Posted on 10/03/2011 8:46:50 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
After Sunday’s Washington Post reported that Texas Governor Rick Perry had utilized a Texas hunting camp named “Niggerhead,” GOP candidate Herman Cain (a former pizza exec. and the only black candidate running for the GOP presidential nomination) wasted little time in accusing Perry of being insensitive to racial issues.
“Since Gov. Perry has been going there for years to hunt,” Cain told ABC’s “This Week,” think that it shows a lack of sensitivity for a long time of not taking that word off of that rock and renaming the place.”
When anchor Christiane Amanpour pushed back — noting that the rock had actually been painted over — Cain doubled-down, saying: “But how long ago was it painted over? So I’m still saying that it is a sign of insensitivity.’’
(Cain made similar comments on Fox News Sunday — demonstrating that this was not a gaffe made in response to a question that simply caught him off guard.)
In a prepared release, Perry Campaign Communications Director Ray Sullivan responded to Cain’s attack, saying: “Mr. Cain is wrong about the Perry family’s quick action to eliminate the word on the rock, but is right the word written by others long ago is insensitive and offensive. That is why the Perrys took quick action to cover and obscure it.”
Sullivan reiterated that the rock had been painted and turned over, and that “The Perrys did not own, name or control the property, they simply rented hunting rights to 1,000 acres of the ranch.”
My take? Cain’s comments were — at best – premature — and at worst, highly irresponsible. It was a cheap shot, and, perhaps is a signal that Cain is willing to play the race card against a fellow Republican when it benefits him.
The fact that Cain spoke out so soon — basing his comments on a newly-posted and thinly-sourced article published by an outlet many conservatives believe to have a liberal bias — speaks to Cain’s lack of political judgment.
This isn’t the first time Cain’s penchant for talking has gotten him in trouble, but in this instance, Cain has aided and abetted those who wish to portray southern conservatives as racists. In so doing, Cain provides cover for anyone wishing to cast Perry as such.
Just last week, Sarah Palin noted that “Herb” Cain was the “flavor of the week.” By siding with the Washington Post and Al Sharpton — against a fellow Republican who appears to have done nothing wrong — Cain might just have proven Palin right.
Thank you for reminding us that this probably
another dirty trick by the racist Mitt Romney.
After that post, painting all Cain supporters with one broad brush and insisting that Cain used the Race Card, the only reasonable response to you is ... you first!
The more I compare Perry's accomplishments to that of the rest of the field, the more comfortable I am with having him in charge of my security.
He's already proven he knows how to run an economy--at least he has good enough sense to stay of the way, unlike this idiot we have now in the WH.
He has protected TX businesses from frivilous lawsuits. How many other governors have recognized the need to do that?
He is strong on Second Amendment rights--he's proven that, along with states' rights. Perry helped defund Planned Parenthood which has already caused some PPs to shut the doors.
If you think his debating skills are enough to not vote for him, think again. I just plain do not care. I want more substance than that.
To be honest, you have no clue what I might do...you're just assuming. And you are wrong. I was considering Cain... but not now.
Perry defending illegal aliens is much more serious than some minor dust up over a word
That is your opinion and to be honest, you are comparing one word, "heartless," to another, "racist".
What you cited is not analogous. But the real point of the issue is that the media whoredom have supposed allies picking at each other over a stupid racial non-issue. If the Perry family named the property, it would be something to note as evidence of raqcial ‘insensitivity’. If Perry used the term ‘niggerhead’ often to refer to the hunting property, that’s less significant but still evidence of ‘insensitivity’. But to try and claim Perry is ‘insensitive’ to black people because someone else leased a piece of property to his family that had an ‘insensitive’ name on it which was subsequently (when?) removed by painting over the marker is a ploy by the enemies of we the people, namely the enemedia. Michael Steele is making a fool of his racial self. Cain was tricked into responding to the set-up. I’m not goign to comment further than to say your analogy was flawed in that property was chosen and leased as opposed to just all public properties. The fallacy is the ‘undistributed middle’.
