Two wrongs don’t make a right. Herman Cain was subjected by Politico to an unfair media hit. Cain delivered shifting stories about that that have, among other things, led others to start recollecting things. Then on Wednesday Cain’s campaign manager, Mark Block, launched an air war accusing the Rick Perry campaign of orchestrating the hit.
The Perry camp and Perry himself say they had nothing to do with it, and man at the center of that accusation, Curt Anderson, says he knew nothing about any of it and isn’t anybody’s source on the Cain story. He is even allowing any media to openly discuss anything he has ever discussed with them.
Mark Block returned to Fox News today, and backed off his campaign’s accusations against Anderson and by extention, the Perry campaign.
That was fast: As part of its seemingly ever-evolving media strategy, Herman Cain’s campaign appears to have pulled the plug on blaming Rick Perry for the swirl of accusations surrounding the candidate.
“We want to move on with the campaign. Let’s get over these things that don’t mean anything to the American public,” Mark Block, Cain’s campaign manager, told Fox News’ Megyn Kelly Thursday afternoon.
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Anderson’s remarks appeared to be enough to satisfy Block, although it was unclear whether he was backing off his original charge.
“Until we get all the facts, I’m just going to say we accept what Mr. Anderson said and get on with the campaign.” Block said.
Block demanded an apology on Wednesday. It seems he owes one now.
Hehe.
Classic courtroom strategy.
Attorney A makes a statement to plant an idea in the minds of the jury. Attorney B objects. Attorney A demurs and apologizes, hiding his grin as he walks back to his chair. Judge tells the jury to disregard what attorney A said.
Even though they cannot openly discuss it, all the jurors wonder if attorney A made a valid point.
so much for the theory that Cain isn’t a politician, just the most decent and honest human being who has walked the face of the earth.
or maybe he just can’t control his staff.
Maybe Cain learns quick. There is plenty of politics in the corporate world, but it is different from election politics.
Even if so, he’s still behind current practice.
Block could have leaked to a media hack that an unnameable but very credible source told him the Perry campaign was behind this.
As of today, not a single Republican candidate is electable anyway so what’s all the hub hub?
Obama will have to accidentally launch nukes on a kid’s summer camp to not get re-elected.
Not that Obama isn’t incapable of such a thing but there are fail safes.
I maintain that Jerry Springer should be the next moderator at a Republican event. It’d be the topper if we could get two candidates in a fist fight as the crowd chants “Jerry! Jerry!”
I thought the allegations of payments made due to sexual harrassment complaints were true, so how is that an unfair hit?
I think Cain’s campaign must have bought a “Jump to Conclusions Mat” that guy in the movie Office Space invented.
Great job Pollack did crashing your brand’s credibility with those corrections, Bryan.
Cain was on Hannity about 2 hours ago still blaming Perry.
Anderson’s denial does not mean much.
For example, there are any number of ways he could have tipped off Politico without Politico ever knowing he was the
…cont…
…primary source.
And he may not be the source. That does not mean the Perry campaign is not behind it. All circumstantial evidence indicates Perry has the most to gain.
That said, if Cain’s campaign has something more than suspicions and circumstantial evidence they ought to present it. They need to make their case.
I have concluded Perry’s campaign is behind this, but my case is circumstantial — they have the best motive (most to gain after having lost the most to Cain), the means (the info), and the opportunity (many media hacks willing to go with the story). But there is no smoking gun.
I agree that Perry’s camp seems like the likeliest suspect…
but Cain is all over the map on this; blaming, not blaming, absolutely didn’t do anything, if they say I did it will be a lie, it was a complete surprise to me, we knew about it 10 days ago.
Cain has a case of obama-itis…everything he says has a shelf life of 2 minutes.
And Cain’s campaign takes a back seat to nobody when it comes to unsubstantiated allegatione.
The Cain campaign can’t say much, as he is bound by non-disclosure agreements as well as are the accuser(s).
The campaign goal must be to get the non-disclosure agreements voided, so they can defend and attack.
Until they are freed from the non-disclosure agreements, the Cain campaign is doing what they can: Deny the accusations, and muddy the waters with other related stories, such as finger-pointing at any other campaign where they can lay reasonable suspicion. This double strategy can only be temporary, but it does appear to be working: Campaign donations are way up, and poll numbers are not dropping.
In addition, every day that passes with the “waters muddied” reduces this, more and more, to “just another story”, and the notoriously short-term American attention span may well simply shift to other stories.
I think they are simply muddying the waters every which way they can, partly just to allow time to pass, and partly buying needed time until they can get the non-disclosures voided. Seems smart to me.
What is more important now? What seems a complete out of character act, possibly done 13 years ago or the condition of the America our grand kids will live in? I may or may not vote for Cain I send him money because this election could be for all the marbles.