
(CNN) – Herman Cain, the one-time frontrunner for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, offered reporters in Florida Thursday some speculation on what could have been if he had remained in the race.
According to the Gainesville Sun, Cain said he would have a "substantial lead" over President Barack Obama if he were the Republican nominee instead of Mitt Romney.
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"The reason is quite simple: I have some depth to my ideas," he said.
Cain, who suspended his own bid for the GOP presidential nomination in December amid a flurry of allegations of past sexual impropriety, backed Mitt Romney in May – his third endorsement after dropping out of the race.
In January, after teasing an "unconventional endorsement" in the GOP presidential race, Cain came out in support of "the people," saying it was the beginning of a political revolution.
Later in January, Cain announced he was endorsing former House Speaker Newt Gingrich ahead of Florida's closely watched GOP primary. At the time, Cain praised Gingrich's "bold ideas" as the basis for his choice, saying Gingrich wasn't afraid to propose big ideas that would benefit the nation, even if they invited the ridicule of his rivals.
In May (as Romney secured the number of delegates required to clinch the GOP nomination), Cain held an endorsement event in Washington, D.C. for Romney.
Cain attracted attention and followers for aggressively promoting his "9-9-9" tax plan, as well as for his charismatic personality and appeal among tea party activists. He enjoyed a spike in Republican primary polls last fall, but when he dropped out of the race in December polls showed him toward the back of the pack of candidates.


Republican party – proud to announce that we have not one, but two nut jobs now – first Sarah Palin and now Herman Cain
If I was still in the race I would be leading. How do I know? I just do.
Excellent! Wonderful! How could GOP primary voters have been so thoughtless as not to nominate Herman Cain. Nine-Nine-Nine!!!
Sure .....9-9-9. if you say so.
Ask the German voters if they want Cain as president. They would have responded, "Nein! Nein! Nein!".
I think Mr. Cain should go back to *eating* pizza instead of smoking it. That's the only way I can imagine he'd think that about the election.
When the big cheese is there, the rats start nibbling. Mitt Phony being the cheese.
Mitt Phony had the best clown act in the GOP circus. Hence he won the primary.
We haven't heard from Perry, Newter, Sanatarium, and the other nut jobs! Looks like the GOP mafia is running to the hills.
MITT ROMNEY IS STILL,...." THE WORST REPUBLICAN ON THE PLANET".......for POTUS?????
We don't TRUST him.....and.....WE WILL NOT VOTE FOR MITT ROMNEY.
Herman Cain is just another CLOWN who fell out of the car
The remarkable thing about Romney's really bad adventure this week has been the almost total lack of support thrown in his direction. Republican politicians have been completely absent. The right-leaning news organizations and commentators have weighed in - but more to seize an opportunity to bash Obama rather than to defend Mitt. It seems as if no one on the right wants to have any connection to the Romney campaign train wreck in progress. It's easy for Cain to make bombastic claims, but I'm skeptical he would be doing any better right now - just for different reasons.
Winning? ...in his dreams. The GOP/Tea Party has a major problem of being populated with lunatic fringe characters like Cain, Palin, Christie,and Bachmann.
And if I weren't black I would be white.... Sit down and shut up Herman, you're no longer useful to the Rethuglican party. Dummy.
Maybe he would be winning by now, but his comments to this end are not helping Romney win. Making Romney look weak is not going to get him elected, so I'm not sure why Cain is doing this. Bad blood? Second guessing? There will be plenty of time for that if Obama get's re-elected. Let's circle the wagons at this point, shall we...
GOP mentality at its best. Bravo !
No he wouldn't.
When I see a pic of Herb Cain, I will always think, "Nein, nein, nein!"
i think everyone is just upset that the god and family values party sure likes to lie cheat and steal.
Expect the mosquitos to start swarming. Which also-ran won't claim (s)he would be beating Obama? They are just as clueless as they were during the clown cavalcade.
It says as much about the state of the Romney campaign as it does about the other lightweights,
Its easy to say you would be winning when your not campaigning day in and out, and have the media constantly criticize you for every little thing.
old news...
I keep wondering, as week after week of revelations by the head [R] clown wash over the news: can the delusion in the [R] clown car get ANY deeper? And then this hyper-delusional rightwing beast rises from the ashes..........
LOL! That's all I have to say.
Cain never stood a chance of being the nominee because he's black & the modern day version of the KKK aka the Republican party would not allow such a thng to happen.
He's completely stark staring nuts.
How about doing a stste-by-state poll matching Obama with Cain (and sending the bill to Mr. Cain since he brought this up)? My guess would be that he wouldn't even be close in a single state – and I doubt that the District of Columbia would like him either.
This fool couldn't get elected to be a dog catcher in an animal shelter