The Herman Cain candidacy had become a joke over the past several weeks. The allegations of sexual harassment took their toll, the the alleged affair probably hurt him even more, but his utter lack of knowledge of the issues made all of this personal stuff a sideshow.
Herman Cain is a radio personality, and he ran his campaign like one. He wasn’t serious about the issues. Instead, he had a bunch of handy slogans that appealed to the angry right. When he was pressed on specifics, he usually answered with more slogans, or just said he would sit down with smart advisers and come to a decision.
He mocked the notion that he needed any working knowledge of foreign policy issues, and simply offered contempt for those who would actually take the time to study these sorts of things. This caught up to him, however, when he looked like an uniformed fool in the face of a simple question about his Libya strategy. Unfortunately for the Herminator, this pathetic exchange with the uncomfortable long pause was caught on tape.
His 9-9-9 plan got plenty of attention, but he was utterly incapable of explaining it. He seemed to not understand how adding a 9% national sales tax would result in a huge tax increase on the poor and the middle class. When the notion finally sunk in weeks later, Cain meekly offered a 9-0-9 plan for the working poor.
Sex scandals will destroy most politicians, and Herman Cain is no different. Ginger White came across as a believable woman as she didn’t seek the public eye. Rather, she came forward when a local TV station threatened to expose her affair with Cain.
Cain of course tried to paint the media and the Democrats as the villains, but he had nothing but his charm to fall back on. By the time he “suspended” his campaign today, Cain was plummeting in the polls as evangelical voters started to abandon him.
Today’s announcement was classic Herman Cain – all fluff and zero substance. He announced his “Plan B” decision to suspend his campaign yet fight on for the issues (slogans) he cares about. Cain is probably in for a rude awakening as the media will start to ignore him again. Losers and quitters don’t get much press. Just ask Sarah Palin. She was a media sensation as long as she was a potential candidate. Now she’s just another shrill commentator. Sure, she has a following and can generate news, and Cain will probably get enough press to help him sell some books and book some paid speeches, but the frenzy will end.
The Herman Cain reality show is over.
