Herman is in an impossible situation—there’s no way to prove a negative.
In this case, there might be.
The latest claim is that it occurred in a public restaurant. Wilson claims to have witnessed it.
All it will require is for other people at the same meeting to rebut his statement. The way that everyone is being so vague about what happened, I suspect that it will turn out it's something like an off-color joke.
If it is something that has been blown out of proportion, Cain is not only in the clear -- he will get some benefit out of this. Aside from a few shrill women's organization, everyone is sick of bogus sexual harassment claims.
To be clear, I believe that sexual harassment is using a position of power to either force someone into a relationship they don't want, or to penalize them if they don't comply. But, I'm tired of people getting settlements because they claim they were "uncomfortable". I find myself feeling "uncomfortable" on the job on nearly a weekly basis, but I don't use it as an excuse to get a big bonus.
I suspect the initial report was a trap. The women couldn’t say anything because they were bound by the non-disclosure agreement. The trap was to see if Cain could be drawn into violating the non-disclosure agreement himself, which would then free the women to do so.
I suspect a more seasoned campaign would have seen the initial story for what it was, and directed Cain to make a bland “personnel matters at the NRA are confidential” type statement. The story might have smoldered, but with no one going on the record, might have died.
National politics is a blood sport, as Vince Foster famously observed in his “suicide” note.
This doesn’t mean Cain is screwed; if the women do go one the record, and they’re seen as Anita Hill type political harpies, this could actually help him. I like Cain, but his “outsider” status could be very much a two-edged sword.
My post is pure speculation and opinion. YMMV.