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Herman's Just Not Ready
American Spectator ^ | November 15, 2011 | ROSS KAMINSKY

Posted on 11/15/2011 5:56:51 AM PST by reaganaut1

Herman Cain is theoretically a great candidate for president. He's a smart, black, successful, conservative "outsider." But as the reality sets in, it's clear that Mr. Cain is barely more ready for the office he seeks than Sarah Palin (or Barack Obama) was four years ago. Cain's performance in a long interview on Monday crystallized this view which has been forming in the minds of many GOP voters in recent weeks.

Mr. Cain's responses in Saturday's Republican debate in South Carolina -- which focused on foreign policy -- were a bunch of platitudes about getting good advice before making a decision. Frequently, his answers on topics that he doesn't really know much about focus on a few points of process, on getting quality advice, on not needing to know everything in advance, and so on.

But this is the real world and these are dangerous times. While the 2012 election will primarily be about jobs and the economy, events across the Arab world and escalating tensions between Iran and Israel -- not least because of the IAEA's most recent report about advances in Iran's nuclear weapon program -- make foreign policy and national security expertise critically important in our next president.

If there is anything America has been reminded of by Barack Obama, it's that the presidency is no place for on-the-job training -- and it's even less so when potential nuclear conflict is involved. Herman Cain gave an interview to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on Monday in which his answers on questions about Libya -- and his further discussion with the newspaper's editors on broader foreign policy issues -- sounded like a student trying hard to remember the answers for a test he's been cramming for.

(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cain; cain2012; hermancain
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To: caww

I am uninterested in your Cain bashing. Obama knew NOTHING and he’s enjoying his 4 yr. free vacation.

Cain would be just fine. Every new president has something to learn. But few have the character Cain does.

He’s got my vote if he wins nomination...you can go vote for Obama if you wish since he’s now so “experienced”.


61 posted on 11/15/2011 6:27:37 AM PST by sevinufnine (Sevin - "If we do not fight when we know we can win, we'll have to fight when we know we will lose")
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To: Huck

So you are on record saying professional politicians are a good thing?

Instead of successful businessmen / citizens?

Why don’t you just say “elite class”.

We fought a revolution to get rid of tyranny and classism.

You seem to want a “professional class” of politicians to rule over us.

As for me, I would rather we pull back from the interlocking octopus of lobbyists, politicians and hangers on.

Unfortunately, due to the way people who run are vilified very few private citizens will take on running for office.

Why NOT give an outsider a try? Look at what the last 50 years have done to this country!


62 posted on 11/15/2011 6:28:21 AM PST by BereanBrain
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To: reaganaut1
Here is the bare truth... you will probably not like it but... NONE of these candidates are qualified to be President... none of them. All but romney would be better that obama but do not expect excitement or money from hard core Conservatives like me... those that think like I do. The best you are going to get is a vote against obama.

LLS

63 posted on 11/15/2011 6:29:06 AM PST by LibLieSlayer ("Americans are hungry to feel once again a sense of mission and greatness." Ronaldo Magnus)
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To: dirtboy
...barely "more" ready for office than Sarah Palin..."

More ready? How so? What record of public office does Cain have that makes him in any way "more" qualified than Palin? Yep, the shots at Sarah keep coming. Some subtile, some not. Palin was (is) infinitely more qualified for the job than Herman (and I like Cain, believe me). She rose through the ranks and had a real record of success, not only as a politician, but also in having the balls to go up against her own party and win! I get so sick of these smug little twits who write about Palin and blindly ignore her very real, very solid record.

64 posted on 11/15/2011 6:29:10 AM PST by JaguarXKE
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To: PSYCHO-FREEP; reaganaut1; Genoa
Let just sum up the oppositions to Cain

"Gingrich 2012: Because having stood on line at the GOP Plantation for 40+ years is WAY more important then Conservative Principals and Leadership Skills"

Odd how the same arguments were heard from the McCain backers around here in 2007/2008 are now being recycled for Gingrich in 2011/2012

65 posted on 11/15/2011 6:29:55 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Giving more money to DC to fix the Debt is like giving free drugs to addicts think it will cure them)
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To: Doofer
The Cain Cult are blind...

We're not a cult. We're not blind.

We just don't pay attention to the hypocritical, superfluous, crap the commentariat has been using to get weak-kneed "conservatives" to throw their own under the bus since Reagan.

If getting the number of States wrong was no big deal, why are the "anointed" pissing about Libya?

66 posted on 11/15/2011 6:31:20 AM PST by papertyger (What has islam ever accomplished that treacherous, opportunistic, brutality couldn't do on its own?)
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To: reaganaut1; All
Cain on Libya:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/cain-stumbles-on-libya-question/2011/11/14/gIQAxLaLMN_video.html

POTUS? Nein Nein Nein .

67 posted on 11/15/2011 6:33:36 AM PST by patriot08 (TEXAS GAL- born and bred and proud of it!)
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To: reaganaut1

Since the issue is “The Economy, Stupid!” I’m willing to go a bit light on foreign policy, as long as the candidate is not Ron Paul looney.

