Herman Cain and 9-9-9

[Townsend]

Sure, why not?  Every bad thing said about Obama or opposition to his policies is absolutely racist.  Why would it be any different with Mr. Cain?

Speaking of, have all of these potential POTUS' posted their birth certificates?  Has anyone asked for them, seen them, denied they were real and demanded the real birth certificates?

[we vs us]

Did you jump to those conclusions near as quick with Clinton?

Nope.  Clinton hadn't paid anyone off, and the right wing had a history of throwing just about anything against the wall that would or wouldn't stick.  Up until Paula Jones actually sued, it was a whisper campaign and never amounted to much more in a court of law. Include all the kee-razy Whitewater/Vince Foster/Mena Airport/etc/etc/etc allegations and the whisper campaign actually got lost somewhat in the haze up until his impeachment.

But of course, I'm also from Arkansas, and we've all had heads up about some of this stuff, since at least the mid '80s.  

Notice I gave Cain a slightly less than average grade on the morality side of things.  If he's a touchy feely or inappropriate dude, he'll fit in just fine in Washington, and so long as he's not a current member of the Fondle-ocracy I don't have a problem forgiving someone their sins.  It's when something legally binding occurs (ie. settlement) that the issue has to be paid attention to.  

I stand by my F- grade so far for Managing a Political Crisis.  They knew about the Politico story easily a week or so before it actually  dropped, and his response to date hasn't been encouraging. 

[RecycleMichael]

Sure, why not?  Every bad thing said about Obama or opposition to his policies is absolutely racist.  Why would it be any different with Mr. Cain?

You well know that most of us never said that. Don't lower yourself to get even with a small group of crazy liberals.

[Conan71]

Nope.  Clinton hadn't paid anyone off, and the right wing had a history of throwing just about anything against the wall that would or wouldn't stick.  Up until Paula Jones actually sued, it was a whisper campaign and never amounted to much more in a court of law. Include all the kee-razy Whitewater/Vince Foster/Mena Airport/etc/etc/etc allegations and the whisper campaign actually got lost somewhat in the haze up until his impeachment.

But of course, I'm also from Arkansas, and we've all had heads up about some of this stuff, since at least the mid '80s.  

Notice I gave Cain a slightly less than average grade on the morality side of things.  If he's a touchy feely or inappropriate dude, he'll fit in just fine in Washington, and so long as he's not a current member of the Fondle-ocracy I don't have a problem forgiving someone their sins.  It's when something legally binding occurs (ie. settlement) that the issue has to be paid attention to.  

I stand by my F- grade so far for Managing a Political Crisis.  They knew about the Politico story easily a week or so before it actually  dropped, and his response to date hasn't been encouraging. 

Nobody has shown one shred of evidence anyone was paid off on Cain's behalf and you are jumping to unsubstantiated conclusions.  You seem to have forgotten they had recorded phone conversations between Clinton and Gennifer Flowers during the 1992 campaign.  This is nothing but allegations of someone "feeling uncomfortable" which given the climate of the early to mid '90's with new sexual harassment legislation and all the awareness that brought might not have been terribly uncommon to hear. 

[RecycleMichael]

Cain now sings a different song.

"Cain spokesman J.D. Gordon told their publication that Cain himself had indicated to campaign officials that he was "vaguely familiar" with the charges and that the restaurant association's general counsel had resolved the matter."

http://news.yahoo.com/supporting-cain-gop-evokes-thomas-hearings-063515247.html

[Breadburner]

Cain now sings a different song.

"Cain spokesman J.D. Gordon told their publication that Cain himself had indicated to campaign officials that he was "vaguely familiar" with the charges and that the restaurant association's general counsel had resolved the matter."

http://news.yahoo.com/supporting-cain-gop-evokes-thomas-hearings-063515247.html

He must have learned that song from Obama......

[Townsend]

He must have learned that song from Obama......

Sounds like you were correct Conan.

[we vs us]

Nobody has shown one shred of evidence anyone was paid off on Cain's behalf and you are jumping to unsubstantiated conclusions.  You seem to have forgotten they had recorded phone conversations between Clinton and Gennifer Flowers during the 1992 campaign.  This is nothing but allegations of someone "feeling uncomfortable" which given the climate of the early to mid '90's with new sexual harassment legislation and all the awareness that brought might not have been terribly uncommon to hear. 

That's just not true.  2 women in separate instances were offered settlements because of his alleged behavior. They are legally enforceable agreements and hence very substantiated. All the reporting, likewise, confirms it.  Not just from Politico, who broke the story, but other outlets now too. What's more, Cain himself is now starting to confirm it in dribs and drabs.    

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/67194.html

You're reaching for a double standard with Clinton that just isn't there.  He took his lumps, too.  For a decade or more, actually.  And he was impeached for his dalliances.  I'm not excusing anything -- remember, us Arkies knew most of Clinton's predelictions, but this isn't about Clinton in the least.  This is about Cain, what he's done, how he's dealt with it, and how it affects the current race.   And I'd say he's looking more and more inept at damage control as this thing wears on.  

[Gaspar]

That's just not true.  2 women in separate instances were offered settlements because of his alleged behavior. They are legally enforceable agreements and hence very substantiated. All the reporting, likewise, confirms it.  Not just from Politico, who broke the story, but other outlets now too. What's more, Cain himself is now starting to confirm it in dribs and drabs.    

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/67194.html

You're reaching for a double standard with Clinton that just isn't there.  He took his lumps, too.  For a decade or more, actually.  And he was impeached for his dalliances.  I'm not excusing anything -- remember, us Arkies knew most of Clinton's predelictions, but this isn't about Clinton in the least.  This is about Cain, what he's done, how he's dealt with it, and how it affects the current race.   And I'd say he's looking more and more inept at damage control as this thing wears on.  

