AP Reporter: Herman Cain Needs Voters to 'Look Past His Skin Color And Perceive Him as a Serious Candidate'
AP reporter Errin Haines couldn't possibly think that being black makes you an un-serious presidential candidate. She's black. But that was the mysterious echo in her (mostly positive) story on GOP contender Herman Cain. Perhaps she meant that a black Republican can't possibly be anything more than a token or a gimmick? Her third paragraph:
Already losing some of his cachet to tea party favorite Michele Bachmann, Cain, the lone African-American GOP candidate, is trying to win over a party that hasn't had a black nominee. Sidestepping race as an issue in his campaign may have helped him gain momentum in recent weeks, but whether he can turn vigor into votes will depend largely on voters' ability to look past his skin color and perceive him as a serious candidate.
This is probably not what AP wrote when former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun ran a very long-shot campaign for president on the Democrat side eight years ago.
Haines found experts who correctly said Cain's appeal isn't so much to race as to a stubborn, successful American overcoming race and other obstacles to become a major success in business. Near the end, Haines talked of racial remarks that have "raised eyebrows." It wasn't anything near the Jeremiah Wright kind of gaffes, but she had her eyebrows raised:
Cain's candidacy has not been without gaffes, and he has made a few racially tinged remarks that have raised eyebrows. Last month, Cain was quoted as saying that blacks "can't afford to" join him at tea party rallies and other conservative events. In campaign footage, he is seen with tea partyers across the country, warning, "To all of those who say that the tea party is a racist organization ... eat your words!"
Last month, after referring to himself as "the dark horse candidate," Cain invoked the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. when he began his speech to the Republican Leadership Conference with the words, "I have a dream" of GOP victories in the House and Senate in 2012 and said he would be the next president of the United States.
At times, Cain seems to enjoy flirting with race. He is fond of saying that he "left the Democratic plantation years ago." At a recent campaign event in Atlanta, he told the crowd that when asked by a reporter what distinguished him from his fellow GOP candidates, he answered: "One of the biggest differences is the color of my ... eyes." At the same meeting, during a lull in the questioning, Cain sang the spiritual "Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now" in a velvet baritone.
The mostly white audience ate it up.
How do any of these qualify as "gaffes"? Saying you would never allow a Muslim in your cabinet, that's a gaffe. Haines doesn't understand that Cain has appeal in part because GOP voters and Tea Party activists are very eager to prove they're not the racists that the NAACP and liberal journalists insist they are.
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Comments
Cain
Submitted by jessieH on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 12:48pm.
The only thing I question about Herman Cain is his time at the federal Reserve. His color doesn't matter. His morals and allegence does.
Fed Reserve
Submitted by scottie1321 on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 7:33pm.
Cain is the only candidate with common sense solutions to fixing the FED reserve problem. RP wants to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Cain wants to increase congressional oversight and take away their ability to print money endlessly. Look him up and see for yourselves what he has to say. http://hermancain.com
Experience isn't everything.
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 1:26pm.
Cain has also stated what I believe from my own personal work experience. The best manager (president is a manager) was a man that knew nothing of the technology he managed. What he did know was to put the best people in all the needed areas around him. He surrounded himself with experts that he trusted and made sure that their tasks were supported to the rest of the management and for funding to accomplish what we told this manager we needed.
So, sure, it would be great to have a president that knows everything and can do it all. But other than Obama (LOL), there is no such person. The best president needs to lose the arrogant SWAGGER (I hate that word) and surround himself with experts (and oh yes listen to them too).
Will wonders never cease
Submitted by DontFeedTheTrolls on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 1:05pm.
Cain is a black man? Sheesh, I thought he was just another conservative.
I wish Newbusters and one of
Submitted by red_dragon311 on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 1:27pm.
I wish Newbusters and one of those "thumbs up" things ...this post would get one from me
Even the Bible argees Psalm 109:8 "Let his days be few; and let another take office."
I wish Newbusters and one of
Submitted by red_dragon311 on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 1:27pm.
I wish Newbusters and one of those "thumbs up" things ...this post would get one from me
Even the Bible argees Psalm 109:8 "Let his days be few; and let another take office."
Funny
Submitted by octavioj on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 4:10pm.
