The Palestinian "right of return" may not be that important an issue, but foreign policy is always a big issue for the president. Our Founding Fathers intended Congress to take the lead on domestic policy like spending and the regulation that would affect jobs. The executive office was to implement what Congress passed and take the lead in dealing with foreign powers. That's why the first administrations had departments of state and war but not a department of commerce.
Whether we are in more danger from pressing debt and over-regulation or from terrorism and war could be an amusing but pointless debate. Either issue could eventually destroy this country if we don't take appropriate action. I'd like to have a president who understands how to do both things well. If Mr. Cain isn't willing to be that president, he shouldn't be receiving so much support.
Mr. Cain has been out of the restaurant business for over ten years. Even as early as 2000, he was mentioned as someone who might run for president or be a vice-presidential nominee. He ran for US Senate from Georgia in 2004. If he had any remote interest in being president at any time in the past, he could have prepared himself for foreign policy questions. Many experts in this field leave government service and write books about these issues. Any of us can buy and read these books. As a prominent man in Republican circles, Mr. Cain could have requested and received a private audience with many of these experts. They might have specific secrets that they couldn't give him, but they could have taught him the important issues involved in various important regions.
Mr. Cain's fumbling these questions tells me that at least one of a few possibilities must be true. One possibility is that he doesn't understand the importance of presidential leadership in foreign affairs. Getting economic policy right is important, but Congress must play a huge role in that policy. No one but the president can lead on foreign policy, and if Mr. Cain doesn't understand this fact, he shouldn't be president. Another possibility is that Mr. Cain vaguely understands the importance of foreign policy but has failed to make an effort to prepare himself in that area. I'm not sure whether I'm more frightened of someone who doesn't understand the importance or someone who understands but doesn't make an effort to prepare himself. A third possibility is that he's tried to prepare himself in foreign policy but has been ineffective in learning what he needed to learn.
He's had at least ten years to learn these topics. If he's not ready by now, he's not going to be ready to take office in 2013. If he'd fumbled only one question, I'd not be that worried. If he doesn't fumble another foreign policy question for the next seven months, maybe the concern will pass. To see him fumble two questions within a few weeks is a big concern.
Foreign policy is Herman’s weakest point.
Many of us here on FREEP know more than our friends and family about history, economy, politics, our rights, how government works(or doesn’t work), etc....
Herman has not spent 10 years preparing to run for President. His name being mentioned as a future candidate is not the same as actually preparing for such or run- or making it a goal that one works towards. I have never known anyone in my life with more integrity than Herman Cain. And I mean REAL INTEGRITY.
It is obvious that he wasn’t familiar with the term “right of return”— but he admitted that clearly on Hannity last night.
What he does have is integrity and principles. He has great Leadership- and he will lead with his principles and integrity.
I am a big fan of Bachman and Palin- but I believe Herman Cain is the BEST person for President. I admit, knowing him personally give me a bit of bias- but there is no doubt that I would rather have a man of principle and integrity in office making decisions than politicos that will govern based on their own self interests- no matter how much more “knowledge” they have on foreign affairs....