Posted on 11/06/2011 11:33:55 AM PST by smoothsailing
November 3, 2011
Alan Caruba
It can be argued that domestic affairs are a president's top priority, but the Constitution expressly puts the chief executive in charge of setting and conducting foreign affairs. It is therefore essential to know if the candidate who wants to be president has a reasonable knowledge of events around the world.
On Tuesday evening I watched an edition of Fox News Bret Beir's Special Report where Herman Cain was "center chair" as the usual members of the panel got a chance to quiz him and, after he attempted to dispose of the charges of sexual harassment unleashed against him, syndicated columnist, Charles Krauthammer asked a question that dealt with foreign policy.
What would Cain do if Iran was going to unleash an attack on the U.S.? Cain gave a rambling, unspecific answer except to say he'd order an Aegis destroyer into the Persian Gulf to let Iran know he was serious, mentioning something about the use by Iran of missiles. It was distressingly clear that Cain had no more idea what he would do than he had regarding other potential foreign policy questions.
Foreign affairs are Herman Cain's Achilles' heel and it has not gone unnoticed by the political press and others. In the October 17 Washington Post, Chris Cillizza took note of Cain's appearance on "Meet the Press" where he was asked "whether Iran's involvement in an alleged plot to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the U.S. amounted to an act of war."
Cain replied, "After I looked at all of the information provided by the intelligence community, the military, than I could make that decision." That is what is known as a lawyerly response. "If, if it's an act of war, and the evidence suggests that, than I am going to consult with my advisors and say, 'What are our options"'"
If Barack Obama's extremely muted response is any indication, there aren't that many overt options, though one might hope that there are a host of covert ones in the works.
During a PBS interview with Judy Woodruff, Cain was asked about China as a potential military threat to the U.S. At one point Cain said, "They've indicated that they're trying they're trying to develop nuclear capability..." China conducted its first text of a nuclear device on October 16, 1964. It is estimated to have some 400 nuclear weapons. They are not "developing" a nuclear threat. They are a nuclear threat in the same way as other nations with nuclear weapons. This is why Iran is hell-bent on acquiring its own nuclear weapons.
A man no one could accuse of being anything but conservative, Bill O'Reilly of Fox News, had Cain on his program and, in a segment with Dennis Miller, the show's comic relief, O'Reilly said, "Look, I like Herman Cain. I like his spirit. I think he presents himself very well. But when he came on The Factor a few weeks ago, he had no clue about foreign affairs."
Cain lacks a good poker face. When asked questions for which he is unprepared, his eyes begin to blink like a deranged traffic light. He responds with some programmed answer that is often unrelated to the question. He is the proverbial deer in the headlights.
During a recent speech to a Republican audience, he said that so far as he's concerned, America is Israel's ally and vice versa. That got the predictable applause. Cain visited Israel in August on a fact-finding tour. He met with a deputy prime minister and the Mayor of Jerusalem.
However, when he was interviewed by Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday, he was asked about the Palestinian demand of "right of return," a major divide between Israelis and Palestinians, and Cain had no idea what it was. "That's something that should be negotiated," said Cain, grasping for an answer that sounded sensible, but the issue is not negotiable so far as the Israelis are concerned and with good reason. Someone even casually aware of the issues affecting Israel would know that.
Stephen Yates, president of the DC Advisory and former national security advisor to Vice President Dick Cheney, might not be expected to criticize a GOP candidate, but when asked he said of Cain, "These are the kind of questions a leading candidate cannot simply pass to advisors. To date, Cain has not projected command of these presidential imperatives."
A pizza company executive or one leading a restaurant trade association probably doesn't need to know much about foreign affairs, but a candidate for President of the United States needs to know more than some hasty daily briefings by his campaign staffers.
Cain dismissed the fact he had no idea where Uzbekistan is or its strategic importance to U.S. foreign affairs. "When they ask me who is the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-stan-stan, I'm going to say, you know, I don't know. Do you know?" Even Obama knows that a stable relationship with Uzbekistan is regarded as of vital importance to the war in Afghanistan for its airport and as a transit corridor to reduce dependence on Pakistan.
Cain thinks foreign affairs questions are "gotcha" questions, but they may well be the most critical questions a potential president has to understand and answer. It is testimony to the difficulty of these issues that Barack Obama has essentially carried out most of the policies put in place by George W. Bush when it comes to foreign affairs.
