After Politico Story Breaks on Decades Old Harassement Allegations - Iowa apparently Not Concerned - image Politico - article referenced below
Herman Cain, who has been trading places with Mitt Romney, for the front-runners position in the GOP 2012 nomination process, has suddenly been slammed in the press for decades old allegations of sexual harassment by two former Restaurant Association employees. The story first broke, as far as one can tell, from the blog Politico wtih the headline: “Herman Cain accused by two women of inappropriate behavior”, immediately following a statement by Cain that he anticipated he would be (Paraphrased) “Lynched by the press” as he is the current frontrunner in the GOP presidential contest. Not for nothing, but Cain is most likely dealing with both the rapid liberal press and the Obama Campaign (who, with the release of this so-called “bombshell” and the furor with which the New York Times, Washington Post, and other MSM outlets are printing articles which are increasingly salacious in nature, filled with innuendo’s and little else.) or alternately, the Republican Establishment – those who would not see an outsider – a non-politician. (for that is what Cain is – a man who has worked in all phases of the corporate world, from a line cook at Burger King to its President, and finally CEO of his own firm – increasing with each position the strength of the company and each company’s ability to hire additional employees – he is the quintessential self-made man. The story more poignant and compelling simply because he came out of the segregated south, is a true African American, and he succeeded based on his own goals and drive.)
Therefore what we have in Herman Cain is the most serious threat to the Obama administration and Politics as usual for both parties in Washington simply because he has no ties to lobbyists – period.
Unless you count the Restaurant Association for which he held a position on the board, and said organization is now being slammed in the press along with Cain due to these alleged incidents.
From the numerous articles to date from The Washington Post, to the New York Times, what one finds is that in the 1990’s two anonymous complaints were filed against Herman Cain who was then at the Restaurant Association. Cain did not leave his position, and these “charges” were never made formal. There was no legal settlement against Cain, but there was a settlement for one or both of the women, who were let go (i.e. fired) and then given a severance. This severance (reading between the salacious innuendos) apparently was not a settlement that had anything to do with the claims made by these “anonymous” women. One of which is now a Federal Employee in Maryland. The incidents happened in 1990 – it is now 2011 – and both women signed a confidentially agreement in order to receive the severance pay.
A confidentiality agreement with severance is normally given to employees who may have a working knowledge of trade secretes which the company and or entity wishes to remain confidential – for obvious reasons. That said, one has to look at both sides of the story – however, it’s a bit difficult when both “sources” are anonymous and subsequent articles are filled with additional anonymous sources who are “friends” of those who were allegedly harassed by Cain. Are we all sufficiently dizzy yet?
Additionally Cain has been blasted in the press for not recalling, in detail, the allegations and the “settlement” (which was a severance, not a settlement having anything to do with the allegations made) – apparently what he does recall is that one of the women was told she was as tall as his wife! (Call out the Guard!), and the other one is apparently alleging an incident took place at a social event held by the Restaurant association, with co-workers who had too much to drink. Seriously.
That’s all they’ve got.
Although Cain anticipated a public trashing – especially for doing so well in the polls – one can almost bet the house, these allegations came as a total surprise – however, given the fact that the media has been digging for months as Cain’s rise in popularity has grown, desperation appears to have set in.
There have been calls for these women to break there confidentially agreements and let all the words be revealed, all the allegations that were made, and the details of the settlement agreements specifically be made known. One can bet the house that the agreements had nothing to do with the allegations – the reason: the press would have leaked those documents sealed or not, if they had any juice, or if the allegations contained therein referred to Cain, most likely complementing a co-worker by telling her she was “As tall as his wife”- and as anyone who knows anything about Cain, his wife is put on a pedestal. Therefore, we have one claim of being complemented and then we have another with multiple situations that made a woman “uncomfortable”. In that case Cain may have said something similar – or he may have simply complemented the woman - something that is written up in almost every corporate handbook – what one can and can’t say that may be construed as sexual harassment – one simply cannot complement a co-worker on their nice cloths, a hairstyle, or, Lord help us, a new pair of shoes. Inappropriate gestures can be a pat on the back for a job well done; touching in any manner is out. It would be, from this point of view, a bonus to see those a) allegations, and b) confidentially agreements upon being fired from the firm, with severance. One can bet they could be torn asunder in less than sixty seconds.
Therefore, what one would have in the above scenario is a Justice Clarence Thomas scenario – one in which a young women comes conveniently forward (remember Anita Hill?), just as Thomas is being considered for an appointment to the Supreme Court. A republican and an African American to boot! The claims, naturally, were found to be born more of political expediency than having any real substance and, Thomas took the bench, while Hill took obscurity.
However, what if, as it was suggested by Fox’ contributor, Charles Krauthammer, that Cain’s defense of the allegations and the contradictory statements made by Cain (he didn’t recall many details, then some details), appeared to be Clintonian in nature. (Daily Caller). Clintonian in nature – translate to Democrats: A man who would run the country similarly to Bill Clinton.
My apologies in advance to Herman Cain – but if Cain were the Bill Clinton of 2011 through to the White House in 2013, so what? This coming from a Conservative Feminist who felt that Clinton may have gotten away with a bit much when it came to women, (that’s sarcasm) however, the nation, as a whole, could have cared less. The nation as a whole was more concerned with his job performance.
