The 2012 presidential campaign of
Herman Cain
Herman Cain (December 13, 1945July 30, 2020) was an American businessman and Tea Party movement activist in the Republican Party. Cain graduated from Morehouse College with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. He then earned a master's degree ...
, an American businessman and
radio host
A radio personality is a person who has an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality who hosts a radio show is also known as a radio host (North American English), radio presenter (British English) or radio jockey. Radio personali ...
, began shortly after the
2010 midterm elections
Elections were held in the United States on November 2, 2010, in the middle of Democratic President Barack Obama's first term. Republicans ended unified Democratic control of Congress and the presidency by winning a majority in the House of R ...
. He ran for the
2012 Republican Party nomination for President of the United States.
Although he was frequently mentioned as a possible candidate, Cain stopped short of a full-fledged candidacy before the beginning of 2011. Although he was characterized as a Washington outsider, as of October 19, 2011, polls showed him to be one of the front runners in the Republican primaries.
Cain spent a considerable amount of time campaigning throughout the early
primary states (particularly
Iowa
Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...
and
New Hampshire
New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
) for most of 2010. Nearly two weeks after the beginning of the year, Cain filed his organization with the
Federal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent agency of the United States government that enforces U.S. campaign finance laws and oversees U.S. federal elections. Created in 1974 through amendments to the Federal Election Campaign ...
as an
exploratory committee
In the election politics of the United States, an exploratory committee is an organization established to help determine whether a potential candidate should run for an elected office. They are most often cited in reference to candidates for pre ...
, under the name Friends of Herman Cain. Cain was a supporter of the
Tea Party movement
The Tea Party movement was an American fiscally conservative political movement within the Republican Party that began in 2007, catapulted into the mainstream by Congressman Ron Paul's presidential campaign. The movement expanded in resp ...
. He was in favor of the
gold standard
A gold standard is a backed currency, monetary system in which the standard economics, economic unit of account is based on a fixed quantity of gold. The gold standard was the basis for the international monetary system from the 1870s to the ...
.
Cain ran as a
Washington
Washington most commonly refers to:
* George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States
* Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A ...
outsider and became a front-runner in the race in the fall of 2011. However, Cain's support plummeted after several women alleged that he had engaged in sexual harassment or, in one case, a 13-year extramarital affair. Cain and his wife unequivocally said the accusations were false, but Cain, citing the toll the allegations had taken on his family and his political support, suspended his campaign on December 3, 2011.
The campaign
Exploratory committee
Following the
2010 midterm elections
Elections were held in the United States on November 2, 2010, in the middle of Democratic President Barack Obama's first term. Republicans ended unified Democratic control of Congress and the presidency by winning a majority in the House of R ...
, Cain announced his intentions to run for president in December 2010, stating that there is a 70% chance that he would attempt to seek the office. Following the New Year, Cain announced on January 12, 2011, in an interview with CNN that he had officially formed an exploratory committee. On the
Fox Business
Fox Business (officially known as Fox Business Network, or FBN) is an American conservative business news channel and website publication owned by the Fox News Media division of Fox Corporation. The channel broadcasts primarily from studios ...
program ''
Your World with Neil Cavuto
''Your World'' (known as ''Your World with Neil Cavuto'' from 1996–2024) is an American television news and business talk show on Fox News Channel. Episodes aired live at 4 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. The show focused on the development o ...
'', Cain did an exclusive interview with
Neil Cavuto
Neil Patrick Cavuto (born September 22, 1958) is an American television news anchor, executive, commentator, and business journalist. He was the host of '' Your World with Neil Cavuto'' and '' Cavuto Live,'' both on Fox News, and ''Cavuto: Coast ...
, expanding on the announcement.
Official announcement
Cain formally announced his candidacy on May 21, 2011, in
Centennial Olympic Park
Centennial Olympic Park is a public park located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, owned and operated by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. It was built by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) as part of the infrastructur ...
in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
, Georgia, to a crowd of 15,000 cheering supporters.
Campaign progress
Dark horse

A January 2011 analysis of the Republican presidential field in ''
Sabato's Crystal Ball
Larry Joseph Sabato (; born August 7, 1952) is an American political scientist and political analyst. He is the Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia, where he is also the founder and director of the Center f ...
'' placed Cain in the fourth tier of candidates, saying he was "a favorite among some activists
.. witha blunt, no-holds-barred style", but that he was limited by having had no elective experience and by "the perception that he is too far right to win a general election". The same month, Cain finished seventh out of twenty-one candidates in the
New Hampshire Straw Poll The New Hampshire Straw Poll is a straw poll for the United States Republican presidential primary elections that was started in 2011 through promotion by ABC News (United States), ABC News and WMUR-TV. The first poll was held on Saturday, January 2 ...
, gaining four percent of the vote of a group of state Republican Party members. At this stage, Cain referred to himself as a "
dark horse
A dark horse is a previously lesser-known person, team or thing that emerges to prominence in a situation, especially in a competition involving multiple rivals, that is unlikely to succeed but has a fighting chance, unlike the underdog who is exp ...
" when asked about a possible campaign.
In February 2011, the
Tea Party Patriots organized and hosted the American Policy Summit in Phoenix, Arizona. The 1,600 attendees were polled regarding their preference for a 2012 presidential candidate. Cain won the poll with 22%. Runners up were
Tim Pawlenty
Timothy James Pawlenty ( ; born November 27, 1960) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served from 2003 to 2011 as the 39th governor of Minnesota. A member of the Republican Party, Pawlenty served in the Minnesota House ...
(16%),
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest Paul (born August 20, 1935) is an American author, activist, and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1976 to 1977, and again from 1979 to 1985, as well as for Texas' ...
