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Subscribe to RSSHerman Cain suffered his own memory lapse in response to a question about Libya just days after Rick Perry's campaign tumbled following Perry's debate misstep.
Cain struggled for an answer when asked by the editorial board of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel whether he agreed with President Obama's approach toward Libya.
Cain said:
OK, Libya. [Pause] President Obama supported the uprising, correct? President Obama called for the removal of Khaddhafy. I just wanted to make sure we're talking about the same thing before I say, 'Yes, I agreed' or 'No I didn't agree.' I do not agree with the way he handled it for the following reason -- nope, that's a different one. [pause] I gotta go back and see. I got all this stuff twirling around in my head. Specifically, what are you asking me that I agree or not disagree with Obama?
Cain had previously criticized Obama's handling of the uprising in Libya in a debate this spring. Cain accused the administration of lacking clear objectives in Libya -- or, for that matter, Syria -- and called for the U.S. to develop a foreign policy strategy for each nation on earth.
The moment, though, invites parallels with Perry's moment of forgetfulness during last week's presidential debate. Perry struggled to remember the identity of the third federal agency he would eliminate.
Obama had weathered criticism from some GOP presidential contenders at the time for having authorized U.S. military airstrikes to aid the uprising against Kaddhafy's regime. Kaddhafy was captured and killed last month in Libya.
Cain has previously said that he didn't feel the need to master every detail of foreign policy issues, a sentiment he reiterated in his interview with the Journal-Sentinel, which was conducted on the record for about 30 minutes this morning.
I'm a much more deliberate decision-maker. It's a point that I keep coming back to. Some people want to say, 'Well, as president, you're supposed to know everything.' No you don't. I believe in having all the information, as much of it as I possibly can, rather than making a decision or making a statement about whether I totally agree or didn't agree, when I wasn't privy to the entire situation. There might be some things there that might have caused me to feel differently. So I'm not trying to hedge on the questions, it's just that that's my nature as a businessman -- I need to know the facts, as much as possible, I need to hear all the alternatives...I would want to hear all those views, look at the information, then I make the decision as the commander in chief.
This isn't the first time Cain has risked looking dismissive on foreign policy issues, either. He said, for instance, that he didn't feel the need to known the name of the president of Uzbekistan.
"I’m ready for the ‘gotcha’ questions and they’re already starting to come. And when they ask me who is the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan I’m going to say, you know, I don’t know. Do you know?" he asked in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network last month.
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Cain: " Oops! Can we talk about the 4 women again, Please?"
Cain does not fill one with confidence about his ability to lead any country,...much less the #1 global superpower and greatest country of all time - the U.S..
He is UNELECTABLE. Yikes !
The video of this interview is really pretty amusing,...check it out.
It started in 2008, when a virtually unknown Republican, contending for the nomination, declared himself a believer in a "Young Earth", which endorsement of 16th C. science and theology suddenly propelled him into "serious contender" status in the race. Now Mike Huckabee has his own TV show and punditry business. Indeed, so successful was Huckabee's rise that Rick Perry, at the first sign of slippage in his support (having jumped well into the lead on merely throwing his hat in the ring), made sure that he got in his endorsement of belief in a literal Creation story.
Is this for real? Are right wing Republicans so ignorant and backward and confused that they somehow believe that endorsing a scientific absurdity is all it takes to become President (or at least to get nominated)? No wonder we keep seeing these roller coaster campaigns. Bachman's up - oops, she's down. In comes Perry. He's up. Oops, he's down (seems he is not in favor of genital warts and uterine cancer... Can't have that). Then it's Cain. Look at him rise. Oops, seems he knows too much about women in the workforce and not enough about Libya...
Anyone can see the reality - a hardcore segment of Christian fundamentalists and "social conservatives" (the very antithesis of real conservatives), disguising themselves as "conservatives", are throwing their support mindlessly at anyone whom they believe will champion their most absurd and ante-deluvian beliefs and prejudices, only to desert the "candidate du jour" the moment his (or her) warts start to appear and/or he or she deviates even slightly from their prescribed orthodoxy. It was this same group who, dissatisfied with Bachman, lured Perry into the race, only to abandon him and, now dissatisfied with their ersatz hero, then tried to get Chris Christie to enter the fray. However, Christie was too aware of what was going on to risk his political immolation on the bonfires of witch-hunting fanatics. That left Cain, whose chief attribute was that he was unknown and could therefore assume the mantle his predecessors had dropped or declined.