Yup, the truth may eventually come out. WaPo says they have seven independent sources, saying that in no way was the rock painted over early as Perry claims. Whether or not what he says is objectively true, if that many people come forward to make a "liar" out of him, he's got big trouble. We'll see.
In either case, Perry, knowing his ambitions, should not have used the property as long as the rock was so labeled.
Cain, on the other hand, would have been smarter to call it "stupid" than "insensitive" thus playing on Perry's academic record and his debate performance. Hence, he turned a political opportunity into a debacle. "Insensitive," as is a hot-button word of too-often bogus black grievances.
In that respect, this speaks to the fact that at least he's genuine, unlike Rick Perry IMO. We do have to remember that he really did come from a black family of modest means in the 50's (unlike Zero, who was affiliated with commie elitists from his infancy). He has probably, at one time or another, suffered real insult for his race and is thus possibly more apt to react emotionally, which was clearly the case in this instance. At least he prefaced his reply with, "If this is true..." which may save it for him, we'll see. For his own good, he'd better put that behind him.
Yup, I agree.
No, Cain didn't use the word "racist" but some things are understood unsaid...he didn't have to. The point is Cain was using it to shed unfavorable light on Perry and today Cain is trying to back off it.
I have lost respect for Cain. He was played like a fiddle by the media. I'm done with him. I think how he honestly feels came out in an unguarded moment. He should have kept his mouth shut because he didn't know what he was talking about.
If you hate being called heartless by Perry, you multiply it by 1000 and you will have some small idea how I feel about being falsely accused of being a racist.
Herman just needs to apologize for this ASAP.
Boo hoo. Get over whatever problems you have. My forefathers way back were slaves too as a lot of people of many nationalities were. I don’t presume to know what they suffered and I wouln’t make a martyr of myself trying to justify or satisfy anyone and I don’t respect for one minute anyone who tries. $hit happens and we get over it, which was the point of my comments. Just for the record, millions of people suffer in their lives through no cause or fault of their own and if you are a Christian then you know we are all in the same boat and accept the cards that are dealt to us by God because He has a greater purpose. If you have a useful point to make, make it, otherwise go cry in your own beer.
I agree.
To my understanding Mr Cain never used the word racist to describe Perry. Is that correct?
To my knowledge that is correct. Cain said 'insensitive'. So we are comparing 'heartless' and 'insensitive', which are both saying the same thing.
From a Thesaurus
| Main Entry: | callous |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | cruel, insensitive |
| Synonyms: | apathetic, blind to, careless, case-hardened, cold, cold-blooded, deaf to, hard, hard-bitten, hard-boiled, hardened, hardhearted, heartless , impassive, impenitent, indifferent, indurated, inflexible, insensate, insensible, insensitive, insentient, inured, obdurate, soulless, spiritless, stiff, stony, stubborn, thick-skinned, torpid, tough, toughened, unaffected, unbending, uncaring, uncompassionate, unconcerned, unfeeling, unimpressionable, unresponsive, unsusceptible, unsympathetic |
| Antonyms: | compassionate, feeling, kind, nice, sensitive, sympathetic, tender |
Maybe Cain just wanted Perry to know what it was like to have the shoe on the other foot and be called 'heartless/insensitive'.
Considering that you are a shill for Perry, its doubtful you would have voted for Cain anyway. No bog loss.
And my point was that just because a piece of southern property might have had a racial past doesn't mean any current users of that property are racist. I believe you agreed with that above.
And that would apply to more property than we can list.
One can’t help what predecessors have named an area, except to change the name—and they did that. Muckrakers and dirt grubbers had to dig up what it USED to be, for their own nefarious reasons.
over Romney, Bachmann, Paul, Santorum, Huntsman,...you're correct. But I had not completely written off Cain and Newt.
I now have added Cain to the never in the primary list.
I wish Newt didn't have the baggage he has because I think he is the smartest of the bunch and would probably be a good POTUS.
BTW,Christie will never be on my short list and I gave up on the former Alaska guv, also. If she can't make a decision by now she isn't ready to be POTUS...and doesn't want to be.
Hope I didn't forget anybody.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.