Posted on 11/07/2011 5:41:39 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Via Todd Starnes of Fox News, is it still a “so-called story” when you have a woman making accusations on TV under her own name? If The One were suddenly facing a bunch of similar claims from his community-organizing days, including one from a named accuser, I’m thinking … yeah, story.
When in trouble, trust in the magic formula to firm up support: Media-bashing + “outsider” authenticity (“I won’t play by the establishment’s rules”) + vagueness on the particulars.
Unfortunately, the media-driven process by which one must seek this opportunity is fundamentally unserious. I have touched on this before – the emphasis on “gaffes,” gotcha questions and time devoted to trivial nonsense – and everyone knows the process only became further detached from relevance this week as the media published anonymous, ancient, vague personal allegations against me.
Once this kind of nonsense starts, the media’s rules say you have to act in a certain way. I am well aware of these rules. And I refuse to play by them…
Another reason I refuse to play by these rules is that, by doing it my way, I’m getting much better results. My fundraising has skyrocketed since all this nonsense began. Just this weekend, the Washington Post has come out with a new poll – taken since all this started – showing me in the lead nationally, with my numbers on the rise…
But the process by which we choose our presidents has become so warped that, when something like this happens, the media and political strategists start grading you on whether you play an absurd game by their absurd rules.
A few things. One: The reason there’s been an emphasis on “gaffes” in his case is because all too often the gaffes have to do with significant policy matters. Go watch the clip here again if you missed it earlier. Two: He says later that the witnesses to these alleged harassment incidents are all conspicuously anonymous. Not true, though. Chris Wilson put his name on the record. Three: He makes the point that he’s had thousands of professional conversations over the years, so some people were bound to be rubbed the wrong way. Right, but of course so have Romney and Perry and no one’s accused them of harassment, let alone four people.
Here’s Allred talking to Wolf Blitzer tonight about the charges. She says Bialek won’t accept money for this story and, more noteworthy, claims that she has sworn affidavits from two people who say Bialek told them about the alleged incident with Cain around the time that it happened in 1997. She won’t reveal their names — yet — but she did supposedly read the affidavits to reporters after today’s presser. Oh, and according to John Nolte of Big Hollywood, it turns out Bialek is indeed a registered Republican and that she did in fact attend “Teacon” in Chicago last month, as she claimed. Stay tuned.
I am a serious person, seeking the opportunity to do a serious and very important job. Our nation has very serious problems, particularly of an economic nature, and Barack Obama does not have the skill, knowledge or will to solve them.
I do.
Unfortunately, the media-driven process by which one must seek this opportunity is fundamentally unserious. I have touched on this before – the emphasis on “gaffes,” gotcha questions and time devoted to trivial nonsense – and everyone knows the process only became further detached from relevance this week as the media published anonymous, ancient, vague personal allegations against me.
Once this kind of nonsense starts, the media’s rules say you have to act in a certain way. I am well aware of these rules. And I refuse to play by them.
There are several reasons for this. One is that, lest anyone forget, we actually have serious matters to talk about. Since the media went bananas over this so-called story, my schedule has not changed in the slightest. I have continued to make all planned public appearances. I have continued to answer questions about my 9-9-9 tax reform plan. I have continued to do everything else that our strategy proscribes.
Another reason I refuse to play by these rules is that, by doing it my way, I’m getting much better results. My fundraising has skyrocketed since all this nonsense began. Just this weekend, the Washington Post has come out with a new poll – taken since all this started – showing me in the lead nationally, with my numbers on the rise.
The media may be obsessed with this business, but the voters are not. And I am not.
But there’s another crucially important reason I refuse to play by these rules: These rules stink. Can the process by which we pick the leader of our nation be any more absurd? I’m not talking about the primary process or the role of the electorate. There is nothing wrong with that. I am talking about the media’s trivializing of such an important matter.
Consider: I held various executive positions in corporate America for several decades. I had thousands of employees working for me. I can’t even begin to recall how many conversations I had with people during that time, how many directives I gave, how much friendly banter might have taken place.
I also had to make tough decisions during these years. I turned around a poorly performing region for Burger King, then turned around a struggling Godfather’s Pizza organization. At some point during a career like this, someone will not like things you do, or how you do it. Someone will complain.
That is just the nature of things if you’ve ever done much in your life.So once the editors of Politico started looking for people who would make claims against me, their chances of finding a few takers were probably about 100 percent. These people will not give their names. The so-called “witnesses” who purportedly corroborated their stories also will not give their names. That’s about what you would expect when people are engaging in a “hatchet job,” as it’s been described by Joseph Fassler, who was chairman of the National Restaurant Association board when I was there.
It’s easy to make accusations when, by virtue of your anonymity, you don’t have to be held accountable for the claims you’re making. It’s easy to publish them when, like Politico, you don’t follow basic rules of journalism by naming your sources or giving any details whatsoever about what supposedly happened.
But the process by which we choose our presidents has become so warped that, when something like this happens, the media and political strategists start grading you on whether you play an absurd game by their absurd rules.
When someone stops you on the street and hits you with an accusation like this, they subsequently write a story about the look in your eyes, and how many seconds it took you to speak some words in response.
They go to “crisis management experts” who offer the usual sage wisdom about “getting all the information out” – as if you can get any “information” out (aside from telling them nothing happened, which they don’t want to hear) in response to allegations that are unsourced and nonspecific.