Personally, I think that is what a good Secretary of State (like Paul Bolton...) and National Security Advisor would be for. Just as I wouldn’t expect the President to make battle plans or lead the military, I don’t expect the President know everything.

So who do you think is qualified? Mitt Romney?


68 posted on 11/15/2011 6:36:44 AM PST by Little Ray (FOR the best Conservative in the Primary; AGAINST Obama in the General.)
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To: BereanBrain
Why don’t you just say “elite class”.

George Washington was as "elite class" as they come--and a social climber to boot. Personally, I don't care what "class" someone comes from. I don't think in those terms.

We fought a revolution to get rid of tyranny and classism.

Then why are you using classism as an argument?

Why NOT give an outsider a try?

For governor, no problem. Great idea. The presidency, on the other hand, is not an entry-level position.

I believe that if you want to be president, you should go serve as governor somewhere. We have 50 available positions where someone can prove their skill as chief executive in a republican system. Go serve, and get re-elected, then run for president. The best GOP presidents of the 20th century followed that track.

Now, let me again ask you---who were the great presidents without relevant experience?

69 posted on 11/15/2011 6:37:56 AM PST by Huck (I predict record low turnout for the GOP primaries.)
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To: MNJohnnie

Actually post 19 was making a case. A good one. The Libya and collective bargaining segments showed someone not ready for prime time.

Honestly, in the Libya and especially the collective bargaining segments, had the editorial staff of the newspaper said that Cuba was a prosperous democracy, Cain probably would have said, ‘yes, yes, things seem to be going well down there’.

I could imagine your posts had those replies been O instead of your candidate.


70 posted on 11/15/2011 6:37:56 AM PST by joesbucks
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To: Westbrook

“He’s...pro-gun”

**********************************************************

BLITZER: Should states or local governments be allowed to control the gun situation…

CAIN: Yes

BLITZER: So the answer is yes?

CAIN: Yes. The answer is yes, that should be a state’s decision.


71 posted on 11/15/2011 6:38:21 AM PST by Hugin ("Most time a man'll tell you his bad intentions if you listen and let yourself hear"--Open Range)
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To: Huck

i predict someone will answer Abe Lincoln. I had someone give me that answer, recnetly, to the same question.


72 posted on 11/15/2011 6:39:51 AM PST by xsmommy
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To: reaganaut1

There are a couple of Cabinet posts for which he is eminently qualified.


73 posted on 11/15/2011 6:40:17 AM PST by Inwoodian
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To: Huck

Name me a great president WITH the ‘relavant experience’?

Ok i’ll give you Reagan


74 posted on 11/15/2011 6:41:21 AM PST by Mr. K (Physically unable to proofreed <--- oops, see?)
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To: caww

Oh my. That was so much worse than any of the other candidates have performed to date. Please, no 3 a.m. calls for him!


75 posted on 11/15/2011 6:42:03 AM PST by varina davis (We grow too soon old and too late smart -- Pennsylvania Dutch adage)
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To: xsmommy
That's a possibility. Lincoln's tenure was so unusual, it's hard to judge him in normal terms. He only won because of the sectional politics of the day. He was very smart, and said some very poetical things, and he had resolve.

But was he a good executive? It seems to me he wasn't. He had enormous ongoing problems managing his cabinet and his generals.

76 posted on 11/15/2011 6:43:29 AM PST by Huck (I predict record low turnout for the GOP primaries.)
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To: dfwgator

oh stop it ! Obama will loose to any of the candidates in the list !


77 posted on 11/15/2011 6:44:26 AM PST by Ranjit
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To: 4Runner

I am still undecided at this point. I do like what I have seen lately in regards to Gingrich, but am also painfully aware of Newt’s troubled past.

All in all, this is rapidly becoming another disaster similar to 2008. Perry showed some promise at first, but we all know how that one played out.

We are running out of options and do not have the luxury of letting another 4 years of Democrat rule teach America a lesson. Only this time, we absolutely must win. No matter what!


78 posted on 11/15/2011 6:45:10 AM PST by PSYCHO-FREEP (If you come to a fork in the road, take it........)
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To: reaganaut1; joesbucks; oh8eleven; Huck; Genoa
Turn this around

What executive experience managing large organizations dealing with serious crisis does ANY of the GOP Candidates other then Cain bring?

Newt is a GREAT talker. Fine so was Obama. Where is there anything in his, Perry, Paul, Bachmann, Sanatorium etc record that you can point to that show executive level crisis management skills?

And NO being “Speaker of the House” does not require executive leadership and crisis management skills.

Ah but that right, you cannot because there IS none. None of them have dealt with such a crisis in their history

So by your own stated standard, NONE of the candidates is “Ready”.

79 posted on 11/15/2011 6:45:18 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Giving more money to DC to fix the Debt is like giving free drugs to addicts think it will cure them)
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To: patriot08

Having watched the clip...so what?

What’s the BFD? I’m voting for character and principles, not stage presence and the ability to remember lines.

Elections that amount to “beauty pageants” is what got us here in the first place!


80 posted on 11/15/2011 6:45:38 AM PST by papertyger (What has islam ever accomplished that treacherous, opportunistic, brutality couldn't do on its own?)
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