(15%), and
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin (; Heath; born February 11, 1964) is an American politician, commentator, and author who served as the ninth governor of Alaska from 2006 until her resignation in 2009. She was the 2008 Republican vice presidential nomi ...
(10%).
Building momentum
On May 5, 2011,
Fox News
The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conservatism in the United States, conservative List of news television channels, news and political commentary Television stati ...
presented a presidential campaign debate. Cain was one of five potential candidates who participated. (The others were
Tim Pawlenty
Timothy James Pawlenty ( ; born November 27, 1960) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served from 2003 to 2011 as the 39th governor of Minnesota. A member of the Republican Party, Pawlenty served in the Minnesota House ...
,
Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest Paul (born August 20, 1935) is an American author, activist, and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1976 to 1977, and again from 1979 to 1985, as well as for Texas' ...
,
Gary Johnson
Gary Earl Johnson (born January 1, 1953) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 29th List of governors of New Mexico, governor of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003 as a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republica ...
and
Rick Santorum
Richard John Santorum Sr. ( ; born May 10, 1958) is an American politician, attorney, author, and political commentator who represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate from 1995 to 2007. He was the Senate's Chairman of the United Sta ...
as the higher-profile candidates declined Fox's invitation.) Cain was declared the overwhelming winner by pollster
Frank Luntz
Frank Ian Luntz (born February 23, 1962) is an American political and communications consultant and pollster, best known for developing talking points and other messaging for Republican causes. His work has included assistance with messaging ...
after a show of hands among 29 debate witnesses who were chosen by Fox to act as a post-performance focus group.
On June 3, 2011, an Insider-Advantage poll showed Cain leading the field of Republican primary candidates among Georgia Republicans.
A July 2011 Zogby poll showed Cain in second place nationally, with 18% of the vote, behind
Michele Bachmann
Michele Marie Bachmann (; née Amble; born April 6, 1956) is an American politician who was the United States House of Representatives, U.S. representative for from 2007 until 2015. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican P ...
and ahead of Romney.
Cain finished fifth in the
Iowa Straw Poll on August 13, 2011, with 8.6% of the vote. Cain said he was satisfied with the result, writing in an email to supporters, "I have said from the beginning that I would not buy a straw poll victory. We worked hard. We organized. We turned our supporters out to the Straw Poll. While I did not place 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, I am happy with our strong placing. I spent less money, had less name ID than the front runners, but our strong showing is evidence of the deep support for a non-politician problem solver who has the courage and conviction to change the way things work in Washington. I beat better known, better funded politicians...including those who have held titles like Governor and Speaker of the House."
Top-tier
As a follow-up to a September 22, 2011, debate performance in
Orlando, Florida
Orlando ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida, United States. The city proper had a population of 307,573 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville ...
, Cain won the September 24 Florida GOP Presidency 5 Straw Poll with 37% of the votes cast by Republican party activists in attendance; Cain's nearest competitor was Rick Perry, who garnered the support of 15% of attendees at the event.
A national interactive opinion survey released in September 2011 by
IBOPE Zogby International
John J. Zogby (born September 3, 1948) is an American public opinion pollster, author, and public speaker. He is founder of the Zogby poll, and the Zogby International poll. Besides his profile in politics, he has also become a figure in popul ...
showed Cain with a ten-point lead against the nearest competitor, Rick Perry, among likely 2012 Republican primary voters. "A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters finds that Obama earns 39% support while Cain attracts 34%". Rassmussen went on to say, "In a match-up against President Obama, just 61% of Republicans are ready to vote for Cain. Eighteen percent (18%) would prefer a third option and 11% are not sure. Among unaffiliated voters, 33% prefer Cain, 31% Obama, and 36% aren't ready to commit to either candidate."
Front-runner
On September 24, 2011, Cain won a surprise victory in a
Republican presidential straw poll in Florida, with 37 percent of the 2,657 votes cast. The front-runner
Rick Perry
James Richard Perry (born March 4, 1950) is an American politician who served as the 14th United States secretary of energy from 2017 to 2019 in the first administration of Donald Trump. He previously served as the 47th governor of Texas fr ...
, who had been leading in the polls, came in second with 15 percent. Continuing with his success, on October 1, 2011, Cain won the TeaCon Midwest straw poll by a landslide with 77% of the vote. Cain also won the
National Federation of Republican Women
The National Federation of Republican Women (NFRW) is a political action committee that serves as the women's wing of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party in the United States. It was founded in 1938 by Marion Martin (Maine pol ...
straw poll by a wide margin with 48.9%. The nearest contender was
Rick Perry
James Richard Perry (born March 4, 1950) is an American politician who served as the 14th United States secretary of energy from 2017 to 2019 in the first administration of Donald Trump. He previously served as the 47th governor of Texas fr ...
with 14.1%, followed closely by
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...
with 13.3% and
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy Gingrich (; né McPherson; born June 17, 1943) is an American politician and author who served as the List of speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 50th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1 ...
with 12.5%. Of the delegates voting, 80% said they were satisfied with the field of candidates; asked whether they identified with the Tea Party, about half said yes and half said no. A Fox News poll administered on October 23–25, showed Cain as the front-runner receiving 24%, and Mitt Romney coming in at second place with 20%.
Loss of momentum
Cain's polling numbers declined in November 2011 amidst allegations of past sexual misconduct with female employees. Doubts about Cain as a potential commander-in-chief also increased following a videotaped interview with the ''
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it is the primary newspaper and also the largest newspaper in the state of Wisconsin, where it is widely read. It was purchased by the G ...
'' editorial board, in which Cain appeared to be unacquainted with U.S. policy toward Libya.