Very funny DontFeedTheTrolls, that was very funny. But in the minds of liberal elites being black is anathema to being conservative.
My concern about Cain
Submitted by jon_torlin on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 1:07pm.
My concern about Cain isn't about him directly, but I'm afraid that he'll get the Alan Keyes treatment and that could force the end of his candidacy. When Alan Keyes ran, he was treated terribly by the media. I fear the same for Cain.
-Jon
It's our turn to play the race card.
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 1:11pm.
Every comment or criticism, valid or not should be answered with charges of racism. Give it back to them in their faces and enjoy their deers in the headlights expressions.
Playing the race card, AGAIN
Submitted by Blonde on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 1:13pm.
For cryin' out loud!
I live in Allen West's district, and trust me, the audiences at Town Hall meetings are lily white, as well.
It's the unfortunate truth that many of the black voters in this country actually believe the class-warfare, hand-out message the democrats continually preach. As Cain said, they're still on the Democrat Plantation.
I'll take a conservative candidate any day of the week...no matter the color of his....eyes.
I'm very up in the air right now. Cain/Bachmann are my top two choices. My concern with Herman Cain is his lack of foreign policy experience, and the fact that he IS the consummate Washington Outsider. As much as we don't like the Beltway mentality, there is political capital that is built up over a career (this accrues to governors as well) that is invaluable in DC. Of course, Herman Cain has it all over Michelle Bachmann when it comes to executive experience.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Regarding lack of experience
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 1:26pm.
please read my comment above.
Experience isn't everything.
I understand, hbno
Submitted by Blonde on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 1:27pm.
But this still doesn't lessen this worry. Look how badly Obama has botched up our Foreign Policy. Granted, he's a leftist idealogue, but I Cain hasn't assuaged my concern with "I don't have all the info so I can't say right now". That doesn't cut the mustard, sorry.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
J- I like Cain
Submitted by bkeyser on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 1:32pm.
as Bachmann's Treasury Secretary.
Blonde: Look at what Obama does in terms of the people he
Submitted by hbnolikeee on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 2:06pm.
surrounds himself with and takes advice from (as long as it's what he wants to do anyway). All academicians with no real world experience. Has Obama run anything? Have any of his advisers run anything, accomplished anything other than academic course work? Cain has been and is quite successful.
If he is a good manager, and his business successes indicate that he must be, he will do as I suggested and surround himself with real world experts that know from their own experience how to accomplish all the tasks presented. What we don't know, doesn't cut that mustard. I can tell you with 30 plus years as an engineer, I have been managed by the good the bad and the ugly and the best manager knows who to believe and how and when to delegate.
Think about it and cut some mustard.
A bit of projection there…
Submitted by Grumpy in Arizona on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 1:22pm.
While an unabashed supporter of “Hermanator” Herman Cain, I would also be proud to have Michel Bachman (and to a lesser extent Rick Santorum) as the Republican nominee. Now, having said that, let’s talk about the article written by Ms.Haines with special regard to the quote, “… but whether he can turn vigor into votes will depend largely on voters' ability to look past his skin color and perceive him as a serious candidate.”
IMHO that is a case of journalistic abuse by projecting one’s own bias (perception (?)) upon the voters. A country that elected an inferior leader because of his skin-color is not a country that will reject a superior leader because of his skin color.
The 2012 election is all about leadership. Agreed (in advance) the country has major issues like the debt, economy, security, etc., etc., and etc. but the essential problem is one of “National Confusion” and only a strong leader with clearly stated goals, a good moral background, a clear and reasonable understanding of the problems, and a track record of real (not “political”) accomplishment will be able to tackle those problems.
- Grump :o)
Lemme see here.........I
Submitted by killa37 on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 1:31pm.
Lemme see here.........I think what we've had now for the past two and a half years is a poser that people DIDN'T look past his 'skin color' (which is turning increasingly gray these days), and has YET to be perceived as a 'serious' candidate..............
unless, of course, you consider the serious mess that he has put this country in while 'fundamentally transforming it'.
I like Cain's straight-forwardness (totally opposite to Boy Blah-Blah), and since he HAS been in the 'real' world (totally opposite of Boy Barry), he knows a helluva lot more about management and progress and getting things done that will have a positive effect on the country than the spoiled, petulant, immature drip that is occupying the White House right now.
