Cain: 'Factions' are out to get me
(CNN) – Herman Cain remained defiant against his critics Wednesday, armed with what he said is the voice of the American people and new national poll numbers.
The embattled Republican presidential candidate said his grassroots supporters have propelled his campaign from the beginning and will remain supportive, despite the controversy that exploded this week.
"There are factions that are trying to destroy me personally as well as this campaign," Cain said Wednesday morning before the Consumer Electronics Association. "But there is a force greater, there is a force at work here that is much greater than those that would try to destroy me and destroy this campaign and this journey to the White House and that force is called the voice of the people."
Cain, the former Godfather's Pizza CEO, has spent much of the week responding to a report that two women lodged sexual harassment charges against Cain when he led the National Restaurant Association in the late 1990s.
Team Cain said their fundraising has increased since the news broke, boasting an over $400,000 haul Monday.
During his speech in Virginia, Cain touted a new Quinnipiac University survey as evidence his campaign is strong.
"The American people, folks represent a sleeping giant that has awakened," Cain said. "They are tapped into this campaign."
The poll, released Wednesday, showed Cain ahead of rival Mitt Romney by seven percentage points nationally, 30% to 23%, a lead wider than the sampling error.
However, the survey was taken almost entirely before the POLITICO report of sexual harassment allegations arose Sunday night.
- CNN's Ashley Killough and Kevin Bohn contributed to this report.
I would still vote for Cain...he is the lessor of many evils, both Democrat and Republican.
Cain has been used as the republicans dog attacks agaisnt black, middle class, and poor. His mission now accomplished, the GOP does not need him anymore. It's now time for his moment of shame. Ladies and gentlemen you will now witness the fall of Herman Cain!
Although I wont vote for him, still I think that Mr. Cain seems to be a decent person a decent person.
Herman Cain is simply the same failed exercise the right wing tried with Sarah Palin. In 2008 Hilary Clinton made for a substantive Presidential candidate. The GOP brought out Sarah Palin because they thought Hilary's success was simply because she was a woman. Obama won and has been leading the country. And they think he won simply because he was black. Wrong on all counts. Cain will never be President.
"Why does the GOP always back corporate stooges like Cain when they have great candidates like Buddy Roemer that get completely ignored?"
As a result of the shifting demographics of the USA and rapidly growing minority populations, particularly in states like TX etc., the GOP recognizes it has a giant problem allowing power to remain with the people of this country and has therefore chosen to do everything it can to shift all power, wealth and influence to giant corporations and the very tiny (and predominantly white) segment of the population that controls them. Yes, it IS that simple.
I would be really surprised if this were Democrats or liberals or even moderates. the Democrats would love to run against Cain. The man may be adequate in the boardroom, but he's clueless when it comes to politics.
I'm betting this was leaked by a Texas political machine known for playing smashmouth politics. They beat a very savvy Democrat years ago and a Republican icon more recently.
Of course there are factions after Cain. But they are GOP factions. Who has the most to gain by attacking Cain? Romeny? Perry? Not the Dems. I think the Dems would love an Obama vs. Cain finght next November.
ROFL @ Cain
What's most sad about this whole thing is that his Enronesque management of Aquila and his term as Gov of the KC FED should be more than enough to sink his candidacy. Let alone his 9-18-9-18 plan is horrible on nearly every account. But stupid is stupid does, meet the american electorate.
The Hemanator is the victim of his own party and his own big ego – This scandal, his phony denials, and the cover-up help Perry and Romney, not Obama. This whole sleazy affair has Karl Rove written all over it!
Could never take this guy seriously to start with.Seems more like a mid-campaign distraction but then there is a startling number of yokels amongst the denizens.
I won't vote for him either because I don't agree with his politics, butI think he is probably a decent man. The harrassment charges are probably true, meaning he probably said something that was offensive... As far as the timing of this coming out, this this is part of running for office. I just can't believe, after having 10 days to think about it, this was their response? Remember the wispering campaign Bush put out there in 2000 against McCain? I think this is the doing either from the Perry campgain or Carl Rove. A huge part of the Republican establishment does not want a black man as the Republican nominee, but the Tea Party does because he speaks to them. It was OK up till now... it shows "they are not racist.." but now that he is climbing in the polls, oh no!! they can't have him get any further than that.... it was time to bring him down..
Hey Herm....Name the factions that are out to get you....Perry? Romney? Santa Claus? The democrats are wringing their hands in glee as you continue to lead in the polls. Obama will beat you so badly it would not even be funny in the general election so there's no reason they would be behind it. Try looking at your "party" mates. If you are not going to specify who you think they are, then you are wasting your breath even mentioning it
very simple, if Cain has nothing to hide then ask the Restaursant Assoc and their lawyers to release the accusers from their gag orders and open it all up to the public to see. No different than Obama finally giving up a copy of his BC to prove citizenship (no thanks to the Donald for that one...). If he has zero to hide then let him pull back the blanket.
maybe he should call 999, oops I mean 911 an claim false accusations! ha ha
I don't believe Cain (or any hard core TEA Partier) can win in a general election, so I can't think of even one good reason that ANY Democrat would bring this out...
At least not now. If a Democrat were going to release this information, I would think that they would wait till the General election when Republicans would be "stuck" with him as a candidate and when the information would cost him the most support.
Mitt Romney has the most to gain from this, but my bet is on either Newt Gingrich (because he's Dick Cheney hard core) or, my personal favorite, Michelle Bachmann (because she is just that mean spirited).
Yeah yeah yeah... keep talking about "he said, she said" and ignore the 9+9+9=27 plan (that taxes pretty much everybody who makes their money through a paycheck at 27%, and the rest of us at 9% or 18% depending on where the money comes from) and ignore that Cain thinks that the US military is the answer to China's unfair trade practices...
Ain't no one out to get you. You did some dirt in the past and now it's coming back to haunt you. Deal with it!
Dear Mr. Cain, You have never run for anything before so there is quite a learning curve. I don't agree with your views so I won't be voting for you, but I do have some advice: Read the Federalists Papers #10. James Madison explains factions better than anyone could. Pay attention, he is so right on. Your problem is not with faction it is that you have not built your own faction strongly enough yet. If you can appeal to the people the power of faction is great.