[Karen Tumulty and Sandhya Somashekhar]
Herman Cain nearing decision on candidacy
''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', December 2, 2011 In mid-November, a poll by ''The Washington Post'' and ABC showed a 19% increase in Republicans who hold a negative impression of Cain. A national poll conducted by CNN and ORC International showed Cain falling 11% among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, as compared to the previous month. This poll put Romney at 24%, Gingrich at 22% and Cain at 14%.
Campaign suspension
Cain suspended his campaign on December 3, 2011, though briefly revived it in conjunction with
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert ( ; born May 13, 1964) is an American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting the satirical Comedy Central program ''The Colbert Report'' from 2005 to ...
's
satirical presidential campaign, when the comedian discovered there were no write-ins permitted in the
South Carolina primary
The South Carolina presidential primary is an open primary election which has become one of several key early-state presidential primaries in the process of the Democratic and Republican Parties choosing their respective general election nomi ...
, and he needed a substitute. Cain received over six thousand votes and then endorsed
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy Gingrich (; né McPherson; born June 17, 1943) is an American politician and author who served as the List of speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 50th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1 ...
before the
Florida primary. During his resignation speech, he was quoted as saying "Life can be a challenge. Life can seem impossible, it's never easy when there's so much on the line. But you and I can make a difference. There's a mission just for you and me. Just look inside and you will find just what you can do", which turned out to be a quote from the
Donna Summer
Donna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the "Queen of Disco", while her music ...
song "
The Power of One" from the 2000 film ''
Pokémon: The Movie 2000.''
Controversies
Legality of campaign funding
On October 30, 2011, allegations surfaced that the Cain campaign may have been illegally funded by
Mark Block's Prosperity USA. As a tax-exempt charity, Prosperity USA is not allowed to donate money or services to a political campaign.
Prosperity USA was funded through
Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Prosperity (AFP), founded in 2004, is a Libertarian conservatism, libertarian conservative political advocacy group in the United States affiliated with brothers Charles Koch and the late David Koch. As the Koch family's primary pol ...
(AFP), which has previously employed both Cain and Block.
On October 31, 2011, Block denied that the
Koch family
The Koch family ( ) is an American family engaged in business, best known for their political activities in the Koch network and their control of Koch Inc, the 2nd largest privately owned company in the United States (with 2019 revenues of $1 ...
had funded the Cain campaign.
Sexual harassment allegations

In October 2011, ''
Politico
''Politico'' (stylized in all caps), known originally as ''The Politico'', is an American political digital newspaper company founded by American banker and media executive Robert Allbritton in 2007. It covers politics and policy in the Unit ...
'' reported that two female employees had complained about inappropriate behavior by Cain during his tenure at the National Restaurant Association. The women reportedly accepted financial settlements from the association which barred them from discussing their allegations further.
Cain's campaign initially refused comment, but subsequently acknowledged that the accusations had been made. Cain strongly denied any impropriety, stating: "I have never sexually harassed anyone and those accusations are totally false." He initially denied being aware of any financial settlement with the accusers, but later accepted that some form of payment had been made by the Restaurant Association. He described the allegations as a "witch hunt".
The Cain campaign hired attorney
L. Lin Wood to head a team responding to the allegations. Wood warned that any other women coming forward with allegations would face intense scrutiny and might also be subject to legal action, but said he did not intend to scare anyone away from doing so.
On November 3, 2011, it was reported that a third woman had stated that Cain had commented on her attractiveness and invited her up to his
corporate apartment.
On November 8, 2011, one of the first two women to accuse Cain was identified as Karen Kraushaar, currently employed at the US Treasury Department. According to Cain, one of the specific allegations was making a gesture indicating his wife's height by holding his palm flat, which one of the accusers found objectionable. Joel Bennett, the lawyer representing Kraushaar, called Cain's version of events "goofy", stating that his "client would never have filed a complaint of sexual harassment on the basis that she was the same height as his wife. It is ridiculous." Bennett would not describe the complaint, but said he might in the future.
In an interview with
Greta van Susteren, Cain further said that the allegations had been investigated and found baseless. Two days later Cain recalled the incident, claiming not to know what or how much may have been paid. One of the women had been paid a year's salary and the other a lesser amount.
According to ''The New York Times'' and ''Bloomberg News'', at a November 7, 2011, press conference, a fourth woman, registered Republican Sharon Bialek, made allegations of a sexual assault in Cain's car in the summer of 1997. At the time, Bialek had recently lost her job at the National Restaurant Association where she had been a subordinate of Cain's, and she was asking him for assistance in either getting her job back or finding a new job. She alleged that, following a dinner meeting to discuss her job search, Cain reached under the skirt of her suit for her genitals and pushed her head toward his crotch. When she questioned his behavior, Bialek said that Cain replied, "You want a job, right?"
[ Bialek has sought legal assistance from lawyer ]Gloria Allred
Gloria Rachel Allred ( Bloom; born July 3, 1941) is an American attorney known for taking high-profile and often controversial cases, particularly those involving feminist causes. She has been inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.
Ea ...
. At the press conference, Allred showed what she said were two affidavits from people testifying that Bialek had told them of the incident at the time. The affidavits were not released to the press. Cain's campaign team promptly denied the accusations, claiming them to be "completely false", and repeating that he "never harassed anyone".
At a press conference on November 8, 2011, Cain said of Bialek, "I don't even know who this lady is." But at the November 7, 2011, press conference, Bialek said that she had a recent encounter with Cain, on October 1, 2011, at a Tea Party event, and that Cain had said he remembered her, and they talked. Amy Jacobson, a Chicago radio talk show host, corroborated Bialek's story about the October 1 meeting to the ''Chicago Sun-Times'': "She talked to him for a few minutes, which made me kind of mad because I wanted to talk to him". Jacobson said that Cain appeared "stone-faced" after smiling at first.
