Cain slated for tea party response to State of the Union
(CNN) - The Tea Party Express announced Thursday it would again provide its own response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address, this year with former presidential candidate Herman Cain as the headliner.
Cain, who dropped out of the 2012 race in December, will deliver the rebuttal to Obama January 24.
Tune in Thursday at 8 p.m. ET for the CNN/Southern Republican Presidential Debate hosted by John King and follow it on Twitter at #CNNDebate. For real-time coverage of the South Carolina primary, go to CNNPolitics.com or to the CNN apps or CNN mobile web site.
Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @politicalticker
Traditionally, a single member of the opposing party has delivered a response to the president's annual address. House Speaker John Boehner named Republican Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels as the official Republican responder Thursday. The Tea Party Express said in a statement they weren't trying to undercut Daniels, but rather offer another conservative viewpoint.
"We are enthusiastic that a successful conservative governor like Mitch Daniels of Indiana will be giving the Republican response," Sal Russo, chief strategist of the Tea Party Express, said in a statement. "I know that both Governor Daniels and Mr. Cain will contribute important ideas for the future of our country."
In 2011, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann delivered a Tea Party Express-sponsored response to the State of the Union address. That was in addition to the official Republican response given by Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan.
On Thursday, Cain spoke at a meeting of conservatives in South Carolina to unveil a much-hyped "unconventional endorsement."
"My unconventional endorsement is 'The People!" Cain said. "We the people are still in charge. That's who I'm endorsing. We're going to have to lead this revolution. We have to take our power back. I'm endorsing the people. The people who started this country."
Also see:
Perry drops out, endorses Gingrich
Polls: South Carolina primary tightening hours before crucial debate
Gingrich as compares Romney's 'desperate' attacks to 2008 campaign
From CNN Politics
- Who is Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Virginia? October 16, 2021 11:45 pm
- President Clinton is expected to be discharged Sunday, spokesperson says October 16, 2021 11:35 pm
- Cheney, Murkowski and other Trump targets outraise their Republican rivals October 16, 2021 11:14 pm
- McAuliffe fights to engage politically exhausted Democrats in close of Virginia campaign October 16, 2021 10:34 pm
- Democrats' clean energy program will likely be cut from massive budget bill October 16, 2021 08:13 pm
- Who is Glenn Youngkin, the Republican gubernatorial candidate in Virginia? October 16, 2021 02:03 pm
The Tea Party protested the fact that our reps were not listening to their constituents. Hundreds of thousands marched peacefully (unlike OWS) to show their concern. The Dems voted in Obamacare anyway, and the voters reacted by taking control of the House away from the Dems and gave it to the GOP. Obama supporters support OWS – with no clear goals except they want someone to give them money – and the Tea Party wants Wshington not keep spending more money than they have. Really, who's the crazies here?
Hey, this is backwards! I think the opening act should start with GOP clowns of entertainment and not the headliner, president Obama. What a total joke the republican party has become.
It's pretty sad that the Tea Party is exploiting Cain on this. Sorry, tea-potty, your days are numbered. I think pizza & tea is a pretty good deal for $9.99 though....what a country!
There are certain characters that should go away for good...Cain...Palin...Bachmann...Trump....
What a bunch of open minded individuals.
Why not wait until he speaks before you attempt your rhetoric. You realize only about 50 people actually read the comments on these stories right?
Cain/Perry 2016.......the dream ticket of comedians worldwide.
Will he be singing his response, and then hawking CDs of same at the door?
What an embarrassment this man turned out to be....for EVERYONE.
I don't think that Herman Cain should be able to speak after the President does ,because the Tea Party Isn't a Real party. There Is only two party and that Is the Republican Party and the Democrats Party. No one even care what the Tea Party think. If you going to let the Tea Party have someone to talk than It only fair to have someone from the Occupy to speak to.
Palin Act II - Bring in the second money truck. It's amazing that you can go on the speaking circuit without having anything to actually say. All you have to do is find a group that is willing to let you tell them what you know they want to hear. But the key is mixing in the ability to criticize whoever is President at the time with what you know they want to hear.
It's okay to call for smaller government, how about smaller politics and more representation.
Mrs. Cain let him out again and he was able to buy a bus. Someone get the home-care nurse so she can give him his medicine. Please go away!
You really mean Steve Colbert is going to give the Herman Cain response! Why would they choose fake spokesman, possibly because Tea Party support is evaporating, dying on the vine! Cannot wait for these "historic US CREDIT DOWNGRADE" TP congressmen to be voted out of office, then we can get the country's business moving forward.
Vote CAIN for president of the united states of South Carolina!
What? How many people, exactly, in this country, have lost their ever-lovin' minds?
Why is it that it is OK now to immediately go on TV and badmouth the Prez. To make it better, you are getting my main man Herman Cain, "House of Pain". I can't stand the way things are right now. Even if there was someone out there that made perfect sense, their is always someone dumber out there trying to hijack the truth.
It will be touch to give a "response" to the Presidents 2012 goals to beat his Food Stamp record of last year....
Looking for ward to hearing more about non non non.
Today, Sarah Palin demands some airtime too to do her rebuttal and to sell her next book. Then, Joe demanded airtime too...
Cain supported the TARP bailouts and is a Fed insider. If he is the voice of the Tea Party, than the movement means nothing. Cain is just another big government "conservative" who's 999 proposal would have raised taxes on the majority of Americans.
Great choice: A looser as spokesperson for the "losers"!
Dominican mama 4 Obama
Will he be singing his response, and then hawking CDs of same at the door?
What an embarrassment this man turned out to be....for EVERYONE.
-----------
I agree. He is an embarrassment - to himself and America. I find I can't even laugh with (or at) him anymore. How sad is that? (It got that way with Palin, also – too.)
Take your 9-9-9 and go away !!!!!!!
It is hard for me to imagine a more concrete demonstration of why the Tea Party is not taken seriously by people who think about things. The former darling of the Tea Party was Ms Palin. Like Ms Palin, Mr Cain has many opinions on many things, but he lacks fully-developed positions on anything. The fact that one may successfully run a pizza business or serve half a term as governor of the 49th most populous state does not mean you should serve in any higher elective office. Mr Cain and Ms Palin both distinguish themselves by speaking in well-worn platitudes. Now, having said all of this, some will inaccurately label me a "liberal." I am not. In fact, the fact that people like Mr Cain and Ms Palin are taken seriously is evidence of the disintegration of the party of Abraham Lincoln. I think that is a shame for our nation.