant Republican]

Did anyone see the interview with the Cain campaign spokesman on Geraldo last night? (No, because who still watches him? Still...)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gclK_CYyspE&feature=player_embedded

Sorry if that's a repost. Cain should just come out and strongly deny it. This cute little no comment stuff may not work in the long run. Some things you just have to confront directly.

[Link]

My point is about attacking the media. I have worked in journalism and I know how these things come about and it is just silly to go after the press. Apparently the facts are that Cain was accused of sexual harassment in the 90s and the accusers were paid to leave the NRA. This info came to Politico via a tip. They gave the Cain campaign over a week to reply. Was Politico supposed to just sit on the story? How many other presidential candidates have been accused of settling sexual harassment cases? If they sat on it, they would be accused of being in the tank for Cain.

being an adult and knowing all the lame reasons people get sued for sexual harassment...I would NOT have published this story without having specific information that reflected poorly on the character of Cain.

Maybe it was as serious as Cain saying, "Wow, your breasts look huge today!  I'd sure like to go 15 rounds with those."...or maybe Cain simply said, "You look nice, today" and thus the women are completely full of crap....Politico doesn't know which one it was, therefore going public with this was A CLEAR ATTEMPT TO SMEAR CAIN.

I'm with Likely Voter on this one.  There was an accusation and a pay off.  How could you not ask a presidential hopeful about that!  When you give the guy a week to respond and he flat our refuses to give you a straight answer what are you supposed to do?  The tipster is just going to go to another paper and tell them and now the story isn't just going to be Herman Cain Sex Scandal.  It's going to be Herman Cain Sex Scandal AND Politico Suppression of The Story.  See page two for the details Politico didn't want you to know.

I agree with you on one point though.  Sexual harassment allegations are dime a dozen.  Without more details it's not going to make me like Herman Cain even less (and yes believe it or not that is still possible).

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

No, the fact that charges were made, and money paid, is news - reportable news.  You don't need to can a story just because you don't know everything. 

ok, Mr. Lawyer...but since this is a civil case and many civil cases are frivolous, and sexual allegations are bound to happen in this day and age (and should be expected) if you're in Cain's position long enough...how is this news worthy without details?

and the fact that money is paid is not an indication of guilt, companies pay frivolous arseholes to drop their cases all the time.

[Torie]

No, the fact that charges were made, and money paid, is news - reportable news.  You don't need to can a story just because you don't know everything. 

ok, Mr. Lawyer...but since this is a civil case and many civil cases are frivolous, and sexual allegations are bound to happen in this day and age (and should be expected) if you're in Cain's position long enough...how is this news worthy without details?

and the fact that money is paid is not an indication of guilt, companies pay frivolous arseholes to drop their cases all the time.

Cain can fill us in on the details jmfcst - and should. But as others have said, it doesn't matter. Cain was running out of gas in any event, because it turned out his octane level was too low to efficiently power his vehicle.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Cain can fill us in on the details jmfcst - and should.

so, a POTUS candidate has to fill the public in on the details of frivolous law suits?!  No wonder we've had nothing but clowns the last 20 years.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Van Susteren asked what Cain did that led to the accusation.  There were reportedly more than one accusations in the complaint, but Cain said he recalled just one incident.  "She was in my office one day, and I made a gesture saying -- and I was standing close to her -- and I made a gesture saying you are the same height as my wife.  And I brought my hand up to my chin saying, 'My wife comes up to my chin.'"  At that point, Cain gestured with his flattened palm near his chin.  "And that was put in there [the complaint] as something that made her uncomfortable," Cain said, "something that was in the sexual harassment charge."

Van Susteren asked whether the woman complained at the time.  "I can't recall any comment that she made, positive or negative."

Cain also offered new information about the settlement of the case.  Politico, which broke the sexual harassment allegation story, said that the woman received a money settlement "in the five-figure range."  When van Susteren asked about that, Cain said, "My general counsel said this started out where she and her lawyer were demanding a huge financial settlement…I don't remember a number…But then he said because there was no basis for this, we ended up settling for what would have been a termination settlement."  When van Susteren asked how much money was involved, Cain said.  "Maybe three months' salary.  I don't remember.  It might have been two months.  I do remember my general counsel saying we didn't pay all of the money they demanded."

As for reports that a second woman also complained about his behavior, Cain said, "I am totally unaware as to any formal charges coming from this other person."  Cain said he was told the woman's name by reporters at Politico. "I have no knowledge that she made a formal complaint," Cain said.

Cain told van Susteren that the woman worked in the Restaurant Association's government affairs department, working with the group's political action committee.  He said he seldom saw her.  As to the allegation that he might have made what Politico quoted as "an unwanted sexual advance" during a trip to Chicago, Cain said, "When we were at the restaurant show, I was constantly talking with different staff members about different issues.  If I had a private conversation with her, I don't recall it."