Not surprisingly, the only two candidates who have survived are the two who have not succumbed to the temptation to "play to the fundamentalist peanut gallery", namely Romney and Gingrich. Both are serious candidates. Gingrich is far too smart and experienced a pol to sell his soul to the religious whackos on the right and Romney is well aware that his Mormon faith is going to debar him from their support no matter how much he might kowtow to them, thereby saving him the obligation to even attempt kowtowing. Meanwhile, those who tried to repeat the Huckabee formula have crashed and burned - as they deserved to. Perry was, potentially, a far more viable candidate than he turned out to be, but he allowed himself to be seduced by the blandishments of the Sarah Palin Fan Club. The moment, therefore, that he actually began to speak his mind, he lost support. It had always been the wrong kind of support, but, having banked on it, he didn't know how to survive without it. Cain picked up his support largely on the strength of being unknown, and therefore a "blank canvas" on which the nuts could project their own hopes without regard to the reality. That reality is now catching up with both them and Cain.
So, unless the ultimate Republican nominee wants to end up looking as confused as poor John McCain did (never knowing from moment to moment whether he was "John McCain, the independent maverick" or "Sarah Palin's lesser known running mate"), here's what he needs to do: FORGET THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT. They are NOT going to vote for that "Muslim in the White House", come November 2012, even if you do believe that Tonto was Jewish or have peculiar notions of marital fidelity. Lay out your own position. Be your own man. Don't let THEM tell you who you are, you tell THEM who you are. They haven't got the common sense to know what they really want, so, like Reagan, you've got to teach them that what they really want is you. Sure, they will continue to throw up their Don Quixote candidates - their Cains and Perrys and Bachmans and Huckabees, but none of those people can win against Obama and, ultimately, if you define yourself in reasonably intelligent terms, they will fall in line and you'll have a genuine chance to carry the independent vote, which is what is going to elect you, not the 11% of the electorate who are trying to call the shots within the Republican Party.
Oldefarte, excellent analysis and also excellent advise for Romney. Unfortunately, Romney has already uttered enough nonsense to provide the Obama Re-Election Committee with a treasure trove of idiocy, non sequiturs and just good old fashioned red meat to the true believers that he has violated the rule of the hole: When you reach the bottom, stop digging. He still has several months, however, to keep digging and without doubt, he will do so.
Dang it. I was routing for the boy til this.
Women I can understand but foreign policy ? Thats all folks.
Cain stated that the reason for his memory lapse was, “…I got all this stuff twirling around in my head…” Let’s see; there’s Sharon Bialek, Karen Kraushaar and then there’s...and...”
The "Simpsons Movie" is coming to life. I see President Cain being presented with four possible scenarios by his adviser and then being told which one to pick.
American Girl - republicans can't remember - the president has been to all 57 STATES - he does't know how to say corpseman - many many more goofs -
that 57 state thing was a verbal tongue twist, nothing comparable to being completely ignorant of the world and having zero foreign policy ideas. Cain would be dangerous in the white house if anything happened outside the US.
As serious as those gaffes were, they pale in comparison to Cain's 9-9-9 tax plan that would decimate what's left of the middle class. I don't think Obama's brain fart about 57 states cost anyone anything.
He didn't say 57 states.....he was speaking about voting entities...i.e. American Samoa, Puerto Rico, etc. The man went to Harvard Law School.....these repubs obviously didn't, nor did you! Sure bama will go for Cain....right?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nnic6oY7Cuw
This was not a media lynching. It was an auto-lynching.
Remember the great scene from 'Blazing Saddles'? "Don't come any closer or the (N-Word) gets it!" Cain has transformed comedy to reality.
"Hey, where's all the white women"? Blazing saddles
When asked about Libya, Cain stated he respects the entire female body and has never been inappropriate with it.
Oh. My. God. This man is actually running for President...of the United States, not the Lollipop Guild! PLEASE PLEASE can't we hear from someone other than this misogynistic fool already?! Enough is enough. If the situation weren't so dire it would be laughable -- this jerk and the clown from Texas are the best the Republican party has to offer??!?!?!