So, that AP press pass doubles as a race card?
Submitted by Phryj1 on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 2:04pm.
Haines is implying that conservatives can't see past his skin color. As usual, someone from the MSM retreads the tired and cliched "conservatives are racist" falsehood.
Time and again, the left proves that they are the ones who can't see past skin color. The biggest obstacle to Cain's nomination is the MSM delegitimizing him and acting like he's just a token propped up by the GOP/Tea Party to counter racism charges. Of course, they won't acknowledge that his remarks that dance around and toy with the issue of race are really making fun of the MSM's obsession with his skin color.
What bothers me is I know where the MSM/DNC is headed with their line of BS. They're claiming Cain is only there because Tea Partiers want to prove they aren't racist. If he does get the nomination, the left will claim it's for the same reason. And if he doesn't get the nomination, the left will claim that as proof we ARE racist. Haines set up here shows pretty clearly that's where they're going. The fact they feel the need to accuse us of racism AT ALL says more about them than us, though.
The reason I'd like to see Cain become president? He's an experienced and successful businessman who understands how wealth and jobs are created. I think with Herman Cain in the White House, we'll see not just an economic recovery, but Reagan-era levels of growth and job/wealth creation. 1980's 2.0 if you will, hopefully with a conservative dominated congress.
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
Really?
Submitted by GregE on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 10:27pm.
"...Cain, the lone African-American GOP candidate, is trying to win over a party that hasn't had a black nominee."
There it is. They got their ONE. So now they'll phrase it as if their history of nominating black presidential candidates is long and the usual.
Still undecided, but more than willing to consider Cain
Submitted by nkviking75 on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 2:16pm.
I'm not sure who to choose at this point, but if Cain emerges as the nominee, I'd be thrilled to vote for him. I suspect he'd go after the black vote, not by playing the race card, but by trying to convince them that liberalism has failed them. With two black candidates, we'd need to tell people, "Do you want to vote for the incumbent black man because he's a black Democrat, or do you want to vote for a successful black man with a record of accomplishment?"
“Always love your country — but never trust your government!" -- Bob Novak (1931-2009)
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
Its obvious in the statement,
Submitted by Snappy on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 2:31pm.
Its obvious in the statement, of whether voters can look past his skin color, the author is making the bold assumption that conservative voter are racist.
Just another example of history re-writes and the assertion that Democrats are the inclusive party and Republicans are the party of racists.
Amazing how something so completely opposite from the truth can become a matter of fact.
Me and my fellow honkies don't even notice Herman's skin color
Submitted by Dave. on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 3:59pm.
See?
GO HERMANATOR!
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
Dave - over here 'white'
Submitted by killa37 on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 7:21pm.
Dave - over here 'white' people are known as 'haoles' (how-lees),which started out in the Hawaiian language as 'foreigners', but has descended into a derogitory term, usually as in 'f**king haole' ...............but I've lived here all my lfe, so I just laugh it off or throw it back with some other 'racial' comment - Hawaii is a very 'racist' place, but everybody knows it.
So we could have our own bumper stickers - Haoles for da Herminator!!!!!
oh really AP?
Submitted by okiehawk44 on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 5:39pm.
cain can wear the BLACK MAN badge with pride according to AP but cain cannot wear both the BLACK MAN badge and the CONSERVATIVE badge at the same time according to AP -- who knows why -- i guess it's written somewhere as a RULE FOR RADICALS.
the '60s will just never die for some folks who still love wearing beads and pretending they went to woodstock and were cool.
Herman Cain Is Not An Uncle Tom
Submitted by Lord Howard Hurts on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 7:17pm.