On November 14, 2011, Bialek's former boyfriend, Dr. Victor Zuckerman, a registered Republican, held a press conference in which he corroborated Bialek's version of what happened in 1997: "When she returned rom Chicago she was upset. She said something had happened and that Mr. Cain had touched her in an inappropriate manner." Zuckerman also said that when he first learned of the allegations on October 30, he called Bialek to ask if she was involved. She said "no" but was livid about Cain's denials.
On November 28, 2011, Cain announced that a fifth woman, Ginger White, 46, would be claiming to have had a thirteen-year affair with him and that the allegation was not true. An interview with White was aired an hour later on Fox 5 in Atlanta. In the interview, White said the affair lasted 13 years and ended right before Cain announced his presidential campaign. On November 30, 2011, Cain denounced allegations of sexual harassment
Sexual harassment is a type of harassment based on the sex or gender of a victim. It can involve offensive sexist or sexual behavior, verbal or physical actions, up to bribery, coercion, and assault. Harassment may be explicit or implicit, wit ...
and adultery
Adultery is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal consequences, the concept ...
as "character assassination" during an event in Dayton, Ohio.
On November 25, 2013, Cain decided to write the details of his defense, specifically referring to the timeline of Ginger White's actions. He said of his reason for doing so then, "Until now, I have never offered the facts that expose these accusations as lies, although I have been in possession of them ... It is now time to do so, not only because the false accusations have received renewed attention with the publication of a book that discusses them, but more importantly because I refuse to live my life, pursue my radio and professional career or do anything else that God has left for me to do in this world with a dark cloud attached to my reputation that is not consistent with the truth."
Political positions
Economic issues
The centerpiece of Cain's 2012 presidential campaign was the 9–9–9 Plan
The 9–9–9 Plan was a tax proposal that was a centerpiece of Herman Cain's 2012 campaign for the Republican Party's nomination for president of the United States. It was introduced in August 2011. The plan called for the replacement of all c ...
, replacing most current federal taxes with a 9% tax on business transactions, personal income
In economics, personal income refers to the total earnings of an individual from various sources such as wages, investment ventures, and other sources of income. It encompasses all the products and money received by an individual.
Personal inco ...
and sales
Sales are activities related to selling or the number of goods sold in a given targeted time period. The delivery of a service for a cost is also considered a sale. A period during which goods are sold for a reduced price may also be referred ...
. Cain would eliminate the payroll tax
Payroll taxes are taxes imposed on employers or employees. They are usually calculated as a percentage of the salaries that employers pay their employees. By law, some payroll taxes are the responsibility of the employee and others fall on the ...
, capital gains tax
A capital gains tax (CGT) is the tax on profits realized on the sale of a non-inventory asset. The most common capital gains are realized from the sale of stocks, bonds, precious metals, real estate, and property.
In South Africa, capital g ...
, and the estate tax
International tax law distinguishes between an estate tax and an inheritance tax. An inheritance tax is a tax paid by a person who inherits money or property of a person who has died, whereas an estate tax is a levy on the estate (money and pr ...
. The federal tax deduction for charitable contributions would have remained in effect, but all other federal tax deductions would be repealed. Purchases of used goods would be exempt from the federal sales tax.[ Federal excise taxes on cigarettes, beer, and gasoline would remain in effect. ]Grover Norquist
Grover Glenn Norquist (born October 19, 1956) is an American political activist and anti-tax advocate who is founder and president of Americans for Tax Reform, an organization that opposes all tax increases. A Republican, he is the primary pro ...
has questioned Cain's plan on the basis of adding a federal sales tax will allow for future increases in it. Cain's "lead economist" Rich Lowrie has claimed that Cain's plan would collect $2.3 trillion in taxes while less than $2.2 trillion was gathered under the current system.
According to the nonpartisan research group Tax Policy Center
The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, typically shortened to the Tax Policy Center (TPC), is a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington D.C., United States. A joint venture of the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution, it aims to pr ...
, 84% of U.S. households would pay more than they do under current tax policies, while "the majority of the highest income households would get a tax cut". Economist Paul Krugman
Paul Robin Krugman ( ; born February 28, 1953) is an American New Keynesian economics, New Keynesian economist who is the Distinguished Professor of Economics at the CUNY Graduate Center, Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He ...
has criticized its tax on business transactions as a tax on wages and salaries. However conservatives Arthur Laffer
Arthur Betz Laffer (; born August 14, 1940) is an American Economics, economist and author who first gained prominence during the Presidency of Ronald Reagan, Reagan administration as a member of Reagan's Economic Policy Advisory Board (1981–19 ...
,[McKinnon, John D. (October 14, 2011)]
"Cain Plan's Reagan-Era Roots"
''The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
''. Lawrence Kudlow
Lawrence Alan Kudlow (born August 20, 1947) is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative broadcast news analyst, economist, columnist, journalist, political commentator, and radio personality. He is a financial news commentator ...
, the Club for Growth
The Club for Growth is a 501(c)(4) political organization active in the United States, with a fiscally conservative agenda focused on tax cuts and other economic policy issues.
Club for Growth's largest funders are billionaires Jeff Yass a ...
, and Congressman Paul Ryan
Paul Davis Ryan (born January 29, 1970) is an American politician who served as the List of Speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 54th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2015 to 2019. A member of the ...
have spoken favorably of the plan. The former Reagan Treasury official Gary Robbins stated that the 9–9–9 Plan will expand the GDP by $2 trillion, create 6 million new jobs, increase business investment by 33%, and increase wages by 10%.
