I've never met Herman Cain, but he comes across as epitomizing confidence and competence -- such that he can probably campaign and chew gum at the same time.
Not only that, Cain undoubtedly possesses the ability to campaign and go on a book tour simultaneously, though MSNBC's Rachel Maddow doubts such a thing is possible, at least for Cain. (video after page break)
On her show last night, after describing other Republican candidates' disdain for Mitt Romney during the 2008 campaign, Maddow said this --
So here's where we stand in the race right now. Chris Christie's not getting in the race. Rick Perry is newly tanking in the polls. Perry's loss is translated into the latest surge to threaten Mitt Romney, this time from Herman Cain (archly). Mr. Cain has responded to his surge in the polls by taking a month off the campaign trail -- taking a month off -- to go on a book tour.
Wow, downright bizarre, doncha think? The guy's just hitting his stride and now he decides to take a month off?
Only in Maddow's delusions.
As can be seen in this listing of events on Cain's campaign website, Cain has at least a dozen scheduled for October. This is a partial listing at that, since the calendar doesn't mention the next GOP debate on Oct. 11 in New Hampshire, nor did it cite Cain's appearance Monday night on the Hannity show to tout his new book (titled "This is Herman Cain!: My Journey to the White House") -- along with his candidacy while he was there.
And what a coincidence, Cain made two stops on this book tour this week in Florida -- one of the states where he just won a GOP straw poll. Gee, you don't think they're connected, do you? Rachel Maddow sure doesn't. The way she sees it, Cain is taking an inexplicable breather from the campaign. Then again, the election is more than a year away. What's the hurry?
If Cain were a Democrat and conservatives made the same claim as Maddow, liberals would accuse them of dog-whistle racism, of all but stating outright he's a crazy black guy.
I'll give Maddow the benefit of a doubt she's not being racist, a courtesy she's too pinched to extend to conservatives. Maddow is quite willing to be deceitful about Republicans in equal measure, regardless of skin color.