Maybe you've missed the news lately, so I'll clue you in. The jerk from TX is almost an afterthought in the polling now. So now Cain and Perry are not the best the republicans have to offer. Even if they were it couldn't get much worse than it currently is.
sure it could get worse than obama. Imagine a macho GOP idiot starting a nuclear war, perhaps, oh, someone who thinks china doesn't have nuclear weapons or who says they would do anything to provent iran from having a weapon. Unless you think radioactivity is a good thing (I don't), then we could do far worse than obama.
Interesting isn't it that none of the Cain supporters are shouting about the liberal media doing a number on Cain anymore. Like Cain always says, "If you want something done right, do it [to] yourself".
It is uncanny how Cain struggles so much to give a "non response" to anything involving the Federal Reserve. He would rather make a complete idiot of himself than say how he really thinks off the top of his head. Since Cain was on the Board Of Directors for the Federal Reserve he definitely shows who is backing him and who he is in bed with. Whenever a question involving the FED comes up Cain either doges it completely or has an amnesia like brain fart.
Libya was cutting the Federal Reserve bankers out of billions because Gadhafi wanted to start trading his oil directly with France for goods. This cut out the Federal Reserve mafia from forcing Libya to "purchase" US dollars made out of thin air to make the transactions.
Gadhafi also was cutting out British Petroleum from all their contracts with Libya to extract all the oil both internally and offshore to be sold. BP Oil is owned by the same families who own the World Bank which is owned by the same families who own the Federal Reserve. These are the people backing Herman Cain and it is frightening.
These people trying to cover up all this information and say we are trying to "save the people" are the real terrorists to this country. We are being fed disinformation and propaganda.....As usual "follow the money".
Cain is down 40% in the polls in the last 14 days. He is now down to a distant third behind Mittens and the other Sexual Predator.
Imagine if Mr. Cain had to find Libya on a map. Imagine if Mr. Cain had to interview your daughter for a job. Imagine if Mr. Cain became President of the United States. Why are we taking this guy seriously? He's dumb. He's arrogant and does not hold one credential for being Commander in Chief. Those that support him do so because they can maniuplate this simpleton like they did George Bush.
"He's arrogant and does not hold one credential for being Commander in Chief"
Kind of makes you wonder how Obama got elected doesn't it?
obama had an understanding of the world, which is one credential for being CiC. Cain obviously doesn't.
So no, I don't wonder, and neither would you if you weren't a biased partisan hack.
bucksnort. No
biased partisan hack?
Since you know me so well, what party do I belong to?
And yes I do still wonder since the man's biggest accomplishment in live is being a community organizer which means he's never held a REAL job.
I understand the world too, so you'll vote for me for president?
U.S. Senator from Illinois is not a real job? Harvard Professor is not a real job? Smart people scare ya, huh? Community organizer as used in your context is a euphemism (don't look it up, it means a nice way to say something else you mean) for the n-word. Back off Obama, he's 24/7 up against obstructionist, idiots, racists and people who steadfastly believe in imaginary people and things, end of world, end times scenarios. In other words, stupid, backward and uneducated cowards.
Yep singin, that's what I meant, The president is a ni..er. Boy you sure saw right through me. I hate the man because of his skin color. Yep that must be it. It couldn't be that I don't like his policy or the fact that all he can do is complain and get the sheep to complain with him about a PARTY THAT IS IN THE MINORITY and how they are obstructing. In reality, He couldn't get his party to fall in line on the last stimulus (jobs) bill.
For a smart man, the president hides his intelligence very well. As do you.
Come on, Buck, the Republicans have stonewalled EVERYTHING the man has put out there, EVERYTHING. No compromise (okay the vet part of the jobs bill but not by much). Is the guy that bad? The country is in deep doo-doo, if not downright in permanent decline. To get back to the blog, Cain ain't the answer.
Sorry for implying or downright saying you may have racist tendancies. Unfair and I take it back. But not the part I truly believe the obstructionism is due to a lot of other folks' racism. And cowardice, ignorance, blah, blah, blah. Again, I apologize. Hey, I hope we all make it.