Cain supported lowering the corporate tax rates from 35 to 25 percent, eliminating the capital gains tax, and suspending taxes on repatriated foreign profits. He also supported elimination of the estate tax
International tax law distinguishes between an estate tax and an inheritance tax. An inheritance tax is a tax paid by a person who inherits money or property of a person who has died, whereas an estate tax is a levy on the estate (money and pr ...
. He was a strong supporter of the FairTax
FairTax is a flat tax, fixed rate sales tax proposal introduced as bill H.R. 25 in the United States Congress every year since 2005. The ''Fair Tax Act'' calls for elimination of the Internal Revenue Service and repeal the Sixteenth Amendment ...
, which would have replaced all federal personal and corporate income taxes with a 23% national sales tax on all new goods and services, with a "prebate" to untax goods and services deemed necessary by the Department of Health and Human Services
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the US federal government created to protect the health of the US people and providing essential human services. Its motto is ...
. As a transition toward this plan, he supported imposition of a national retail sales tax unde
HR 2525
.
Cain opposed any increase in the debt limit
A debt limit or debt ceiling is a legislative mechanism restricting the total amount that a country can borrow or how much debt it can be permitted to take on. Several countries have debt limitation restrictions.
Description
A debt limit is a ...
for the federal government
A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a political union, union of partially federated state, self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a #Federal governments, federal government (federalism) ...
in 2011, dismissing calls for an increase based on "exaggerated scare tactics". Cain maintained support for the Troubled Asset Relief Program
The Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) is a program of the United States government to purchase toxic assets and equity from financial institutions to strengthen its financial sector that was passed by Congress and signed into law by U.S. Presi ...
(TARP) bank bailouts of 2008 "without regrets", though criticizing the "picking of winners and losers" in its implementation. Cain criticized welfare, stating that, "Programs today are designed to make people more dependent rather than less dependent. "
Cain strongly criticized the present system of Social Security, describing it as a "scam". He favors reforming the current system "through free market solutions". He supports the Chilean model for younger citizens while retaining the current system for current beneficiaries.
Cain favored return to the gold standard
A gold standard is a backed currency, monetary system in which the standard economics, economic unit of account is based on a fixed quantity of gold. The gold standard was the basis for the international monetary system from the 1870s to the ...
, saying that abandoning it "allowed Congress to inflate our currency whenever they overspent". He said there was no need for an audit of the Federal Reserve, though he did not object to it, because he trusted the bank's internal controls.
Foreign policy
Cain supported the war in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to:
*Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC), the conquest of Afghanistan by the Macedonian Empire
* Muslim conquests of Afghanistan, a series of campaigns in ...
and the war in Iraq
This is a list of wars involving the Republic of Iraq and its predecessor states.
, style="background:#F88" , Coalition of Gulf War, Coalition victory
* Kuwait, State of Kuwait resumes self-governance over all Kuwaiti sovereign territory
* Esta ...
, opposing a timetable for withdrawal as equivalent to surrender.
He said that the U.S. should aid Israel in defending itself, and has said, "If you mess with Israel, you're messing with the USA." He was the only Republican presidential candidate at former Fox News host Glenn Beck
Glenn Lee Beck (born February 10, 1964) is an American conservative political commentator, radio host, entrepreneur, and television producer. He is the CEO, founder, and owner of Mercury Radio Arts, the parent company of his television and rad ...
's Restoring Courage rally in Israel.
He expressed "shock" at President Obama's acceptance of Palestine's 1967 borders as a starting point of peace negotiations, saying he "threw Israel under the bus" Cain supports the Palestinian right of return
The Palestinian right of return is the political position or principle that Palestinian refugees, both Immigrant generations#First generation, first-generation refugees ( people still alive ) and their descendants ( people ), have a right to ...
under Israeli conditions, though media criticized his apparent unfamiliarity with the issue, though he later admitted that "I didn't understand the right of return".
Cain opposed any negotiation with North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders China and Russia to the north at the Yalu River, Yalu (Amnok) an ...
, and has argued for maintaining "peace through strength", and opposed the New START
New START (Russian language, Russian abbrev.: СНВ-III, ''SNV-III'' from ''сокращение стратегических наступательных вооружений'' "reduction of strategic offensive arms") is a Nuclear disarmament, ...
treaty because he believed that the U.S. should retain freedom to develop nuclear weapons systems.
On Iran, Cain expressed support for a wary but "diplomatic approach" to nuclear disarmament in an October 2010 interview. In a subsequent interview with Fox News contributor KT McFarland, he said he thinks that only military action could stop the Iranian nuclear program
The nuclear program of Iran is one of the most scrutinized nuclear programs in the world. The military capabilities of the program are possible through its mass enrichment activities in facilities such as Natanz and Arak. In June 2025, t ...
, but that he would "have to talk to a lot of people" before he would consider that step. In an interview with the ''Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
The ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it is the primary newspaper and also the largest newspaper in the state of Wisconsin, where it is widely read. It was purchased by the G ...
'', he stated that a first strike on Iran "is not a practical, top-tier alternative... look at the topography of Iran. Where are you going to strike? It's very mountainous. That's what makes it very difficult."
In an October 8, 2011, interview with Christian Broadcasting Network
The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) is an American Christian media production and distribution organization. Founded in 1960 by Pat Robertson, it produces the long-running TV series ''The 700 Club'', co-produces the ongoing ''Superbook (198 ...
's (CBN) David Brody, Cain was asked about the raised level of scrutiny received by presidential candidates and how he would answer a "gotcha" question "like who's the president of Uzbekistan
The president of the Republic of Uzbekistan () is the head of state and executive authority in Uzbekistan. The office of President was established in 1991, replacing the position of Chairperson of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Uzb ...