Right now Herman Cain is the candidate-de-jour in the polls, but so was Michelle Bachmann and Rick Perry when he got into the race. I like the fact that Cain is a bona fide conservative. I don't like the obvious fact that he couldn't find Uzbekistan on the map and probably doesn't know much else about the world.
On that count alone, I would not vote for him. Republicans have to get over their current love affair with Herman Cain and select a candidate more qualified to lead the nation.
© Alan Caruba
Yes, he clearly isn’t as skilled at installing radical muslim militants in key middle east countries as the current homo in chief is...
I imagine you’ll be seeing a lot of hunters.
At least he knows how many states are in the United States!
Well, one thing is certain, Caruba has been a prolific scribbler for many years. I enjoy his commentaries, and find myself in agreement more times than not. He has a point about Cain, how important it may be is debatable.
Caruba Bio:
Best known these days as a commentator on issues ranging from environmentalism to energy, immigration to Islam, Alan Caruba is the author of two recent books, "Right Answers: Separating Fact from Fantasy" and "Warning Signs" — both collections of his commentaries since 2000 and both published by Merril Press of Bellevue, Washington.
His commentaries are posted on many leading news and opinion websites, and frequently picked up and shared by blogs as well. Caruba has his own popular daily blog at http://factsnotfantasy.blogspot.com.
In addition to the Center, Caruba — a longtime book reviewer — also posts a monthly report on new fiction and non-fiction at http://www.bookviews.com. The site recommends around sixty books each month on topics that include history, biographies, health, business, parenting, books for children and younger readers, and new novels. Caruba is a founding member of the National Book Critics Circle.
Initially a fulltime journalist, Caruba is a veteran public relations counselor who is often asked by members of the news media to comment on news involving PR issues. A longtime member of the Society of Professional Journalists, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and the National Association of Science Writers, Caruba maintains an Internet site for his professional practice at http://www.caruba.com.
Caruba resides in the Gaslight Commons in South Orange, New Jersey. In his former career as a journalist, he was the editor of a weekly newspaper, the East Orange Record, and as a columnist and feature writer for the Morris County Daily Record. He has been a contributor to many consumer and trade magazines. These days, his writings can be found in a variety of newspapers as well as on the Internet.
Cain is not prepared for the office.
They were 50ft from my deck. I gave them a good talking to.
If you are looking for the smartest one in the room, it won’t be Rick Perry.
Who is your candidate again?
They should have known better.
How is that sell centered know it all we have now working out for us? ;-)
BINGO! RIGHT ANSWER AWARD!
They will learn the hard way why deer may pick this area. Many sinkholes are in their future. I gave them permission to keep it to the edge of the property. It was rude and improper. I expect more discipline from a man with a rifle.
Who is Alan Caruba and why should I care what he thinks of Cain?
Seems someone who actually knows a few things about Foreign Policy gave everyone BUT Cain a failing grade in Foreign policies
Here is Henry Kissinger thoughts
Kissinger said all the candidates have contacted him but only Cain asked what to do on Foreign policy, all the rest asked Kissinger what they should SAY about it.
Leaders ask for ideas, managers ask for directions
You want leaders in the top slots, not managers
Seems someone who actually knows a few things about Foreign Policy gave everyone BUT Cain a failing grade in Foreign policies
Here is Henry Kissinger thoughts
Kissinger said all the candidates have contacted him but only Cain asked what to do on Foreign policy, all the rest asked Kissinger what they should SAY about it.
Leaders ask for ideas, managers ask for directions
You want leaders in the top slots, not managers
It's a fair assessment.
Just my opinion, but he is probably genuinely surprised by his current standing.
I think he was looking at the campaign as primarily a way to increase his name recognition, sell some books, and bump up his motivational speaking fees. Maybe even get a syndicated talk show or a TV gig.
He is, after all, an accomplished promoter first and foremost. Nothing wrong with that, as far as it goes.
You would be surprised how many 65 year old guys with firearms don’t use discipline.
Sadly I digress, who was your candidate again?
LOL! They better in my yard. My GL23 is good for 35ft and my BB gun is good for 100+. :^)
I notice you are a Perry supporter.
Aren’t you disrupting a Cain thread or something?
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