Washington (CNN) - The one African-American running for the GOP presidential nomination said Wednesday the black community was 'brainwashed' for traditionally siding with liberal politicians.
"African-Americans have been brainwashed into not being open minded, not even considering a conservative point of view," Godfather's Pizza executive Herman Cain said on CNN's "The Situation Room" in an interview airing Wednesday between 5-7 p.m. ET. "I have received some of that same vitriol simply because I am running for the Republican nomination as a conservative. So it's just brainwashing and people not being open minded, pure and simple."
Cain went on to explain that his interactions with African Americans led him to be optimistic about his own chances with the demographic.
"This whole notion that all African-Americans are not going to vote for Obama is not necessarily true," Cain said.
He continued, "I believe a third [of African-Americans] would vote for me, based on my own anecdotal feedback. Not vote for me because I'm black but because of my policies."
Cain also weighed in on the recent chatter surrounding Chris Christie, saying the recent reports the New Jersey governor is reconsidering a run for president were hurting the electorate.
"It's not insulting as much as it is a disservice to the American people," Cain said. "Chris Christie has been saying for a long time he's not interested in running. The media is trying to create a story by sucking Chris Christie into race, just like they made a story by sucking Rick Perry into the race."
Cain said the media should focus on the candidates who have already declared their candidacy to give voters a better idea of the field.
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I guarantee that if this was a video of Herman Cain speaking, and not a CNN skewed article, the reactions to it would not be so harsh. Once again, the media has skewed people's view of a perfectly qualified candidate. It is incredibly easy to quote someone out of context and completely change the tone of their message. I dare all you haters to take some time and listen to Herman. He is an extremely well spoken man, a mathematician, a very successful businessman with real life economic experience, and he was nominated president of the federal reserve bank in Kansas City. Unlike Mr. Obama, Herman grew up in America, in the south. He worked his way up to where he is now. He is a man who will work for the public and not just the government. We all want lower unemployment, right? Well who understands that need more than a man with a background like Cain?
The Republican Party was good enough for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It's a pity that most Blacks in the US do not know that MLK was a Republican. Not because the Democrats are racist (they are) or that they opposed Civil Rights (They did) but because the Republican party was the only party that allowed an individual to pull themselves up by themselves and for themselves and without assistance.
1964 Civil Rights Act vote:
House of Reps
Democratic Party: 152-96 (61%-39%)
Republican Party: 138-34 (80%-20%)
Senate Cloture:
Democratic Party: 44-23 (66%–34%)
Republican Party: 27-6 (82%–18%)
Hopefully no one is driving with a hot coffee in hand and reading this. The shock may lead to the need for medical attention. Hopefully the cup is labelled with "Danger: Hot!", otherwise that individual may not have figured it out.
Cain got it right. As a minority, I see other minorities that vote without even questioning or wanting to know what the canidate represents. They vote democrat and would vote democrat even if the canidate stated that their plan was to blow the voters brains out. Not just black people, but most minorities vote with the race.
Conservatives, by definition, are NOT open-minded in the least. Look it up. Herman Cain has been brainwashed into thinking that the GOP wants anything more from him than black votes.
Me wrote: "By the way, How much Tea Party support have you gotten?"
Me, I suggest you check your polling data. Cain has the largest percentage of Tea Party support.
Wow, such vitriole from black dems on this board towards Cain for speaking the truth. Smart blacks are leaving the plantation everyday! What ever the government hands out comes with a price. The price is your personal dignity. Could you imagine what the NFL rosters would look like if the government handed the positions and the salaries? If you don't want to make it in America you won't. If you want to you will. Since many have suggested that Repubs are only interested in money riddle me this....how can we make money off of you if you don't have any? 13% of the population is black tell me the logic for money grubbers not wanting blacks to make it in America. Dems = ignorance.....ignorance becomes personal failure. Each of you are better than that!!
I am white, female, and make less than 30k annually. I absolutely love Herman Cain. So maybe his "brain washed" comment was poor judgement, you can't deny that out of all of the candidates, he is the only one that has laid out, in writing, his plans to turn the economy right side up. Have any of you "against" Cain actually done any research on him? The man does not fit in to the usual cookie cutter politician. This man is one of us, one that got to where he is from blood sweat and tears. AA' you want someone looking out for your best interest, Cain is it. Obama wants to cripple your ambition to be the best you can be. I don't know about you guys, but no poor man has ever signed my pay checks. Let's get serious... do your homework and stop listening to the talking head on TV.
Blacks are brainwashed? Cain, you're brain dead. Blacks are much smarter politically than Uncle Toms like you give them credit for.