?" Cain responded, "When they ask me who's the president of Ubeki-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan, I'm going to say, 'You know, I don't know. Do you know?' And then I'm going to say, 'How's that going to create one job?' He further characterized Uzbekistan
, image_flag = Flag of Uzbekistan.svg
, image_coat = Emblem of Uzbekistan.svg
, symbol_type = Emblem of Uzbekistan, Emblem
, national_anthem = "State Anthem of Uzbekistan, State Anthem of the Republ ...
as one of the "small insignificant states around the world" and stated, "I don't think that is something that is critical to focusing on national security." Cain was later criticized for his seeming ignorance and mocking of a country that both presidents Bush and Obama have sought to use as a supply base in the Afghan war.
In an October 31, 2011, interview on PBS NewsHour
''PBS News Hour'', previously stylized as ''PBS NewsHour'', is the news division of PBS and an American daily evening news broadcasting#television, television news program broadcast on over 350 PBS Network affiliate#Member stations, member stat ...
, in response to a question from Judy Woodruff
Judy Carline Woodruff (born November 20, 1946) is an American broadcast journalist who has worked in local, network, cable, and public television news since 1970. She was the anchor and managing editor of the ''PBS NewsHour'' through the end of 20 ...
, Cain said of China "Yes, they're a military threat. They've indicated that they're trying to develop nuclear capability," suggesting that he was ignorant of China's current presence as a nuclear weapon state, having had nuclear weapons since 1964. When later interviewed by Virginia Lamp Thomas, Cain clarified his position by saying "What I meant was China does not have the size of nuclear capability that we have."
On November 14, 2011, the ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' reported that Cain "stumbled badly" in an interview with the paper's editors when he was unable to recall exactly why he disagreed with Obama's handling of the Libyan crisis
Demographics of Libya is the demography of Libya, specifically covering population density, ethnicity, and religious affiliations, as well as other aspects of the Libyan population. All figures are from the United Nations Demographic Yearbooks ...
. His campaign explained that the problem was that Cain had had only four hours' sleep on the previous night. Cain later said that the Taliban
, leader1_title = Supreme Leader of Afghanistan, Supreme leaders
, leader1_name = {{indented plainlist,
* Mullah Omar{{Natural Causes{{nbsp(1994–2013)
* Akhtar Mansour{{Assassinated (2015–2016)
* Hibatullah Akhundzada (2016–present) ...
and Al-Qaeda
, image = Flag of Jihad.svg
, caption = Jihadist flag, Flag used by various al-Qaeda factions
, founder = Osama bin Laden{{Assassinated, Killing of Osama bin Laden
, leaders = {{Plainlist,
* Osama bin Lad ...
would potentially be part of the new Libyan government.
Education
Cain opposed 'No Child Left Behind
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) was a 2002 United States Act of Congress promoted by the presidential administration of George W. Bush. It reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and included Title I provision ...
' and favors state control of education. He has argued for greater performance-related pay
Performance-related pay or pay for performance, not to be confused with performance-related pay rise, is a salary or wages paid system based on positioning the individual, or team, on their pay band according to how well they perform. Car salesmen ...
for teachers, as well as for vouchers and charter school systems.
Global warming
In interviews he dismissed anthropogenic global warming
Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes ...
as "poppycock", and opposed subsidies for wind power
Wind power is the use of wind energy to generate useful work. Historically, wind power was used by sails, windmills and windpumps, but today it is mostly used to generate electricity. This article deals only with wind power for electricity ge ...
and solar power
Solar power, also known as solar electricity, is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to c ...
while favoring oil drilling offshore and in ANWR. Cain went on to say that "global warming" was not real but that "climate change" was and science has shown it not to be a crisis.
Health care
Cain favored allowing the free market to play the largest role in health care and strongly supported the 2011 Ryan budget plan's "voucher program" to privatize Medicare.
Immigration
Cain believed illegal immigrants should be able to go through the traditional citizenship process, but opposed what he has described as a sense of automatic "entitlement".
On October 15, 2011, Cain proposed to build an electrified fence on the Mexico–United States border
The international border separating Mexico and the United States extends from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east. The border traverses a variety of terrains, ranging from urban areas to deserts. It is the List of ...
that could kill people trying to enter the country illegally. Cain said: "It's going to be 20 feet high. It's going to have barbed wire on the top. It's going to be electrified. And there's going to be a sign on the other side saying, 'It will kill you—Warning'." At another campaign rally he added that the sign would be written in English and in Spanish. However, Cain stated his comments on an electrified border fence were just a "joke", telling CNN's John King, "Yeah, it was a joke, and yeah, I haven't learned how to be politically correct yet." In a following interview, Cain expressed that he was serious about the border fence and stated "I'm not walking away from that".
Energy and the environment
Cain favored offshore drilling
Offshore drilling is a mechanical process where a wellbore is drilled below the seabed. It is typically carried out in order to explore for and subsequently extract petroleum that lies in rock formations beneath the seabed. Most commonly, the ter ...
and supported drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR, pronounced as “''ANN-warr''”) or Arctic Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in northeastern Alaska, United States, on traditional Inupiaq, Iñupiaq and Gwichʼin, Gwich'in lands. The refuge is of ...
(ANWR). He opposed providing funding and incentives by the government to particular corporations and industries for alternative energy sources such as solar and wind.
He made statements indicating a belief that anthropogenic global warming is a hoax
A hoax (plural: hoaxes) is a widely publicised falsehood created to deceive its audience with false and often astonishing information, with the either malicious or humorous intent of causing shock and interest in as many people as possible.
S ...