Told you it was a race thing!

I think anyone who has risen to his level of success has had snipe attempts from former employees.  Depending on how he handles this, it could be good for him.  It's not fair to pass judgement until there is actually a human being making claims against him.  Media hit-jobs are a dime a dozen and worth as much.

I'm glad to see the media finally vetting him rather than just considering him an annoying polling anomaly.

[we vs us]

Told you it was a race thing!

I think anyone who has risen to his level of success has had snipe attempts from former employees.  Depending on how he handles this, it could be good for him.  It's not fair to pass judgement until there is actually a human being making claims against him.  Media hit-jobs are a dime a dozen and worth as much.

I'm glad to see the media finally vetting him rather than just considering him an annoying polling anomaly.

There were 2 that we know about. 

[Conan71]

That's just not true.  2 women in separate instances were offered settlements because of his alleged behavior. They are legally enforceable agreements and hence very substantiated. All the reporting, likewise, confirms it.  Not just from Politico, who broke the story, but other outlets now too. What's more, Cain himself is now starting to confirm it in dribs and drabs.    

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/67194.html

You're reaching for a double standard with Clinton that just isn't there.  He took his lumps, too.  For a decade or more, actually.  And he was impeached for his dalliances.  I'm not excusing anything -- remember, us Arkies knew most of Clinton's predelictions, but this isn't about Clinton in the least.  This is about Cain, what he's done, how he's dealt with it, and how it affects the current race.   And I'd say he's looking more and more inept at damage control as this thing wears on.  

Now we find out late yesterday and overnight there are apparently two women who reached settlements.  When you were running with this yesterday, Politico had not gone so far as to confirm anything just vague sources and rumors for all we knew.  As far as Cain's handling of it so far, I can't fault the way this has happened.  Of course he recollected this all along, we all know that.  But when first confronted with the story, I wouldn't expect much of a tell-all from the candidate.  He needed to meet with his advisors and figure out the proper way to address the issue.  Why he wasn't better prepared for this prior to it breaking?  Perhaps he hoped it would never come to light and that the two women would stick to their NDA's.  It appears that the story was not even uncovered by either of the two women involved but third parties either working in or around the restaurant association.

And for what it's worth, I'm not reaching for any double standard.  I simply asked if you jumped to such quick conclusions about Clinton. You erroneously stated that until Paula Jones sued it was a whisper campaign against him, which again is a complete proven falsehood.  Gennifer Flowers came out during the 1992 campaign with recorded phone messages.  Pretty substantiated proof he was a diddler.  As we found out later there were far worse instances of behavior which bordered on rape.  Clinton's protectors engaged in some of the worst public victim-smearing we've ever seen.  Paula Jones anyone? Kathleen Willey?  No telling who all else was paid hush money.

Having worked in corporate America as a mid-level manager after the new sexual harassment laws came out, I can tell you the bar is so low for allegations, it's simply easier for a company to pay off and walk away.  Quite literally someone can claim an uncomfortable working environment just by a supervisor or co-worker putting their hand on that person's shoulder while looking over their shoulder at a work item, or for telling crass jokes.  Unless there's any sort of physical evidence like a stain on a blue dress, it's a he-said/she-said case and the "victim" overwhelmingly walks away the victor every time unless it can be proven they've got a pattern of such allegations everywhere they have worked.  Unless the accused is a known predator, or there was a third party witness, companies will seldom fire them.

I think there's now an implication that Cain paid hush money or that the restaurant association paid hush money.  Based on my experience in the business climate of the mid 1990's with these new harassment laws, this was handled much in the same way the rest of corporate America was handling it.  It's not "hush" money so much as it's "go away" money, and yes, there is a very clear distinction on this.

I'm like Gaspar, I'm glad the media is finally taking Cain seriously.  Let's see how he handles this, it could reveal a lot about his leadership qualities or lack thereof.

[Townsend]

Now we find out late yesterday and overnight there are apparently two women who reached settlements.

NBC was stating that by yesterday AM.

[Hoss]

NBC was stating that by yesterday AM.

But NBC is a liberal leaning corporation...

[RecycleMichael]

http://news.yahoo.com/cains-conflicting-statements-sexual-harassment-allegation-create-more-151215247.html

The former chief executive of Godfather's Pizza denied Monday that he was aware of a settlement between the two accusers and the National Restaurant Association, but his story changed as the day evolved.

"If the Restaurant Association did a settlement, I wasn't aware of it and I hope it wasn't much because nothing happened," Cain said in a Fox News interview, and repeated the same line at the National Press Club later that afternoon.

But in an interview later in the evening with PBS, the Tea Party star said he was, in fact, aware of a deal.

"I was aware that an agreement was reached. The word 'settlement' versus the word 'agreement,' you know, I'm not sure what they called it. I know that there was some sort of agreement, but because it ended up being minimal, they didn't have to bring it to me," Cain told PBS' Judy Woodruff.

Cain blamed the discrepancy on the wording and the difference between a "settlement" and "agreement."

"I didn't change my story. I simply got the wording right," he told HLN's Robin Meade today.

But his attempts to explain the story created even more confusion today. Cain said the settlement equated to about three to six months of severance pay, but the accusation didn't come up until the woman had left the National Restaurant Association.

[Red Arrow]

http://news.yahoo.com/cains-conflicting-statements-sexual-harassment-allegation-create-more-151215247.html
The former chief executive of Godfather's Pizza denied Monday that he was aware of a settlement between the two accusers and the National Restaurant Association, but his story changed as the day evolved.

I expect you will have the opportunity to wipe that ear to ear grin off your face eventually.