There’s the key word: Cain’s ability to create jobs, a man who is not a Washington insider, and one who likes to “shake things up a bit” – going after whomever he pleases when he feels the need to call someone out, apparently regardless of party.
Which may be why Politico (also known to have ties to the Obama administration), and other outlets are harping on these allegations. Cain is popular, and that’s a problem for Obama. Cain is also a Republican and normal Republican behavior when it comes to allegations is to roll up in a ball, apologize profusely to everyone and anyone, and then resign. It was on this premise that one can bet the house the allegations were made and put into print with such veracity – based on allegations that may never come to light due to the confidential nature. (One can also bet that the severances received by these two women are tied into that agreement – in other words, they may have to repay the Association is they break the agreement (trade secrets, not sexual misconduct by a board member or President of the Board). Additionally, these women have lawyers, at least one of them, who speaks also on condition of anonymity, and is looking for ways to released the severance, most likely this lawyer has seen the document, found it to be baseless, and ironclad, and is hoping for a Gloria Alred book deal, rather than any fact finding. Otherwise, one can bet the house, if this were a real case, where there was a settlement for sexual misconduct, the agreements would have been broken long ago, simply because Cain has deep pockets himself, there would have been books, movie deals, and such – but nothing – nothing but allegations and anonymous sources. Most importantly, Cain, even as the press ratchets up the heat, has not resigned, has not back down, has been, in a word(s) – not a typical Republican in response to a potential “scandal”.
Apparently, this “scandal” has not stopped Cain, or cost him any points in the polls, as the media would have hopped (as well as the Obama administration and the Establishment Republicans (see Mitt Romney – who is, incidentally a good candidate – they (MSN) are using Wall Street Ties, and anything else they can find on Mitt) The latest on the non brouhaha come from the outlet that started the whole shenanigan’s – Politico – who, judging form the headline this morning is simply astonished: Iowa yawns at Herman Cain allegations”:
(Politico)
“MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa – While Herman Cain struggled for a second day in Washington to push back against sexual harassment allegations, the high political drama almost went unmentioned Tuesday in one of the most important courts of public opinion — Iowa.
On the campaign trail, on local conservative talk radio and in conversations among activists, Republicans here have so far greeted the story with a shrug.”
Apparently, aghast, what with all the newspapers printing up these salacious stories, with anonymous sources, these Iowan’s appear to care less. The question and answers one can just hear (again Sarcasm) “Do Iowan’s read? Do they Watch CBS or NBC or MSNBC or ABC?!!” – “They Must Watch Fox!!!”
These outlets also must not have read the polls on themselves, whereby, they have fallen to repeated new lows in credibility (actual word by Gallup Polling: trust), and it is most likely that yes, they are read, and then they are ignored.
Had Politico done its due diligence, and instead of printing allegations by anonymous sources, waited to get the documents in hand, along with 8 X 10 color glossies, areal photo’s and DNA, then those “pesky masses” (i.e. voters) may have paid attention. Therefore, to the individual reading that piece, or subsequent pieces by both main newspapers, news outlets and bloggers, it’s nothing but another hit piece by the media on a Conservative – period.
As a feminist, Conservative or not, (Conservative, by the by, comes with age), one finds those women who make false claims, or who are so “fragile” that they cannot stand a complement, or stand up for themselves and follow through with more than a severance – if as implied these are fireable offences and Herman Cain would not have maintained his position, long after these two anonymous women were gone What one must keep in mind, this allegedly took place in the 1990’s, not the 1960’s, and if the harassment was as severe as implied, and they either did nothing, or went for the cash, as appeasement, or worse, trumped the charges up in order to get cash - then they do a disservice to all women. It’s akin to crying rape, where none exists, for whatever reason, leaving all rape victims to defend themselves as potential “fabricators”.
There stands Herman Cain, a man accused by the media (mainly Politico) by anonymous sources, with murky details coming out from all parties involved, and looking more like a fabricated Witch Hunt by the day – and if not? Does it matter? Apparently, it didn’t make a difference where Clinton was concerned, in fact, his poll numbers went up!
In closing and seriously, Cain is a threat, and these allegations, which could have come out at any time, suddenly and conveniently surface. If Cain does not recall the incidents immediately, the Press claims he’s hiding something, instead of a case of an incident that was of little consequence in the grander scheme – two employees trying to cash in – or crying wolf for either the Obama Administration or even the Republican Establishment (remember Cain – Outsider).
After fairly thoroughly looking into Herman Cain’s life, his biography, and articles written about the man during his tenure at several corporations as well as letters written during the years, by both men and women, thanking Cain for his mentoring and inspiration, one can, with a fair amount of certainly, look at this man with some level of appreciation for what he has accomplished, his ability to lead, and his overall credibility as a candidate, and most importantly, his dedication to his family, his nation and his country. (In all honestly, this blogger does not recall which order he places all three, but does it matter?) In not one instance, scrubbing the web, reading old newspaper articles, (microfilm exists), were these allegations brought to light, and they would have been newsworthy. From this point of view, it’s all about Politics, money and a good book deal.
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