, referring to it as "poppycock" and claimed that scientists were "busted" of having "manipulated the data".
Occupy Wall Street
In October 2011, he described the Occupy Wall Street
Occupy Wall Street (OWS) was a left-wing populist movement against economic inequality, capitalism, corporate greed, big finance, and the influence of money in politics that began in Zuccotti Park, located in New York City's Financial ...
movement as "un-American". He further stated, "I don't have facts to back this up, but I happen to believe that these demonstrations are planned and orchestrated to distract from the failed policies of the Obama administration. Don't blame Wall Street, don't blame the big banks, if you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself."
Social issues
Islam and American Muslims
A number of comments made by Cain regarding his attitudes toward Muslims have caused controversy, such as two cases in which he expressed his distrust of the doctors treating his cancer when he believed them to be Muslim, including one who had a "''too'' foreign name", and his relief upon discovery that the doctor was a Christian. He described his discomfort with a specific Muslim doctor as based on his knowledge of the religion which included an understanding that Muslims have "an objective to convert all infidel
An infidel (literally "unfaithful") is a person who is accused of disbelief in the central tenets of one's own religion, such as members of another religion, or irreligious people.
Infidel is an ecclesiastical term in Christianity around which th ...
s or kill them". He has said he would not be comfortable appointing any Muslim to his administration or the judiciary. He criticized a court case – overturned on appeal – in which a judge used a husband's Muslim religious beliefs as a basis for not granting the man's wife a restraining order
A restraining order or protective order is an order used by a court to protect a person in a situation often involving alleged domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, assault, harassment, stalking, or sexual assault.
Restraining and perso ...
against him, and has argued in favor of allowing communities to ban the construction of mosques, expressing concerns about "people who might be terrorists".
Affirmative action
Herman Cain supports ensuring that minorities
The term "minority group" has different meanings, depending on the context. According to common usage, it can be defined simply as a group in society with the least number of individuals, or less than half of a population. Usually a minority g ...
receive the same opportunities as non-minorities, but not a " quota" style affirmative action
Affirmative action (also sometimes called reservations, alternative access, positive discrimination or positive action in various countries' laws and policies) refers to a set of policies and practices within a government or organization seeking ...
system that would give an advantage to minorities.
Abortion
Cain's position on abortion has been the subject of some controversy. In interviews with Piers Morgan
Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan (; O'Meara, born 30 March 1965) is an English journalist and media personality. He began his career in 1988 at the tabloid ''The Sun (United Kingdom), The Sun''. In 1994, at the age of 29, he was appointed editor of ...
and John Stossel
John Frank Stossel (born March 6, 1947) is an American libertarian television presenter, author, consumer journalist, political activist, and pundit. He is known for his career as a host on ABC News, Fox Business Network, and Reason TV.
Stos ...
, Cain stated that he was "pro-life from conception", that it was not the government's role to make decisions about abortion, and in the interview with Stossel that "abortion should not be legal". His seemingly contradictory statements alarmed anti-abortion
Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its Abortion by country, legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in r ...
activists and other social conservatives
Social conservatism is a political philosophy and a variety of conservatism which places emphasis on traditional social structures over social pluralism. Social conservatives organize in favor of duty, traditional values and social instit ...
, who accused Cain of echoing pro-choice
Abortion-rights movements, also self-styled as pro-choice movements, are movements that advocate for legal access to induced abortion services, including elective abortion. They seek to represent and support women who wish to terminate their ...
reasoning and questioned his dedication to outlawing abortion. Cain sought to address these concerns by emphasizing his commitment to outlawing abortion and to de-funding Planned Parenthood
The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), or simply Planned Parenthood, is an American nonprofit organization . He argued that some of his comments had been taken out of context and described himself as "100% pro-life. End of story." ''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' described Cain's positions on abortion as inconsistent, but noted that his initial position "actually sounds vaguely pro-choice".
Same-sex marriage
Cain opposed legalizing same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
. He supported the Defense of Marriage Act
The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was a United States federal law passed by the 104th United States Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton on September 21, 1996. It banned federal recognition of same-sex marriage by limitin ...
and would have supported a federal ban on gay marriage.
Media coverage and reactions
Cain's statements regarding Muslims led to criticisms of "bigotry" and "Muslim bashing" from CAIR, whose spokesperson stated "It would be laughable if it weren't having such a negative impact on the lives of Muslim Americans". He was criticized for this remark by conservatives at Grover Norquist's weekly Wednesday Gatherings, one of whom called the remark "frightening".
In an interview with Bloomberg view, Cain argued that he is a "black American" rather than an "African American" since he is able to trace his ancestors within the U.S., describing Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
as "more of an international ... look, he was raised in Kenya, his mother was white from Kansas and her family had an influence on him, it's true, but his dad was Kenyan". Interviewer Jeffrey Goldberg pointed out that Obama had spent 4 years of his childhood abroad, and that it was in Indonesia – not Kenya, at which point Cain revised his claim.
Cain faced criticism regarding his lack of foreign policy experience and stumbled early in the campaign when answering a question regarding the Palestinian right of return as he appeared unfamiliar with the issue and staff were forced to later clarify his position.
As news organizations began to reconsider Cain as a viable candidate, speculation grew regarding his true motivations. MSNBC found that Cain was spending more time on a book tour than in Iowa, predicting that he was more interested in raising his public image than winning the presidency. The ''New York Times'' added that Cain worked professionally as a public keynote speaker, and was earning $25,000 a speech during the campaign.
When news came to light that Rick Perry's hunting ranch formerly had the racially insensitive name "Niggerhead", Cain stated to the press "For him to leave it there as long as he did before, I hear, they finally painted over it, is just insensitive to a lot of people in this country." The next day he would go on to say "I really don't care about that word. They painted over it. End of story."
