Posted on 11/03/2011 11:04:33 AM PDT by RoosterRedux
Herman Cain's chief-of-staff Mark Block walked back accusations that Rick Perry's campaign was responsible for the leak of accusations of sexual harassment during the candidate's time as president of the National Restaurant Association, saying that he would "accept" the claim by a former staffer now affiliated with the Perry campaign that he was not the leak.
"Until we get all the facts, I'm just going to say that we accept what Mr. Anderson has said, and we want to move on with the campaign," Block said on Fox News.
Curt Anderson, the former Cain staffer, has flatly denied the accusations, saying earlier on Fox News that any reporters he had ever spoken to about the Cain were free to openly attribute those comments to him. In doing so, he opened up the door for Politico, who originally reported the story, to confirm him as the source. Politico has not done so, effectively eliminating Anderson as the source of the story.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Nice try, but his words are pretty clear...
“They’ve indicated that they’re trying to develop nuclear capability and they want to develop more aircraft carriers like we have. So yes, we have to consider them a military threat.”—Herman Cain
I’m starting to think Cain is woefully ignorant of anything outside of business.
Yes I have proof. But I will use the same approach they are using against Cain. I’ve made the accusation now it’s up to Perry to prove me wrong and clear up the situation.
Herman needs a new team!
Cain and his employees smeared someone without proof and HE’s THE ADULT IN THE ROOM? LOL
I miss it too and I know from private mail that in some instances it is affecting contributions to FR. There isn’t any curiosity about fact finding here anymore. A lot of rumor and supposition is being posted as gospel truth. Yesterday many people raked Perry over the coals for outing Cain. Today Cain’s campaign has taken back their accusations, but so far those posters aren’t issuing apologies.
They should walk it back IMHO. They jumped too quickly and based on Anderson’s response, lauding Cain and saying he had the utmost respect for him and would never do this...they should have called and talked to him first.
Someone did it...perhaps the Wilson fellow, or someone else. But, IMHO, the thing to focus on is conclusively showing there was nothing to it and then moving on and get back on message.
For the 1000th time.
He comes across, to me, as a smug idiot, a small timer that is way out of his league. He is to chiefs of campaign staffs what Perry is to presidential debates.
Not without proof.
It seems like the fundraising is taking longer and longer.
This has gone too far now. There is no getting back on message until every detail is laid bare for all to assess.
Cain's job was to analyze Chinese missile capabilities when he worked for the Navy. I recommend you read an accurate transcript and judge it objectively.
1. Give a Final “Accusations” Press Conference
2. Affirm “baseless and false”
3. Announce no more irrelevant questions.
4. Don’t answer Questions.
5. Campaign on Issues and Ignore Media deflections.
That ends it. The media will move on. If they don’t, nobody believes them that will vote for Cain anyway.
He needs to expand his staff and get some real pros in there to handle the Press.
He’s going to be the President based on polling...campaign and MOVE ON.
There definitely was something to it - whether it’s as bad as the deleted Pyjamas Media reports or not, I don’t know, but there were two settlements and Cain initially denied them - then admitted them bit by bit.
He could simply have defused this whole thing by being honest at the very start, except that he chose to do a Bill Clinton (remember, it was Clinton’s own arrogance that prevented him from settling a defamation of character complaint which then launched the Lewinski affair, during which he steadfastly denied - until he admitted). The Dems were with him all the way, however.
Except for Cain’s hard-core groupies, nobody is going to be with him on this one. But I think he has now tarnished the entire GOP slate.
Interviewed today on KTOK’s Mullins in the Morning, Wilson, of Wilson-Perkins-Allen Opinion Research headquartered in Washington, D.C. explained he was a witness to the incident. “I was the pollster at the National Restaurant Association when Herman Cain was head of it and I was around a couple of times when this happened and anyone who was involved with the NRA at the time, knew that this was gonna come up.”
Wilson described the woman as a low level staffer who was maybe two years out of college. “This occurred at a restaurant in Crystal City (Virginia) and everybody was aware of it,” he continued. “It was only a matter of time because so many people were aware of what took place, so many people were aware of her situation, the fact she left-—everybody knew with the campaign that this would eventually come up.”
Wilson said for legal reasons, he can not discuss details of the incident. “But if she comes out and talks about it, like I said, it’ll probably be the end of his campaign.” The consultant said Cain is digging himself a deeper hole by challenging the woman. He also believes it has put the Restaurant Association in a position where it will have to release the woman from her confidentialilty agreement. “If she talks about it, I think it’ll be the end of his campaign.”
You and me too Miz. I mostly don't even comment any more, and read much less than I used to. The intelligence level has dropped considerably, and one does not dare to make any statement about any candidate without being called an idiot by someone. Yes, it's always been more "lively" during elections, but this is ridiculous.
Unnamed accusers with unnamed infractions, no problem.
Named person who moved from Cain’s campaign to Perry’s and was accused because he was made aware of Cain’s past before he left... now there’s a problem.
I get a real hoot out of folks who are not offended by faceless unquantified rumors, but think it’s a real scandal if someone is named and accused because they were privy to sensitive information.
Cain’s team had every right to be suspicious, and voice those suspicions.
If someone on my team left when I was peaking, went to my opponent’s team, and all of a sudden unsubstantiated rumors hit the media, I’d be calling them on it too.
Cain has denied impropriety. They guy who left Cain’s team has denied impropriety. Cain is called on it, and the other guy is believed lock stock and barrel. Why is that?
Cain should also direct his campaign staff to completely refrain from mention of this issue until specific, named individuals come forward and be ready to back up their accusations. The entire campaign, Cain included, should embargo the entire matter as a non-issue until then.
Agreed. Not sure whats happened but I long for the old days with breaking news and an honest debate.
I’ll donate another $100 to Cain if he replaces Block.
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