The inimitable Charlie Pierce weighs in on Cain's troubles

[MH1]

The Source of Herman Cain's Sexual Harassment Troubles

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/herman-cain-sexual-harassment-103111#ixzz1cPdWCV4G

If you were wondering exactly how long it would take before the ratfcking began in earnest, well, here you are. This is not to dismiss either the substance of the original allegations or Politico's doggedness in the pursuit of what may be Herman Cain's horndoggery. Let's dismiss the arrant nonsense first.

Cain campaign spokescritter JD Gordon: "Since critics haven't had much luck in attacking Mr. Cain's ideas, they are trying to attack him personally."

(Actually, the critics have done quite a job on Mr. Cain's ideas, too, largely because most of those ideas are unmitigated horseshit. You may recall that 9-9-9 is now 9-0-9, probably through Uz-becky-kecky-stanian math. The fact that this hasn't seemed to matter to Republican primary voters bespeaks a larger problem with the party than the fact that its current frontrunner may have once been caught trotting around outside his paddock.)
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However, the appearance of this story smells extraordinarily of mackerel. Cain becomes the bubble of the week. Almost immediately, Karl Rove dedicates the past two weeks to teeing up Herman Cain on the teevee. And it is not like Rove, to name only the most conspicuous character, is without friends and contacts in the National Restaurant Association. ....
.... No real surprise, of course, but it does indicate that the Republican establishment — or that which remains of it — has decided that Herman Cain's free ride has ended. It's becoming a bit clearer that the Republican primary process may consist of lashing the party's entire base to a chair and forcing them all to listen to Mitt Romney long enough for the Stockholm Syndrome to take over.
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Much more of Charlie's colorful analysis at the link. Recommended reading. :)

[Betsy Ross]

1. Perfection

It's becoming a bit clearer that the Republican primary process may consist of lashing the party's entire base to a chair and forcing them all to listen to Mitt Romney long enough for the Stockholm Syndrome to take over.

[MH1]

2. I wish I could write just half as well as Charlie.

He always gets to the essence of things in highly entertaining but accurate prose.

[beac]

3. "trotting around outside his paddock"

:rofl:

[Iwillnevergiveup]

4. Even if Rove

is behind Cain's impending demise, he still belongs in jail.

[MH1]

5. Oh, absolutely

But it is delicious to contemplate the inner strife of the Greedy Old Party these days, isn't it?

[MH1]

6. Kickin' another time

because Charlie's blog is really good, even if my framing didn't get many people to read it yet.

[golfguru]

7. Cain's poll numbers went up? wtf?

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-1452.html