Some of you are giving this Cain person too much respect in trying to reason with him. I've always thought that any black Republican is absolutely brainwashed or plain ole stupid. (Where do the racist go when they want to hook with with a political party?)
The Democrat leaders are still operating the plantation and keeping the brothers in line with this "you can't live without us" jingle and darned if it doesn't work for them for the most part. It is hard to break away from that pack mentality cause it requires just too much thinkin don't you know. It is so much easier just to kick back and let the man do it for you. So just stick with those Dems cause they will always promise you the moon at someone elses expense. Talk about being an Uncle Tom. Obama is cooking up some grits as we speak.
It's nice to see that a majority of the comments prove Mr. Cain's point. You people that say bad things about him are the losers he's talking about. You obviously have access to the internet, so you must be truly lazy as it wouldn't take much effort to find out how stupid you really are.
Smart move, Herman! That statement is sure to go over big with the GOP bigots that are using you to discount their racist history. You, Clarence Thomas and Michael Steele are in deep with conservatives because you know that they always take good care of their token blacks while opposing everything that will benefit the black community at large. It's an old, old ploy and you're just the latest version of it.
Kenneth
Mr Cain ... Have you spoken to michael Steele lately? The African American community is not brainwashed. A majority of us have learned to think for ourselves regardless of political affiliation. However there are those choice few such as yourself and Michael Steele who have to be proven the fool.
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Give me a break. 96% of blacks voted for obama simply because he's black. Who's thinking for themselves? Ask yourself are you better off today than 3 years ago? For most of us the answer is NO!
Dems are wayyyyyyyyy wealthier than conservatives. They are the party of the social elite... hollywood, the Massachusetts that was once ruled by Kennedy's. They are for a common man... common welath. All out our expense while they sit in their ivory toweries. Sucking from us all.
Wasn't it Cain that killed Abel because God accepted Abel's sacrifice? Could there be a relationship between farming, wheat and conservatism? Is this the same Cain who refused to give the best farm product he had to God and thought Abel was stupid for sacrificing the biggest sheep he had. Is this the same Cain that killed his brother Abel? Who said there is no God!
So what exactly do you want the GOP to do for you that the Democrats are doing so well? I am beginning to realize that the more of those damn rich people we have in this country, the more wealth everyone has. Yes, those damn rich people buy big houses and fancy cars and beautiful cothing....all of which is made and sold by someone whose business improves because those damn rich people buy it. Many of those damn rich people own businesses that employ people. Most of those damn rich people give generously to charities. Many of those damn rich people put themselves through college and took a chance and lived on beans when they started their business so that now our current government take that money away from them because they're just those damn rich people! Wise up people! Yes, quit whining.
Abraham Lincoln was the last Republican to do anything for the black man.
Like White Protestant Christians aren't brainwashed into voting Republican and can't even fathom "the left" phfffft.
I'm sure a Democrat Gov'ner like George Wallace would not be pleased with a Herman Cain canidacy.....he'd probably send out a democrat sheriff like Bull Conner to beat him down. And Exhaulted Cyclops Robert Byrd who was also a democrat must be rolling over in his white sheets thinking that a real black man like Cain might be elected President.
Mr. Cain, a successfful entrepeneur is not a black businessman, but is a successful businessman that just happens to be black.
The libs hate that. A black man should not be successful without government assistance. Mr. Cain, however, is successful and that destroys all liberal presuposistions. How can a black man be succesful without government intervention?
Herman Cain could and DID!
It is actually laughable that the very people Cain was talking about being brainwashed are the people who are posting "well I won't vote for Cain"! Of course not your brainwashed!!!! You probably don't know that the KKK was a democratic party move to get blacks to vote democrat and that if it wasn't for republicans you wouldn't be free. Of Course you wouldn't believe me because your brainwashed.
Whats funny is you left wing nut bags actually believe the stuff you spew. And very open minded you are. Brainwashed for sure and always looking for a handout on the peoples dole. Why don't you wake up and see that the marxist you put in the white house is ruining your lives as well as your children's. It not about you it's about the future of our country and every time you put your hand out you put us further behind. So get off the welfare and unemployment and go get a job... Whats that what jobs you ask? I'm sorry I forgot your flop in chief hasn't created any yet but give him time it's only been three years
Maybe the current field of candidates is not what the electorate wants. Many of them are retreads that didn't make it the last time and a few are just whacky enough to bring out the weirdos on the fringe who make up the vast majority of those who vote in the primaries because they have nothing better to do or want to destroy America.
Farming+Wheat+Pizza = Cain
Taxed enough already+small gov't+hatred= Conservatism
Cain + Conservatism = Teapublican