White America is not ready for Herman Cain. That is a fact that most media types will not put in print. Obama succeeded because he is an "Uncle Tom". He was never perceived by the White majority to be a threat. He was the "token" Black man in politics (white mother, and black father), and he seemed to be just another Jimmy Carter, with a tan, to the White majority. Then along comes Herman Cain, and all hell breaks loose. The media has to move full force to clue in the White majority that Cain is just another "Uncle Tom" (something that he is not). That he is NOT a serious candidate; Just a "crazy" Black guy with no real experience in government, or world affairs ( Obama doesn't seem to know that there are only 50 states.). The "mud" is thrown and accumulates, because the White majority is just not ready for a real candidate who brings both personal life experience, and business experience to a job that is actually more ceremonial than "Royal" (our Congress really rules, and the President just leads.). Oh, and did I forget to mention that Herman Cain is a Black person, and not one of the pecan tan type that don't seem to disturb the White majority? Now, I am not saying that Herman Cain is the right person to be our next President, but stop with the negatives, and let him speak his mind. And lets get serious about not judging a person by the color of his skin, or soothing ones conscience with "tokens," of another race, by electing them to an office that they don't qualify to hold. We don't need another "Uncle Tom" as President. Obama has been our Trojan Horse, and if you don't remember the ending to that "gift", do your own homework and look it up, and think.
Lord Howard Hurts freedomfiles.blogspot.com
Uncle Tom??
Submitted by jon_torlin on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 7:48pm.
I'm not sure where this came from, but I never heard of the bogus potus being referred to as an Uncle Tom. Hell, he doesn't even fit the description.
He just passed himself off as an African American(all 6% of that) to get the guilt vote and it worked.
-Jon
I don't know where you are
Submitted by Dan The Man 2 on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 9:07pm.
I don't know where you are from but America is ready for Herman Cain. The media is going to demonize Cain and any other conservative candidate regardless of race. Cain has some really good ideas on running government. His lack of foreign policy may hurt him in this field though.
White Liberal (Progressive) Bob Beckel
Submitted by djwolf12 on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 7:19pm.
asks Herman Cain, "Where did you come from?"
Cain replied, "From my momma".
I like that. Cain is a stand up guy with true conservative principles. Idiots like the faux social (progressive) commentator John Stewart (who hides behind the comedian label when he says something outrageous) hate him because he doesn't toe the lines that he and other progressives want.
How many black nominee's has the Dems had?
Submitted by scottie1321 on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 7:37pm.
Ms. Haines says: "Cain, the lone African-American GOP candidate, is trying to win over a party that hasn't had a black nominee."...and the Dems have had how many? One....the last one.....and one with no experience.
She is right about Mr. Cain's ability to win
Submitted by scottie1321 on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 7:40pm.
Here is the latest data from Gallup.
Right now, only 46% Republican voters have heard of Cain. But among this group, 24 percent still pick him as their first choice for the nomination. Bachman at 24 % too. Romney dropped from 20 to 15% and Ron Paul dropped from 13% to 6% with 77% knowing who he is. That is since May
http://www.gallup.com/poll/election.aspx
These numbers are to update the following article:
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2011/05/math-says-you-should-tak...
and that article is about this article:
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/the-simple-case-for-...
46% is a great trend
Submitted by GregE on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 10:36pm.
His name recognition trend has gone up tremendously since the beginning. A consistent rise, and a very substantial amount.
Cain and Bachman are splitting the same voter demographic. If one dropped out, the other would probably get at least 2/3 of those voters. They both have the highest Gallup Voter Intensity levels, and I would bet that 80% or more of those voters have the "other" candidate as their second choice.
2/3rds my fanny
Submitted by Boudin on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 10:48pm.
Palin
Bachmann
Cain
Are all the same folks, and we need all 3 involved in our recovery!
Palin....
Submitted by GregE on Sun, 07/03/2011 - 12:54am.
....isn't a candidate at this point.
He might be having problems too
Submitted by jon_torlin on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 9:51pm.
Uh oh. First Newt, now Cain? This is not a good sign.
Cain loses Key staffers from campaign
They are saying that the folks that resigned are being replaced, but if those people felt like the campaign wasn't taking some things seriously, who else would feel the same way?
-Jon
Maybe I will
Submitted by Boudin on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 10:51pm.
Apply? Wish I had the time, maybe Dave?
Reality
Submitted by BMorgan53 on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 9:51pm.
The Democrats still has had had a black candidate. The present occupant is 1/2 black (father) & 1/2 white (mother), with a really screwed up set of ideals.
Female or minority Republican candidates
Submitted by sherlock1 on Sun, 07/03/2011 - 10:13am.
Republican candidates are savaged by the media precisely because the media wants Republicans to be seen only as old white guys. It takes hard work to keep a stereotype alive, you know, but when your solemn duty is protecting the public's sacred right to know just how evil Republicans are, you do whatever it takes.