Even if you believe Herman Cain's claim that the four plus women who've accused him of sexual harassment just don't know how to take a compliment, the way he's handled the sex scandal should be enough to convince you that he isn't ready to campaign against President Obama, let alone sit in the Oval Office and meet with dignitaries whose names he refuses to memorize. Today Cain addressed the scandal for what he says is the "official last time." So listen up, because he won't be embarrassing himself again (on the topic of sexual harassment, at least).
Tonight Herman Cain was interviewed by Bill O'Reilly for his radio show (apparently there are people who don't consider one hour with Papa Bear way too much). According to the L.A. Times, Cain said that he can't believe the media is still focusing on "insignificant stuff" like numerous women saying he made inappropriate advances that led to them leaving their jobs. Can said:
"This should have been a story that should have been dead in less than two hours ... The media scrutiny to try to turn this into a story bigger than it is, to get us distracted and to get this nation distracted. I want to talk about building the economy."
And Cain isn't the only one who would prefer that journalists stop doing their jobs and continue talking about his ridiculous economic plan/pizza deal/German sex scandal denial. Cain says of his wife:
"She is disgusted that this has happened. She is disgusted with how the story has been twisted ... She is still 200% supportive of me and she is still 200% my wife. So she's handling it."
Okay, we're in agreement then, because we also find the allegations disgusting. (Though, we do recall a bit of high school math, and the fact that he thinks Gloria Cain is capable of being "200% his wife" makes us even more concerned about his economic plan.)
Cain declared that from now on he'll be refusing to answer 99% of reporters' questions, explaining, "I'm not talking about [the scandal] anymore ... If I get another request I'm simply not going to do the interview, because we are going to stay on message." But before plunging himself into a media black hole, Cain sent out an email to his supporters in which he downplayed the allegations once again. Following a Palinesque complaint about the media asking too many "gotcha questions" about important things the candidates believe and have done in the past, he writes:
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 ... 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 true! If you do anything long enough, someone is going to accuse you of sticking your hand up their skirt.
Though, Cain suggests that you know his accusers are liars because we don't know their names (except for the woman who came forward today):
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," ... 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.
Right. Cain may hate the way the media is treating him, but if these allegations were true, why wouldn't the women want to be put through the wringer along with him? If it turns out that Cain's right, he subjected himself to public scrutiny to potentially be president. If the women's allegations prove to be true, they'll have ruined their reputations for the privilege of forever being known as that woman who got harassed by that pizza guy whose name we can't remember.
Herman Cain Says Wife Is 'Disgusted' By Sexual Harassment Claims [LAT]
Cain Emails His List: 'Media Obsessed' With Harassment Story [Politico]
Earlier: New Accuser Says Herman Cain Reached Up Her Skirt, Pushed Her Head Toward His Crotch
DISCUSSION
This guy reminds me of a man from El Salvador that I used to work with. He was constantly harassing the women on staff, pawing at them and making suggestive comments. Thinking that maybe he just didn't understand our American ways, I took him aside and explained to him that it isn't right to fondle and leer at women in the workplace— or anywhere, really. He looked at me with genuine bafflement and said "but... that's what they're FOR".