I saw some of the interview. The thing that stood out the most (of what I saw) was that the interviewer really seemed to be softballing Cain, which I thought was odd for Meet the Press.
But does this match others’ impressions?
(The question that really made me think this was the one where the interviewer was insisting on adding the state and federal income tax, while Cain was pointing out that since the proposal says nothing about state taxes, it doesn’t make sense to add the state tax into the number being discussed. Cain’s point in this particular instance appeared to be fairly obvious–but the interviewer kept pushing on it as though he didn’t understand Cain’s point.)
Cain seemed surprisingly charismatic, and I know he’s in front in polling. Is there much serious possiblility he’ll be the nominee?
I think it helped him. He’s refreshing. For one, he answers the damn questions. and he’s offering ideas. Those two things get you a long ways these days.
It helped folks to see what he’s like… straight from the horse’s (whichever end)
Whether that will help or hurt in the polls is anyone’s guess.
A lot of folks liked Bachmann and Perry - until they opened their mouths. He may just be the next one, or maybe he’ll start to be more than stage dressing at the debates…
He did fine, particularly because there was no serious foreign policy discussion. It will likely help him, as far as these things go.
In the end, 9-9-9 will sink him policy-wise as conservatives are forced to confront the political realities of a tax hike on seniors. As to your final question - no, he’s not a serious candidate until he starts either doing serious candidate things (infrastructure, advisors, endorsements) OR starts actually winning primaries.
I think his chances at the Presidency have remained approximately unchanged, insofar as they were approximately 0, and they still are. This might, however, help him establish himself as a commentator or the like.
Things that stood out to me (and not in a good way): when asked about his stance on abortion, Cain reiterated his position of not supporting abortion ever, even in cases of rape or incest. When pressed further to say whether that included when the life of the mother is at stake, he cowardly took NO stance. He said “that will be up to the families. That will be up to the families.” When David Gregory asked him for his opinion on the matter, he just repeated himself, “that will be up to the families.” Wha??
Then there was the debacle of 9-9-9. To say that the 9% sales tax will only affect new products is incomprehensible to me. Don’t poor people buy goods and medicines and the sort with the majority of their monies? “Used food”? “Used medicine”? Am I missing something?
His 999 adds taxes to the poor and lowers them for the rich. It is a gift to the wealthy. Cain is just another worker for the rich.
He said he wants all bills 3 pages long. He suggested an fatally electrified fence that he would put along the Mexican border.
No, he can not be taken seriously. it just shows the desperation in the Repub party.
Did you ever consider that maybe this early bozo-fest was to make the eventual nominee look even more like a ‘real’ candidate? A super magic sparkly turd polish?
It distills down to Romney, a serial flip flopper, a Mormon who will alienate the Christian right, a rich man who many can not trust, A northeastern liberal , a man who was born rich ,trying to consolidate a party that can not relate to him. it will not be an easy task.
Can Bachmann supporters be convinced to work for him? The Kochs are beginning to back Cain. will they veer off to Romney? Will Paul’s libertarians accept Romney?
I am not persuaded that he can bring the party together.
Beyond that, such a tax would actively discourage people from buying new goods when used goods are an option (particularly durable goods, such as autos). I can’t see that going over particularly well with retailers or manufacturers, many of whom are still struggling.
I’m not sure Cain is a deep thinker.
I think he’s probably a proud American that feels he has something of value to contribute to the country. Unfortunately, he hasn’t found that place. His ‘jokes’, his lack of depth on most issues… he’s not ready to be President. He may get there some day, but he’s certainly not ready for prime time today. On that note, I sometimes can’t help but think of him like Garrett Morris on the original SNL - he knew he was the token minority guy, but he did his best to run with it anyway.
Unfortunately, it just isn’t enough to get him into the White House, even with Koch Industries backing.
He isn’t going to win the nomination and has no intention of doing so. He has little money and even less organization. He got in the race to sell his book. He’s only getting attention because 80% of the party can’t stand Romney and would give Charles Manson a look if he got in the race.
I also agree that he wasn’t really pushed on anything other than the abortion issue. It was surprising how he seemed confused by the question about neocons, even though I dislike the term since it doesn’t have any real agreed-upon meaning and is often used by its detractors as a broad brush for anyone they don’t agree with.
The 9-9-9 thing is absurd. Why is it that people think a president can singlehandedly revamp the entire tax code? We can’t get the Congress to agree to change rates by even 1%, and he’s proposing to scrap the whole system and implement a new on that will drastically affect the amount of taxes certain groups pay.
Garrett Morris at least was talented enough to deserve to be there.
Cain’s getting some traction because
It’s his turn. People got sick of Perry and Bachmann, and it feels like Mitt Romney has been running for President since the 1816 election. They have to pay attention to someone.
He actually came up with an idea. 9-9-9 may be a stupid idea, I don’t know, but at least it’s an idea. I quite honestly can’t tell you what the hell Rick Perry’s platform is beyond “I should be President,” and I believe Michele Bachmann’s platform is that all homosexuals should be burned at the stake or something.
Never underestimate the power of a politician who actually has a simple and straightforward platform that people can grasp.
While I agree Cain is almost certainly doomed anyway, he is not an idiot, and probably knows that someone else will get nominated and will probably lose. So maybe he’s getting ready for 2016, just as Reagan’s run in 1976 got him ready for 1980.
Wha??