Cain Defends His Lack of Foreign Policy Knowledge

There are two ways one could understand this line, which comes to us in a story about Herman Cain in which the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is clearly milking their editorial meetings with him for all they’re worth.

“I’m not supposed to know anything about foreign policy. Just thought I’d throw that out,” he said, a dig at his critics.

When I first read that line, it sounded like self-deprecating humor. But in context, it’s a defense of ignorance.

He defended his view that presidents and presidential candidates don’t need to be immersed in the fine print of world affairs – they simply need to be leaders who can surround themselves with the right people and sift through their advice.

“I’m not supposed to know anything about foreign policy. Just thought I’d throw that out,” he said, a dig at his critics.

“I want to talk to commanders on the ground. Because you run for president (people say) you need to have the answer. No, you don’t! No, you don’t! That’s not good decision-making,” said Cain.

So the key to good decision-making is…not knowing anything about the subject on which you’re deciding? If that’s the case, Barack Obama is a model of steely genius. If the decider doesn’t know anything for himself, how does he know who the “right people” are and whose advice is worthwhile and whose isn’t?

Note to Cain’s staff: These editorial board meetings are almost always a bad idea. The folks around that table are there not to understand your candidate, but to trap him and destroy him.