The character of Herbert Love, who appeared in the 2013 fourth season of the sitcom ''Arrested Development
''Arrested Development'' is an American satire, satirical television sitcom created by Mitchell Hurwitz. It follows the Bluths, a formerly wealthy, dysfunctional family and is presented in a Serial (radio and television), serialized format, inco ...
'', was based on Cain. Played by Terry Crews
Terry Alan Crews (born July 30, 1968) is an American actor, television host, and former professional American football, football player. He played Julius Rock in the UPN/The CW Television Network, CW sitcom ''Everybody Hates Chris'', which air ...
, Herbert Love was a black conservative candidate for a California U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...
seat. Love proposed low taxes for high-income earners and was depicted as greedy and corrupt. Cain replied that "I heard about it, haven't seen it, and I'm unfazed by it. In the vernacular of my grandfather, 'I does not care.'"
Campaign staff
* Mark Block – Chief of Staff (From Americans for Prosperity
Americans for Prosperity (AFP), founded in 2004, is a Libertarian conservatism, libertarian conservative political advocacy group in the United States affiliated with brothers Charles Koch and the late David Koch. As the Koch family's primary pol ...
(AFP))
* Linda Hansen – Deputy Chief of Staff
* Scott Bieniek – Vice President and General Counsel (From Family PAC.)
* Ellen Carmichael – Communications Director
* Edward Miyagishima – Vice President of Campaign Operations
* Richard Norman – Vice President of Development (of the fundraising Richard Norman Company of Virginia.)
* Michelle Gwaltney – Vice President of Operations
* J.D. Gordon – Vice President of Communications and Chief Foreign Policy Adviser
Endorsements
Elected officials
* Larry Ahern (politician), State Representative (R-FL)
* J. Michael Ball, State Representative (R-NH)
* Dan Benishek
Daniel Joseph Benishek (April 20, 1952 – October 15, 2021) was an American physician and politician who served three terms as the U.S. representative for from 2011 to 2017. He was a member of the Republican Party.
Early life and education
Be ...
, U.S. Congressman (R-MI)
* Charles Brosseau, State Representative (R-NH)[
* Sam Cataldo, State Representative (R-NH)][
* William Condra, State Representative (R-NH)][
* Joe Hune, State Senator (R-MI)
* Rusty Kidd, State Representative (I-GA)
* Billy Maddox, State Representative (R-GA)
* Joshua McKoon, State Senator (R-GA)]
* William Panek, State Representative (R-NH)[
* Scott Plakon, State Representative (R-FL)
* Kevin Reichard, State Representative (R-NH)][
* Steven Smith, State Representative (R-NH)
* ]Tom Tancredo
Thomas Gerard Tancredo (; born December 20, 1945) is an American politician from Colorado, who represented Colorado's 6th congressional district, the state's sixth congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1999 to ...
, former U.S. Congressman (R-CO), 2008 presidential candidate, and 2010 Colorado gubernatorial candidate
* Joseph Thomas, State Representative (R-NH)[
* Carlos Trujillo, State Representative (R-FL)
* Renee Unterman, State Senator (R-GA)
Others
* ]Americans for Fair Taxation
Americans For Fair Taxation (AFFT), also known as FairTax.org, is a U.S. political advocacy group based in Clearwater, Florida that is dedicated to fundamental tax code replacement.
* Christopher R. Barron
Christopher R. Barron (born December 15, 1973) is an American political activist best known as the cofounder of GOProud, a political organization representing gay conservatives. He is the president of CapSouth Consulting, a political consulting ...
, member of the board of directors and co-founder of GOProud
* Niger Innis, Civil rights activist
* Peter S. Kalikow, former chairman of the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority
* Jack Kimball, former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party and 2010 New Hampshire gubernatorial candidate
* Dean Kleckner, former president of the American Farm Bureau
* Dennis Miller
Dennis Michael Miller (born November 3, 1953) is an American political commentator, stand-up comedian, talk show host, writer, actor and former sportscaster.
Miller was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' fro ...
, Comedian and talk radio host (withdrew support)
* Dale Peterson, 2010 Republican candidate for Alabama Agriculture Commissioner
* Nick Searcy
Nicholas Alan Searcy (born March 7, 1959) is an American character actor best known for portraying Chief Deputy United States Marshal Art Mullen on FX's '' Justified''. He also had a major role in the Tom Hanks–produced miniseries ''From the ...
, actor
* Michael D. Steele, retired U.S. Army Colonel
Celebrities
* John Debney
John Cardon Debney (born August 18, 1956) is an American composer and conductor of film, television, and video game scores. His work encompasses a variety of mediums and genres, including comedy, horror, science fiction, thriller, fantasy and ...
, film score composer
See also
* '' This is Herman Cain!: My Journey to the White House''
References
External links
Herman Cain, President 2010
official campaign website
Column archives
at the North Star Writers Group
Profile
at ''Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
''
*
Watch Herman Cain Battle Bill Clinton on Health Care
Joshua Green, ''The Atlantic
''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher based in Washington, D.C. It features articles on politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.
It was founded in 185 ...
'', January 2011, wit
Profile
Herman Cain speech at 2011 Values Voter Summit (transcript
, respectively hosted at ''Time
Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' and ''Real Clear Politics
RealClearPolitics (RCP) is an American political news website and polling data aggregator. It was founded in 2000 by former options trader John McIntyre and former advertising agency account executive Tom Bevan. It features selected politi ...
'' websites
{{DEFAULTSORT:Herman Cain presidential campaign, 2012
Cain, Herman
Black conservatism in the United States
African-American presidential campaigns
Herman Cain