(CNN) - Leave it to one of the kings of late night comedy to press Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain on his "9-9-9" tax plan and offer up his own suggestion to the former pizza executive.
"You ought to get some sort of toll-free number," Letterman told Cain in an interview set to air Friday. "You dial 9-9-9, you get a free pizza."
Although the plan is "clever" and "fun," Letterman, host of CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman," told Cain: "You don't even know what it means."
Cain's response? "It works."
The candidate's tax plan, a pillar of his White House bid, proposes replacing the current tax system with a 9% corporate tax, 9% income tax and 9% national tax rate.
"Instead of a free pizza when you dial 9-9-9 you're going to be able to get a job, that's the whole point, OK?" Cain said. "I'm about creating jobs."
But Letterman countered that the economy may be "beyond solvability at this point," to which Cain jokingly responded, "Are you trying to talk me out of this? He's trying real hard to talk me out of this."
From CNN Politics
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I saw parts of this interview with Letterman. It's surprising that Cain would put himself in the line of fire. I thought that Letterman nailed him. And, in this case, it is beside the point that Letterman is known as a "liberal." 9-9-9 is not a plan. It's a slogan.
@Letterman sold out: "Imagine if he had Obama on his show, making fun of him like that"...
If you are angry about Letterman GOP jokes, then calm down. If Letterman makes "fun of him" i.e. Obama, as you wrote, then he is spreading the humor to both sides. What's your complaint?????
9-9-9 uses Chile as the basis for its claim to success: why is he using Chile as a model, and how does the Chilean economy and society bear any strong resemblance to ours? The answer is, it does not. This is an apples to oranges comparison.
Herman (Where de white women at) Cain is still around? The wingnuts sent the blondes after him.
FLIndependent
... At least the President had a jobs bill!!
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and who says the economy needs "jobs bills" to reduce unemployment? All they seem to be, at least in the last 3 years are disguises for spending. What the economy really needs to grow is an efficiently run federal government that doesn't suck resources out of the economy to use unproductively ( i.e., 'stimulus spending', reckless venture funding for political payback, cash-for-clunkers....) like we have been seeing from this administration. Can you really say you are pleased with the results of this administration's work on the economy?!?!
The Energy companies are advertising constantly on the internet trying to brain wash us with their 100 year energy supply and thousands of jobs. The reality is they are plundering the earth taking our natural resources wanting to rid themselves of the EPA and the department of Energy and give you a job. Cain is bought and paid for like Perry and the rest of the robber barrens. Stop the corporations from robbing us, we don't want their jobs.
in the end Herman Cain is going to be laughing ALL the way to the bank after taking all you right wingers for a ride. This guy was no more serious as a president candidate as the man in the moon and the right bought hook, line and sinker. He'll sale more books and probably retire as a FoxNews celebrity just like Sarah and the rest of them do.
"Herman (Where de white women at) Cain is still around?"
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Read this statement – and then ask yourself "Would this have EVER been said when referring to a democrat?" You liberals should really be ashamed of yourselves.
I am scared of what is happening to this country. We have no real leaders anymore. Obama and the GOP are all jokes.
9-9-9 means 9toppings on a 9 inch pizza for 9 dollars
Even though you have these political wannabe nut jobs, putting there fot in there mouths. You will always have 4 and the door types that will support them. Unfortunatley, you cannot argue with these people.
@FOUR – "Can you really say you are pleased with the results of this administration's work on the economy?!?!"
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Yes, since we are no longer losing 700,000 jobs/month and, although slow, there is progression. If Congress would work with the President instead of trying to fulfill their commitment to make him a one termer, the economy would be in much better shape. I don't hold to your theory that the government staying out of the way will help the economy as it's been proven in history that the government helped get us out of the Great Depression and when there is no demand, the government needs to step in to help stablize the economy. I think you Repubs give way too much credence to the private sector and are naive about the greed that exists.
We're in deep caminshee now...Letterman and Pitt offering advice and the media taking them seriously. America's doomed when we start taking advice from actors.
Terrible candidate, even worse pizza. Can he call himslef a farmer now that the GOTeatards have reclassfied pizza as a vegetable?
Liberals UNITE!!! Help to keep this man safe. We gotta make sure he stays in the race, and is in the running to be the Republican nominee so Obama can route him easily....
Cain is joke because of his foolish remarks, as a result he's being treated like a joke.
Please tell me how this is news. Please tell me how it is anything short of an insult to the unemployed millions that someone was paid actual cash money to write this?
Letterman's an idiot. He's not only stupid, he's not even funny anymore either.
But don't dismiss him outright please. Remember he's the only candidate with a time machine to go back 40 years and prevent china from developing the A-bomb. That's pretty valuable right there.
I only come to the ticker anymore to read @Four and the Door and @Democrat Class Warfare – Destroying the economy, destroying the country so I can get my daily chuckle. I will give @Four and the Door credit though. While he is clearly partisan we doesn't just come on here blurting out silly righty garbage like @Democrat Class Warfare – Destroying the economy, destroying the country. Just his screen name(s) alone is nonsense.
Can is basically a con artist who needs to be caned. He conned people, women and now even secret service. I wouldn't be surprised if he can con his way to wh
I agree liberals must ensure that Romney or gingrich or cain is nominated. Obama will route them easily. We must ensure Perry never gets his nomination as he is trouble for obama
I wonder what Letterman thinks about the currently happening testimony on capital hill regarding
The Obama administration pressured analysts to change an environmental review to reflect fewer job losses from a proposed regulation? I am also curious why this is not considered News to CNN?
Herman Cain is the H. Ross Perot of 2011.
Dems and their safety nets. How about the notion of working hard and being rewarded for it. Where is the incentive to do well? I might as well drop out of school, have a kid, collect checks for my laziness, and die. Does anyone in here actually have any idea how inefficient big gov is?