Herman Cain said today that Chris Christie’s positions would “turn off a lot of conservatives.”
In response to questions from Fox News host Chris Wallace, who noted Christie had strayed from conservative orthodoxy on several issues, Cain said his potential rival was incapable of drawing support from “a lot of conservatives” if he chose to run.
“Most of the conservatives believe that we should enforce our borders, they do not believe people should be here without documentation, they do not believe global warming is a crisis or threat … as you go right down the line, he’s going to turn off a lot of conservatives with those positions,” Cain said of Christie.
Cain also criticized Rick Perry, when Wallace asked him for his reaction to a Washington Post story today about land leased by Perry and his family for hunting had had at one point a rock with “N[word]head” on it.
“For him to leave it there as long as he did before I hear that they finally painted over it is just plain insensitive to a lot of black people in this country,” Cain said.
Perry communications director Ray Sullivan responded to Cain’s remarks in a statement issued this morning. “Mr. Cain is wrong about the Perry family’s quick action to eliminate the word on the rock,” Sullivan said, “but is right the word written by others long ago is insensitive and offensive. That is why the Perrys took quick action to cover and obscure it.”
Asked about his remarks that two-thirds of African-Americans are brainwashed, Cain pointed to his personal experience.
“Some black people that I run into, not all … they won’t even take my 9-9-9 brochure because I’m that conservative, that Republican,” he said. Pushing back against the argument that his brainwashing remark was “insensitive,” Cain retorted that President Obama’s “scolding” of the Congressional Black Caucus last month was more offensive.
Talking briefly about some of his GOP rivals, Cain called Ron Paul a “grumpy, old man” and noted that in the debates, Santorum often had a “stressful look.” He said Mitt Romney had “good hair,” but also took a jab at Romney’s business experience. “His business experience is in Wall Street, my business experience has been Main Street,” Cain remarked.
I am becoming more and more interested in you and your candidacy. I think you are a charming and charismatic gentleman. So why is it that every time I read a news article about you I have to read the curse words you include in the interview? Why tonight, when I heard you speak on a radio program, did your language have to be bleeped out?
Obama seems to keep his language in check, but I am ashamed of Biden, and I want his low-life language, along with his buffoonery, out of public life.
You can set a great example for young people. Please demonstrate for them civilized speech and behavior. I don't care how you talk privately (although I would respect you even more if you kept it clean), but I really do care about reviving a culture where people are respectful enough in public to speak in a civilized fashion. Won't you please help?
Not good. I don't like that about Cheney. At least the words were directed toward one man in a fit of anger and not intended to be reported to the public. But that doesn't excuse him. It was low-class.
I agree with Hardcastle. Beyond the incredible economic problems, America's culture is suffering from the degradation of its moral values, family values, and even the quality of its speech.
Social conservatives want to vote for a candidate who walks the (clean) talk.
I really like Cain, but he needs to clean up his language and watch his consumption of alcohol (External Link).
I think they do that with the thinking that it will make them connect with regular people more. Frankly, I long for the days when we expected our elected officials to live up to a higher standard of social decorum than regular people.
Good point, but I long even more for the days when regular people had a higher standard of social decorum.
In general, whatever our aspirations, the average person has always been better than all but a minute number of politicians. Most politicians have always been scum; no reason for the average person to be as well.
I think Cain is right; his biggest asset is never having held office. His mind hasn't been corrupted by the "conventional wisdom" that all carreer politicians, even conservative ones, are indoctrinated in.
He is a remarkably bright, resourceful and charismatic person whose conservative instincts are almost unerringly correct. Consider me a Reagan/Buckley conservative who has boarded the Cain train.
Going after Perry about a rock is trivial, no matter what was painted on it. Did Perry paint the word...no. Case closed. If Herman is to be taken seriously, he needs to be serious.
Herman Cain, who I like and for whom I would gladly vote, needs to take a higher road. Cheap shots at the other candidates, one of whom will be our nominee, always backfire. Who invented the term "voodoo economics"? None other than George Bush the Elder, in his primary battles against Ronald Reagan.
The last couple of straw polls seems to have gone to Herman Cain's head, as well as give Katrina more fodder to print.
But the voting public is a fickle mistress as Mr. Cain will surely find out.
Now, he could have upped the image of a "gentleman" that he works so hard to portray. He could have said "Yes, that word was insenstive. But I have to credit Governor Perry and his parents for realizing that and doing what they could to cover it up."
Instead, Cain fell into the trap Wallace and Amanpour set for him and came off sounding like Al Sharpton. Not a winning strategy.
Memo to Cain: you don't win votes by playing the race card or telling people they are so brainwashed they no longer think for themselves.
We'll see if Katrina lets this post go through since she seems to object to my other ones.
Yeah, that seems to be about how things are shaping up. A LOT of conservatives do not want Mitt as the nominee, but all the other contestants are either worse(on the conservative front) or have a bad case of foot-in-the-mouth disease. The funny things is, Mitt seems to owe most of his success to having done this before, which means Mitt could see some primary challenges from the Right in four years from some of the people he is fighting now. Just a thought.
Herman Cain wasted no time playing the race card, and the heck with the facts. Taking a cheap shot at Perry and Perry's parents was right out of the Sharpton school of accuse first and ask questions later. Perhaps there is a reason Cain's communications director quit to "pursue other opportunities" and took her next in command with her? Although always entertaining, Cain has this annoying habit of shooting from the hip, and it seems to be getting worse not better. Please, let's not give the guy a free ride because he can throw out some snappy phrases and reduce every problem to a catchy numerical equation. If I did not know any better, I would think there is a little soft bigotry of low expectations going on out there. Am I the lone stranger on this perception?
