1. Who is he?
Herman Cain is a businessman. While he has worked for many companies, his most notable work was as the CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, where he turned the company from unprofitable to profitable. He served on the board of directors for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City for four years in the 1990s. Before that, he worked with the United States Navy as a ballistics expert.
On the Republican spectrum, Herman Cain is an outsider. In fact, his only rival for true “outsider” status is Ron Paul. Cain has never served in Congress, in a governor’s mansion, or in a state house or state senate. He is a solid conservative, though, who is both socially and fiscally conservative.
Herman Cain will be 66 years old on election day 2012.
2. Why he could win the primary – Biggest advantages
Three things: The ultimate outsider, passion, and business experience
In a year where tea party outsiders are challenging the Republican establishment, Herman Cain remains the only real outsider in this Republican field. In a nation where many Republican voters are extremely fed up with Washington D.C., Cain can stand up and say, more so than any other person, “I am not a career politician.” His speeches are passionate and they draw upon his experience in the business world. These three things could give him an edge, as they did in the Fox News debate in May. Herman Cain was generally viewed as the winner of this debate.
3. Why he could lose - Biggest weaknesses
Herman Cain’s biggest strength is also his biggest weakness. There’s a reason that politicians always win Presidential primaries: politicians are extremely good at campaigning for political positions and the President of the United States is the ultimate political position. Furthermore, running a political campaign is a lot easier if you’ve ran a successful one before. With Cain, this has never happened before.
4. What the candidate wants you to see
His debate with President Clinton in 1993 is rather storied. Many would call this exchange as the beginning of the end of “Hillarycare.”
From Newsweek:
Herman Cain is the president of Godfather's Pizza and president-elect of the National Restaurant Association. An articulate black entrepreneur, Cain transformed the debate when he challenged Clinton at a town meeting in Kansas City, Mo., last April. Cain asked the president what he was supposed to say to the workers he would have to lay off because of the cost of the "employer mandate." Clinton responded that there would be plenty of subsidies for small businessmen, but Cain persisted. "Quite honestly, your calculation is inaccurate," he told the president. "In the competitive marketplace it simply doesn't work that way."
Cain became somewhat of a conservative hero after this exchange.
5. What the candidate does NOT want you to see
The challenge for the atypical presidential candidate (i.e. the non-politician) is foreign policy. It’s incredibly important to understand that the President of the United States is still, for the most part, the leader of the free world. Thus, with so many issues in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East issues encircling US foreign policy, you’d better know your stuff. Similar to Sarah Palin’s damaging Bush Doctrine answer 3 years ago, Herman Cain’s answer to the Palestinian Right of Return serves as evidence that he needs to brush up some more.
Also, his recent comments regarding freedom of religion, or lack thereof, have not placed him in the most positive light. He has since apologized for his remarks regarding Islam.
6. How would he fare against President Obama in Iowa and Ohio
If Herman Cain were to become the nominee, he could most likely go toe to toe with President Obama in a debate. However, the President has shown himself to be an exceptional politician, despite his 2008 campaign which centered around him being “above the fray” and an “atypical” politician. What remains to be seen is whether a straight shooter like Herman Cain will be able to resonate with people in swing states such as Iowa and Ohio.
7. Chances that he could win the Presidency
Politicians usually win the presidency. When they don’t, it’s a war hero that sweeps into office. Herman Cain is neither. Unfortunately for Cain, history has shown that candidates such as him (Steve Forbes anyone?) do not fare well once the voting begins. Thus, his chances of winning the primary and then defeating President Obama are fairly small.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment