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Subscribe to RSSHUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- Despite largely ignoring the key early nominating states in recent weeks, Herman Cain’s campaign indicated this week it plans to dial down the Republican presidential candidate's schedule.
And Cain’s day on the trail on Saturday might give a glimpse into why.
In one day, Cain won a straw poll, predicted victory in a primary, scolded unruly Ron Paul supporters, and flipped a quarter at midfield before a college football game.
The former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza held eight public events in his two-day swing through Alabama. Saturday night he headed to Washington, DC, for an appearance on CBS’s “Face The Nation” this morning.
Cain has spent the past two weeks clarifying his stance on issues like abortion, where during an television interview he seemed to say the government should not play a role in regulating women who wish to have the procedure.
“For example, in retrospect, doing a taped interview following a debate, following some interviews probably wasn't a good idea,” he said, referring to his appearance on Piers Morgan where he made the comments, “because you know I'm only a human being, and you reach a point where if you get too tired you're not on your A game.”
On Thursday, Cain needed to turn to a handler to figure out where he was the night before. The answer was Arkansas.
"I wouldn't say we're going to dial it down,” Cain said. “We're going to be more deliberate on the type of things we do when I've had a very full schedule.”
Yesterday, a normally unseen side of Cain’s came to light at the West Alabama State Straw Poll, when a he told the vocal Ron Paul contingent in attendance to stop interrupting his speech.
Cain, the only candidate to attend, was noticeably testy with the heavily pro-Paul audience that packed the crowd. While listing the crises the nation faces, a Paul supporter yelled, "The Fed," to which Cain told her, "I will be giving this speech, not you."
Cain, a former member of the board of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, was also booed for saying the Fed can be fixed without being ended.
Still, Cain went on to win the poll with more than a majority of the vote. Paul garnered support from 45% of attendees for second place. Later that evening a Des Moines Register Poll was released that had Cain leading Romney among likely Iowa caucus goers.
At his next stop at Samford University, Cain declared he would win the South Carolina primary.
"I predict that we will win South Carolina,” he said. “I predict that we will finish 1st or 2nd in Iowa, 1st or 2nd in New Hampshire, not going to go out on a limb there, but I predict we will win South Carolina."
From there, he campaigned throughout campus, with throngs of students and supporters lining up to shake his hand and get a picture. He was introduced before the university’s football game and did the coin toss. Samford lost to Western Carolina University.
On Friday, Cain spoke to a crowd of about 100 at the Annistan Tea Party breakfast. He said he would cut 10% from all federal agencies by executive order. Then his cabinet members would need to find another 10% to cut. He said he would give federal workers the choice of early retirement or reassignment.
"Who said anything about firing federal workers?" Cain said. "I'm going to give them a choice: early retirement or reassignment. They say where are you going to reassign them? I understand that there's an empty building in Nome, Alaska. It's their choice."
Throughout his time in the state, Cain faced the same question: Why Alabama?
At his final event here, Cain signaled he plans to be in the race for the long run, which is why he is spending time in a state that doesn’t hold its primary until March.
“I don’t want to wait until March to come to Alabama and let you know what I stand for,” he said.
Cain surrogate Dale Peterson, the failed candidate for Alabama Agriculture Commissioner and YouTube star, defended Cain being in Alabama.
"Why not Alabama?” Peterson told NBC News. “Don't we count? I know we do. And in Alabama we give a rip about who's going to be president."
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I AM voting for Cain!!! Say what you want, my choice, my vote.
That's terrific, maybe you can be appointed ambassador to Ubeki-beki-beki-stan-stan.
Glad to see that you're free choice.
Which, if conservatives weren't total hypocrites about smaller, less intrusive government, they should all say.
$275 a month on groceries? On what planet? I buy storebrand and still end up at around $500 a month
We all know that the GOP will not permit Romney to get beaten by a Cain! To bad Cain doesn't know that. Cain is a stick in the mud that muddies up the water. Time for us to get focused.
Cain doesn't want to be president. He just wants a public forum and he got it.
"to lighten campaign load". What's he going to do, buy "thin crust for $9.99, or $9.09, or $9.04"?
You dern tootin Herman Cain would snot lead this country down the Progressive Path.
That is what is GOOD about him.
What is wrong with this country is the POTUS IS a progressive~! And that is BAD.
Running for the presidency must be interfering with his book tour.
Cain'sc ontempt for federal workers shows through in his comments-and they too vote. And if you want to change goverment youcan't do it with a reluctant work force. And it shows how he operated at Pillsbury and elsewhere too, because those traits carry over.
As chair of the National resturants he fought against minimum wage laws and the right to decent wages. His contemt for working people is almost complete.
The best we can say for him is his contenmpt for people shows up again and again inhis writings-"social secuity is immoral" eventhough people contribute to it; "it benefits mainly little old white ladies" -there are lots of retired truck drivers and others who draw beneifts. And there are lots of whites who die youg too.
This contempt for people will be the downfalliof his campaign.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/feb/02/burgeoning-federal-payroll-signals-return-of-big-g/?page=all
It is much better to give money to the poor then teach them the work ethic. It has worked so well so far hasn't it?
Arlin Carlson
Right On That is the number one thing i don't like about Cain, not to mention that as a mathmetician he can't grasp what his tax plan is.If he does grasp what it does then we have big trouble if he gets to be pres.
I listened to Cain on Meet the Press thinking maybe I need to see what this guy has to say so I listened with an open mind. I wound up listening with my mouth open in pure shock. This guy sounds like he crawled out from under a rock. His ideas are about as good as the pizza his company sold.
Obama, a failed experiment
"Obama,"
Cain is not President Obama's intellectual, political, or moral equal - by any standard.