Then, when you haven’t “calmed the firestorm” – if only because the people wielding the blow-torches have no intention of putting them out – more experts are put on the air to say this proves you are “not ready for prime time.”
Maybe that would matter if I was trying out for the cast of Saturday Night Live. But this should be a slightly more serious undertaking than that.
Contrary to the belief of experts, so wise and learned in the ways of politics, I do know what the established rules say I am supposed to do. I simply refuse to do it. That’s because the rules are ridiculous, and they produce leaders like Barack Obama, who play the political game like experts but govern like complete incompetents.
The nation needs its tax structure reformed, its spending brought under control, its debt reduced and its overall governing structure made far more responsive to the needs of the people. The nation needs many other problems addressed. If it’s OK with the American people, I would like to address them.
If the media want to continue talking about nonsense, that’s fine. I’m not going to join them. It doesn’t look like the citizenry plans to join them either.
Uh, it works for Hota Air, which Michelle Malkin founded, IIRC. He is nothing like Charles Johnson or David Brock.
Yes, Cain is a conservative. There is an obvious double standard in the media when it comes to Republicans and these sorts of issues. More importantly though, Republicans hold their candidates and elected officials to a higher standard because our people are supposed to be representing traditional values. Cain will have to address her specific charges and at the end of the day, he will.
Exactly, what is so difficult about this?
Great your are right
Great your are right
Conservatives who support Cain know this is a bunch of bull. BO’s past associations are much more significant than this crap. I fully support him still if not more than before. Time for the right to remind the public of BO’s upbringing in a Muslim country and his past with radical liberals and anti US agitators. Time to bring out Larry Sinclair and the gay Chicago bath house. So what if it’s speculation, so are these stupid accusations against Cain. Time for the Repubs to fight dirty like the dems do and there is so much. What about Solydra and Fast and Furious??
What part of Cain saying he hasn't sexually harassed anybody is so difficult for you?
I told my husband the same thing about Shep tonight...he looks awful. And he drives me nuts, in general. Ugh.
I’m going to tell you the truth that dare not be told: every single conservative in America has been sexually harassed by Herman Cain!
Now hear me out. What do you think Mr. Cain is doing when he smiles in one of his campaign ads? He’s not just smiling. He’s LEERING at us! And he’s probably leering at our breasts and ogling our tooshies besides! Oh the humanity of it....
And his 9-9-9 plan? We all *know* that’s just a sexual codeword. Of course, the decorum of this forum demands that I say no more about it for fear of offending some of your more delicate sensibilities.
It’s beyond time that we End The Silence. Let’s get ahold of the press and let them know that we’re ALL victims of Herman Cain’s sexual harassment!
“Pretty soon, it will be really laughable.
And it’s amusing now.”
C’mon. You’re among friends. You can admit that you’ve been sexually harassed by Herman Cain as well.
I know I have.
“I sent Herman another $1000 today.”
B-b-but...Herman Cain has sexually harassed all of us!
I still for cain
He already did & he's moving on.
He said it's not true - so are you wanting him to publicly say "I DID IT - SO LIVE WITH IT"?
That's the only other option there is & it sounds like that's what you'd like to have happen.
Frankly, I don’t see how Shep got that job, or any job for that matter. I remember a story where he tried to run down a woman in a parking lot with his car because she parked in his spot - I think it was in Florida.
<Despite my dislike for Juan Williams, he has been the only one to stand up for Herman Cain.
I heard Juan’s statement re Cain today on Rush. I hate to bring up the race card, but Juan is still black and leftist though he may be, he can smell a “high tech lynching” a mile away and he doesn’t like it.
The behavior of the media (including FOX) and the left on this issue has been despicable. I sent in my 2nd donation to Cain, just to spit in the eye of the leftists and those who think they can pick the nominee.
That’s all true, but I prefer to hoist the Dems by their own petard.
How do we know this PIG didn’t put a move on Cain first? After all, she was the one seeking a favor.
I’ve been around a little and this chick’s got “the look.” Anyone NOT know what that means? Well, I tell you. She’s a whore. You get a few drinks in this double wide and she’d spread her legs in a heartbeat to advance her own future.
As for her comments relating to her boyfriend? Bull$hit!
As for the so-called affidavits? Bull$hit!
As for being believable in her statement? I think not.
When a NOBODY arranges to have dinner and drinks with a CEO seeking “direction” the slides have already been greased.
Please! Construction workers whistling at a woman walking by is a classic example of sexual harassment.
Brietbart confirms she voted in the GOP 2008 primary and she voted in the general. It's now confirmed she did actually attend the Tea Party event Cain spoke at this year.
Affidavits from two claiming they were told about the incident years ago are not impressive. A postmarked letter, archived email, medical record entry, settlement ... these are substantive. As long as the surrounding elements (travel and dinner) are verifiably accurate, there is no risk whatsoever to the affidavit signers because the allegation takes place in a car with no witnesses.
Fox News has a serious conflict of interest in regards to this allegation. The baby daddy of the accuser’s 13-year-old son is the Executive VP of a subsidiary of News Corp, which also owns Fox News. In the interest of full disclosure, Fox News should come right out and state that up-front. But they won’t.
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