Someone get that man a list of the questions in advance and a teleprompter with the answer alreay loaded...
It's an embarrassment in front of the world the GOP has chosen such lame candidates for the highest office in the land
What the heck...Obama did not know how to prounonce corpsman..I think he thought it was a dead man rather than a navy medic. And he is their Commander-in Chief. Did it a couple of times.
I'm afraid Cain's act was a lot better than one mis-pronunciation. LOL
making intelligent decisions about foreign policy doesn't depend on knowing how to prounounce "corpsman".
having a working knowledge of the world is a requirement, however. Cain is a foreign policy disaster.
So being a community organizer qualified Obama as some great foreign policy guru? Or maybe it was his blabbering idiot of a v.p. that gave him cred?
Come on folks, people surround themselves with the best (hopefully) they can find in their field and then take that advice and form a (educated?) opinion.
no, having lived around the world, and actually read and thought about the world gave him perspective and knowledge.
I didn't say he was a "great foreign policy guru". Stop making up things in your hatred. :)
and surrounding yourself with the best will be useless if you don't have at least some base to utilize their expertise. cain seems to be completely ignorant, so no amount of experts will help that situation.
Funny I think once you take away the teleprompter from Obama, he becomes relatively ignorant himself. I too can look intellectual and thoughtful with someone else telling me what to say.
Hatred? really? I don't hate the man, or you for that matter. Truth be told I don't know Obama or you well enough to hate either of you.
Bob
What the heck...Obama did not know how to prounonce corpsman
Bushy pronounced NUCULUR for 8 years, so what's your point?
Please.....you repubs are really reaching....do you really think Cain has the knowledge of the world situation that Obama has? Did you know that a recent Time mag article said that the world views the U.S. in a much better light than previous admins because of our President? Didn't think so. In case you haven't noticed our stock has fallen in the eyes of some because of the obstructionist positions of the GOP? Credit rating lowered (never happened before)..debt crisis because repubs won't even support plans they put forth themselves because Obama now puts them forward. Shameful!
Good night, sleep tight and pleasant dreams to you
Here's a wish and a prayer that every dream comes true
And now 'til we meet again
Adios, au revoir, auf wiedersehen
Good Night!
This guy is a first class dolt, a pizza CEO should not run the most powerful country in the world, none on the right should, they are a bunch of self-serving hypocrites. We already have a statesman in President Obama.
What about Paul? He's not your average righty, and certainly not self serving.
Every potential candidate should take a mandatory IQ test if they want to receive the nomination. It is very clear to me than Cain never has a clue what he is talking about and that is why his answers are always so vague. Bachmann also lacks any real intelligence. Perry is very smart, but a little too good at lying. Old Newt is highly intelligent but lacks any sentient ability or compassion for others. Paul seems to have intelligence, compassion, and like Newt, is very experienced in all relevant matters. Unlike Gingrich, Paul is not so biased and emotional. Cain is truly attempting to pretend his way to the presidency in a most transparent manner.
He just told the press that it was a brief pause....Ya see what I mean,just like the sex thing,just say,yea it was a misunderstanding,or,I got confused for a second,but no,he has to lie again. I think I see a pattern developing with Uncle Hermy,and its not a good thing.
The USA supported NATO, which is our common ally against agression and wrongdoings. This evil dictator who founded his fortune on crimes against his own people was removed at their request. Brutal yes, necessary, yes. The Libyans fought the battle, removed this cancer and are now attempting to rebuilild a shattered country, laid bare by this evil non-human being. President Obama acted in accordancw tih our treaty and now another madman is gone. How can Cain or any of the other bumbling idiots not agree? They, the GOPers and the TPers have no agenda except to criticize, such as ho issued the shoot order? He got that murderer and did him in, something Bush failed to do after allowing Bin Laden to escape. Pathetic bunch of whiners all GOPers, and not one can muster the strength to admit their shortcomings.
The people of Libya spoke and regained their country.
Boy at first I thought you were talking about Iraq but then I remembered our allies (and now it appears many Americans yourself included) didn't think Hussein was that bad a guy.
Bucky--The people of Iraq had not risen against Hussein before our invasion. Once our intentions became known, they fought against us. Please do not try to suggest that the successful policy in Libya is in any way comparable to the disaster that was Iraq.
I agree old vet. The outrageous adventure in Iraq cost 4,500 young American lives. For WMD'S? Libya did not cost a single life and one tenth of a percent of what Iraq cost (Time mag)..Iraq cost the American people one TRILLION dollars. Damn poor return on investment.
Old Vet,
So Hussein NEVER beat down uprisings and killed thousands of his own country people as people accused Qaddafi of doing right? I mean Hussein was a saint right? He was just misunderstood. NATO inspectors were only told to leave Iraq or refused access to sites a few times right? No big, he was good guy.
I think your memory is slipping. He beat down the Kurds and he beat down the Shiites on at least two differnt occasions.
Bucky--Your reading skills need improvement. I did not say Hussein was a great guy. He was, in fact, evil. Do you think the American armed forces should go around the world taking out every evil leader? If so, where would you start?
I only know what relatives and friends who actually served in Iraq told me and that was Hussein needed to go. I trust the word of my friends and family more than a politicians.
Now on to my reading ability, Isn't this your qoute?? "The people of Iraq had not risen against Hussein before our invasion"
Now I think that means the Shiites (who are people of Iraq) did not rise up previously and you are WRONG.
You're right in that I should have noted that there was not an active insurrection going on in Iraq at the time of our invasion. However, I was responding to your statement which implied that I thought that Saddam was not a bad guy. Again, he was a bad guy. Do you think American troops should be used to take out every bad guy in the world? Where would you start and, more important, where would you end?
Libya? Well first of all let's make sure we are talking about the same Libya because we should know exactly at this time without any doubt clarify and make sure the American People know my specific platform on the Middle East.
It's in Africa? No sheat?
Exactly why Obama was a terrible pick in 2008....a show man lacking knowledge and experience. Since, like with Hillary, you folks are not going to vote for a woman, I guess it's down to Romney and Gingrich...either of which I'd love to see tear Obama apart in the presidential debates. I look forward to those debates and the decision by the Supreme Court against the unconstitutional Obamacare.
obama lacked knowledge? Interesting assertion. proof? he may have lacked experience (who has experience running the most powerful country in the world..no one actually), but he was knowledgeable.
Me too. Hope you stock up on tissues.
I can hear Romney now. "You thought of Universal Healthcare first."
Obama, "No you did. Remember you sent us advisors that helped us write it."
Romney, "We did not!"
hahahaha
Gingrich would be a worthy debate opponent for anyone, Obama included. Romney, however, would have a difficult time responding to a question without contradicting his comments to the true believers during the primaries.
Gingrich, however, does have a whole set of baggage that might be a problem for him.
Dream on, there Puddin. No matter how many times you repeat the lies of idiots like Rush, you will lose because you are on the wrong side of intelligent thought. Being a loser is something the Tpubs seem happy with! LOL
Bruce,
What is this baggage Gingrich carries? I read so many comments by people claiming this but when it comes down to it, Newt had some fidelity issues back in the day. Is that the baggage?
Bucky--He also had/has some ethics issues (remember how he resigned from the speakership because of an adverse report from the House Ethics Committee?). He is also a demogogue of the first order, claiming that Moslems want to turn the US into an atheist nation and proclaiming that Obama is a socialist. As the holder of a PhD in African history, he knows better.
How long ago were these issues? If we want to discuss ethics issues we might as well throw out every member of congress because they are all crooked and it isn't hard to prove it.
These issues came up in 1996. While we can argue whether all members of Congress are crooked, the fact is that not all are hauled up before the House Ethics Committee and get a negative report. Beyond these ethics issues, he remains a demagogue who will say anything to stir up the masses for votes.
Just trying to something he isn't, what he is , is just a dumb Nigetael. Everyone should own one.
We are seeing a repeat of the last election. GOP is still bereft of ideas, can't take a risk that a Republican president might also be seen as impotent in the face of this economic tidal wave created on their guy's watch, so they put up a valiant fight and then propose another unelectable ticket so they can bow out with some shred of dignity. It's a race they don't want to win, because just like 2008, the winner will get all the blame for not setting the world straight in 1000 days, and getting us back on track to unbridled corporate growth, cheap oil, a de-regulated economy and all the important people getting their share.