Obama is highly reflective, more politically astute and morally sane.
Paradoxically, Cain repeatedly makes "off the cuff" remarks, he is pushing a disastrous and non-reflective 9-9-9 economic plan, he knows how to "work" the media, but he is not necessarily politically astute and his moral standards on human issues are cold and callous. Cain sings at campaign stops and he is quite outlandish!
Cain would not lead America in a progressive direction.
If anyone should retire and move to Nome, Alaska - it should be Herman Cain.
Cain is doing the Palin....getting notoriety to make money. He is still doing his lecture/speaking gigs for his gain while supposedly running for POTUS...yea right. And he now says he has to slow down, it's too much; well, that's what hustling does, tire you out. He's already pissed off the black voters, the Hispanics, the Muslims and who knows what other groups soon to come. It's all about that might dollar....you go boy, make that money!!!! But please don't think we are that stupid and will vote for you for POTUS......ain't gonna happen!!!!
I say we draft Sara Palin at the convention and run Cain as VP! Good idea?
Majority of the post here come from Democrats. Since I could care less of the opinion of those folks. Since Democrats got us here.
There isn't much sense in cutting back when things get tough.If that is how you think you could run the country like that, it shows how unprepared you are. Stick to delivering Pizzas a loss of a customer here and there is not as bad as losing thousands and thousands of lives because you are tired or INEPT. It isn't your choice it is ours and we saw this potential about the first week you came upon the scene.
I am constantly hearing that the 1% are the job creators. That it takes money to create jobs. Well, since they are still getting all the tax breaks, WHERE ARE THE JOBS?
beckya numbers....they know they can not continue to tell that lie about the 1% being the job creators since for the years of Bush taxes we have not seen those jobs created. The American people are not that stupid at least the majority is not. Yep, listening to the candidates no corporation would be paying taxes at all or those "small businesses". It's pathetic every time I keep hearing that crap!!!
Mitt is going to get the nod and the election, the 1% want him and they get what they want!!
Everyone is saying that Cain is not as politically astute as Obama. Nor has the experience politically. I am a hard core democrat but would vote for Cain before anyone else including Obama. All the current radical political heads are to political in my opinion. Reminds me of a quote from Machiavelli, they "promise everything, deliver nothing". We need someone like Cain to shake things up in the white house. Someone who has had to actually work for a living. I believe he would be a no-nonsense and practical president not feeding false hopes and dreams to the American people.
Mr Cain, just lett,n you know, FYI, you blow smoke in my face,my FIST will be coming back at you though that smoke.
Sid Mr Cain doesn't want to blow smoke in your face or mine. He's blowing it up are a$$s. If it weren't for King grovers two jesters the koch brothers old "killer cain" would be know where.
Lighten his load? Doesn't he know that when the going gets tough, the tough get going?
Well I feel lighter , when I get rid of a load !!!
Sounds like Cain isn't physically up to the demands of being president. If playing nerf-ball politics with his GOP friends wears him out-imagine having a real job and what that would do to him.
All hell naw ain't no time outs. 909 baby, retail politics, lets get to work. The Presidency is not a part time job. Get in the game, play all 60 minutes offense and defense, or go home.
It has never been more clear how racists the left of the left is. You praise a black man because you view him as being on your side - the man that is for redistributing wealth - even if it means distributing it to green companies that are about to go bankrupt. You fail to admit that these companies are no different than any other wallstreet company that you hate. But because they are in a field (solar) that you like - because it fits your fantasy of having a world without CO2 emissions - guess what people the foliage in the wold needs the CO2 to create the air we breath. But I digress. The point is you are choosing to make racists opinions toware Herman Cain because he represents the people who create jobs in this country. He represents hard work and self accounability. You all hate that and will bash him for being tired after working tirelessly for months. You all sit in your chairs and post comments acting like you could do what he does or accompish what he has - when the reality is you are all simply depressed about who you are and mad at yourselves for not accomplishing anything in your lives therefore you need and want the government to take money from a hard working person and give it to you - Do you really believe the government would make better use of a successfull business owner? You all want the country to become the exact opposite of what makes it great. The freedom to become whatever you want. To have the ability to work hard and reap the rewards of that hard work with the freedom to spend it however you like. You occupy people have a common argument of the so called fair share? What is I ask the fair share that the 50 percent of the population that pays no federal taxes whatsoever should pay? Fair share is only pointed in the direction of those that already pay more than 70 percent of the entire tax bill. What is fair for those that pay nothing? You don't care that your current president is getting paid millions of millions of dollars from that same people on wallstreet you hate - you defend him because he has led you to belive falslely that he is one of you. You are alls so naive and are now showing how racists you can be when a black man with a conservative view steps into the field. Wake up and look in the mirror.
Wait a minute, wait a minute I resent that accusation. I thought Reagan, Bush and Bush were idiots too. I also had problems with Gen Powell until he came to his senses.
I wouldn't risk having Cain as the Republican nominee. He's had serious health issues - stage 4 colon & liver cancer is no laughing matter. What if he was the nominee and had to drop out around October of 2012? THEN WHAT?!? Looks like Mitt Romney is the safest bet.
Getting nervous?LMAO
I think we should simply stop commenting on Herman Cain because he is/will be irrelevant. It's obvious he doesn't respect the office of president of the United States with his flippant attitude. If one wants to be taken seriously, one must act seriously. He will soon be voted off the island!
Agree with Maynard.
Let's face it, it's about selling books and becoming a TV commentator...that's what Cain is about. And he's not going to run a Presidential campaign. He's not healthy enough or young enough to do it.
Doesn't this playbook have a certain ring to it ?!? I swear a Ross Perot drew this playbook out and Cain is actually running with it ?!? Oh wow man, the politicians have gone loco...