I agree with Hardcastle. Beyond the incredible economic problems, America's culture is suffering from the degradation of its moral values, family values, and even the quality of its speech.
Social conservatives want to vote for a candidate who walks the (clean) talk.
I really like Cain, but he needs to clean up his language and watch his consumption of alcohol (External Link).
“His business experience is in Wall Street, my business experience has been Main Street,” Cain remarked.
Nice fork.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm on board.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMessage to Cain:
Quit yer cussin'.
I am becoming more and more interested in you and your candidacy. I think you are a charming and charismatic gentleman. So why is it that every time I read a news article about you I have to read the curse words you include in the interview? Why tonight, when I heard you speak on a radio program, did your language have to be bleeped out?
Obama seems to keep his language in check, but I am ashamed of Biden, and I want his low-life language, along with his buffoonery, out of public life.
You can set a great example for young people. Please demonstrate for them civilized speech and behavior. I don't care how you talk privately (although I would respect you even more if you kept it clean), but I really do care about reviving a culture where people are respectful enough in public to speak in a civilized fashion. Won't you please help?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo, how did you feel about what VP Cheney said to Pat Leahy on the floor of the US Senate?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNot good. I don't like that about Cheney. At least the words were directed toward one man in a fit of anger and not intended to be reported to the public. But that doesn't excuse him. It was low-class.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI agree with Hardcastle. Beyond the incredible economic problems, America's culture is suffering from the degradation of its moral values, family values, and even the quality of its speech.
Social conservatives want to vote for a candidate who walks the (clean) talk.
I really like Cain, but he needs to clean up his language and watch his consumption of alcohol (External Link
).
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI think they do that with the thinking that it will make them connect with regular people more. Frankly, I long for the days when we expected our elected officials to live up to a higher standard of social decorum than regular people.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGood point, but I long even more for the days when regular people had a higher standard of social decorum.
In general, whatever our aspirations, the average person has always been better than all but a minute number of politicians. Most politicians have always been scum; no reason for the average person to be as well.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI think Cain is right; his biggest asset is never having held office. His mind hasn't been corrupted by the "conventional wisdom" that all carreer politicians, even conservative ones, are indoctrinated in.
He is a remarkably bright, resourceful and charismatic person whose conservative instincts are almost unerringly correct. Consider me a Reagan/Buckley conservative who has boarded the Cain train.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseLanguage aside, he is on target about Christie.
Going after Perry about a rock is trivial, no matter what was painted on it. Did Perry paint the word...no. Case closed. If Herman is to be taken seriously, he needs to be serious.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHerman Cain, who I like and for whom I would gladly vote, needs to take a higher road. Cheap shots at the other candidates, one of whom will be our nominee, always backfire. Who invented the term "voodoo economics"? None other than George Bush the Elder, in his primary battles against Ronald Reagan.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseChristie would be a threat to Herm's hero, Romney. Can't have that.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuseit's not like Bush was wrong.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRight. Focus on the end game. Stay on message.
Beat Obama.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe last couple of straw polls seems to have gone to Herman Cain's head, as well as give Katrina more fodder to print.
But the voting public is a fickle mistress as Mr. Cain will surely find out.
Now, he could have upped the image of a "gentleman" that he works so hard to portray. He could have said "Yes, that word was insenstive. But I have to credit Governor Perry and his parents for realizing that and doing what they could to cover it up."
Instead, Cain fell into the trap Wallace and Amanpour set for him and came off sounding like Al Sharpton. Not a winning strategy.
Memo to Cain: you don't win votes by playing the race card or telling people they are so brainwashed they no longer think for themselves.
We'll see if Katrina lets this post go through since she seems to object to my other ones.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis from the guy who endorsed Mitt Romney in 2008. We have another Romney stalking horse on our hands.
Say hello to President Mittens. I just hope he will actually govern as a relative conservative.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse@Rook
Yeah, that seems to be about how things are shaping up. A LOT of conservatives do not want Mitt as the nominee, but all the other contestants are either worse(on the conservative front) or have a bad case of foot-in-the-mouth disease. The funny things is, Mitt seems to owe most of his success to having done this before, which means Mitt could see some primary challenges from the Right in four years from some of the people he is fighting now. Just a thought.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCain is way off base here. His comments are getting increasingly ridiculous.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHerman Cain wasted no time playing the race card, and the heck with the facts. Taking a cheap shot at Perry and Perry's parents was right out of the Sharpton school of accuse first and ask questions later. Perhaps there is a reason Cain's communications director quit to "pursue other opportunities" and took her next in command with her? Although always entertaining, Cain has this annoying habit of shooting from the hip, and it seems to be getting worse not better. Please, let's not give the guy a free ride because he can throw out some snappy phrases and reduce every problem to a catchy numerical equation. If I did not know any better, I would think there is a little soft bigotry of low expectations going on out there. Am I the lone stranger on this perception?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI agree with Hardcastle. Beyond the incredible economic problems, America's culture is suffering from the degradation of its moral values, family values, and even the quality of its speech.
Social conservatives want to vote for a candidate who walks the (clean) talk.
I really like Cain, but he needs to clean up his language and watch his consumption of alcohol (External Link
).
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse