Politico’s hit piece on Herman Cain was fresh off the presses and buzzing through the Internet as Herman Cain’s team was busy trying to figure out who was the source. Obviously the story came from another campaign, but which one?
Now we know, or at least the Cain campaign wants us to know they think they know.
The campaign of Rick Perry.
From the Washington Times:
According to a source who is friends with the Cain campaign, not only is the Rick Perry campaign involved but also the Mayor of Chicago and former Obama White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is likely involved with the sexual harassment accuser attacks. A friend of the Cain campaign believes a National Restaurant Association (NRA) employee out of the Chicago office leaked the story to the Perry campaign via information and influence from Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office.
Interesting.
The involvement of Rick Perry’s campaign, assuming this report is accurate, is not a great shock. First, Perry comes from Texas where politics as a blood sport is taken to a new level. In Texas, not only do they want to beat you, but they want to kicked you down to the ground. Perry is certainly capable.
Perry clearly has motive. Cain came out of the pack, where Perry had been leading and took Perry’s support.
It is certainly reasonable to think that the Perry camp believes that if something happened to Cain, that support would go back to Perry.
More interesting would be the role Rahm Emanuel plays in this. Politics does make strange bedfellows.
First, assuming Rahm was involved, you can be absolutely certain he did nothing without running it past Team Obama. The conventional wisdom breaks both ways regarding Obama and Cain.
First, you can see how Obama would want to get rid of Herman Cain early and fear him as one of the strongest candidates. Herman Cain is the Anti-Obama. He is a black man who became an incredible success by following the rules. He lives the American dream. He is proof that anyone in America can become a success.
He contrasts sharply with Obama. He also brings something to the table that Obama fears. Cain as the nominee could shatter the Democrat’s monopolistic hold on the black vote. Cain’s nomination would take Obama’s race card right out of play.
The conventional wisdom also says that if you have something that could destroy a candidacy the way the media wants us to believe these allegations will destroy Cain, you save it for an October surprise.
The most likely scenario is that the story is not nearly as bad as some of the media outlets are letting on and this is being released now to try and take down Cain’s campaign while it can still be done.
The overwhelming conventional wisdom is that Obama wants to face Romney. Romney as the nominee would depress the conservative-Tea Party base and allow Obama to face the weakest candidate.
Unfortunately, Cain’s Achilles heel is his campaign organization. Over the last few days, I have talked to a number of people about this. They range from Cain supporters to a couple of people I regard as brilliant political operators. Their take on Cain’s campaign organization is the same.
It is a disaster.
One of the operators I spoke to last night, who has run Congressional campaigns, expressed shock over the Cain organization. The words I have heard repeatedly from people are, “inept” and “incompetent.” One told me, “If he can’t run a Presidential campaign, how is he going to run the country?” Another said, “His selling point is his executive experience. His organization says something about his executive experience.”
Herman Cain seems poised to survive this hit. However, if he does not do something to get an experienced campaign staff and organization in place, the next hit will sink him.
Tags: barack, cain, emanuel, herman, hit, obama, piece, politico, rahm
Permalink Reply by Lady Di on Remember the Herman Cain's saying which he repeated over and over again during the early part of this campaign . . . "I ask the right people, the right question, to get the right answer." IMO, Cain definitely does not have the right people to get the right answer. More important to me than any "harassment allegations" is . . . If Cain cannot run his campaign any better than this, how will he run his campaign in the primary against Obama? . . . More important, how will he run the W.H. if elected? Perhaps as vetters of Republican candidates we should be paying attention to the following . . . which seems to have "gotten lost" during the "harassment" issue against Cain --- and the Cain campaign's "leak allegation" against the Perry camp. Political maneuvering, perhaps ? ? ? . .
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports:
Herman Cain's two top campaign aides ran a private Wisconsin-based corporation that helped the GOP presidential candidate get his fledgling campaign off the ground by originally footing the bill for tens of thousands of dollars in expenses for such items as iPads, chartered flights and travel to Iowa and Las Vegas - something that might breach federal tax and campaign law, according to sources and documents.
Internal financial records show that Prosperity USA said it was owed about $40,000 by the Cain campaign for a variety of items in February and March. Cain began taking donations for his presidential bid on Jan. 1.
Prosperity USA was owned and run by Wisconsin political operatives Mark Block and Linda Hansen, Cain's current chief of staff and deputy chief of staff, respectively.
Another group, Americans for Prosperity, also headed by Mark Block was created by the Koch Brothers .
Election law experts say the transactions raise a host of questions for the private organization, which billed itself as a tax-exempt nonprofit, and the Cain team.
"If the records accurately reflect what occurred, this is way out of bounds," said a Washington, D.C.-based election lawyer who advises many Republican candidates and conservative groups on campaign issues. The lawyer asked not to be identified because of those affiliations.
Michael Maistelman, a Wisconsin campaign attorney, agreed.
"The number of questionable and possibly illegal transactions conducted on behalf of Herman Cain is staggering," said Maistelman, a Democrat who has represented politicians from both parties on campaign issues.
This type of story by itself would keep any presidential campaign busy on a normal day. But, of course, Cain is also dealing with the fallout from allegations that at least two women accused him of sexual harassment in the 1990s when he ran the National Restaurant Association during their time there.
Another group, Americans for Prosperity, also headed by Mark Block was created by the Koch Brothers.
Block had prior campaign-law troubles. He was banned for several years from involvement in campaigns after Wisconsin election officials accused him of illegally coordinating the judicial candidate's campaign he was running with outside groups. Block settled without admitting guilt.
Permalink Reply by Darlene Black on Permalink Reply by Lady Di on @ Darlene . . . when attacked use the following . . . LOL
Permalink Reply by Tim Duvall on AND SO NOW WE KNOW IT WAS NOT RICK PERRY.
Rasmussen poll shows that the American public sees:
Romney as the closest to the political center, voters are equally divided as to whether Obama, Cain or Newt are in the political center. Interesting voters see Perry as extremely conservative.
Makes one wonder why the Tea Party does not support Perry by more than 10%. Were we too quick to eat our own?
Permalink Reply by Larry Self on Permalink Reply by Tim Duvall on Debate skills can be improved upon prior to the head-to-head with Obama. Accomplishments and record can not. Perry's record far exceeds Obama's before and after his disastrous last three years.
The Tea Party needs someone with a solid record not a smooth talker. I like Newt, but his past record has issues that will be exploited. If we are picking a candidate based on debate skills - then Romney would get the nod from the Tea Party.
Permalink Reply by Darlene Black on Permalink Reply by Lady Di on Permalink Reply by Darlene Black on Permalink Reply by Lady Di on @ Tim . . . As a 70-year old lifelong Texas who has followed Perry's actions and the issues he supports throughout his 3 elections as Governor of Texas . . . IMO, Perry is the MOST conservative Republican candidate in this campaign . . . and I have personally researched all of the top tier candidates.
Are we too quick to eat our own? . . . Perhaps, but we are also too quick to pay attention to the anti-Perry information which has been alleged by opponents of Perry . . . Most of this anti-Perry allegations and falsehood came out of his previous gubernatorial elections. However, it is also now being generated by supporters of present Republican candidates and also generated by the Obama minions/supporters.
Want to know the character of a man . . . look to see who his enemies are . . . and what are their motives..
Permalink Reply by Tim Duvall on I agree with you that Perry is the most conservative and IMO the most qualified based on his accomplishments. Perhaps I should temper my comments about "too quick"? Instead we need to instruct Perry to get his game on. If debating isn't his strong suit then manage it better. When asked a question regarding another candidate turn the attack on Obama.
A lesson from his friend Newt.
Newt has not really debated the issues with his fellow Republicans, he has targeted Obama. This is what Rick needs to start doing. There is still time to win this with our strongest conservative. Then pair them up. Rick/Newt; Newt/Rick.
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