# Is Cain's popularity because of his low name recognition? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 28, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cains-popularity-because-of-his-low-name-recognition/583586 "2011-05-28T18:07:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cains-popularity-because-of-his-low-name-recognition/583586/61 "2011-06-03T16:00:32Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > I don’t know as to how spectacular it was in truth. If Biden had said it, no one would pay any attention. It would have been slightly less newsworthy if John Boehner hadn’t already done the exact same thing back in November 2009. And I’m sure if Biden had done it, it would get the same coverage. > [@](#): > > I do agree though that Cain seems to lack the polish that makes for a good candidate. He not only un-PC, he’s too agressively un-PC and all that will do is give ammo to his adversaries. Plus I’m unsure as to whether he has sufficient connections among capable people to staff an effective and knowledgeable cabinet and fulfill the other appointments and offices necessary in running an administration. It’s not that he’s un-PC; it’s that he has some serious gaps in his knowledge, which he admits to, and is not a sufficiently gifted speaker to inspire confidence in spite of them. He seems smart but he’s business-smart, not politics-smart. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cains-popularity-because-of-his-low-name-recognition/583586/62 "2011-06-03T16:11:23Z")
> [@Implicit](#): > > Yeah, cuz the McCain-Palin ticket was such a winner. > > The goals of Palin? Please. McCain was an accomplished politician throughout his career. He’d have won the presidency easily too were it not for the mainstream media giving voice to every nitwit claiming he’d be another Bush. The goals of Palin? Why, to stop the forty year decline of America and restore it to its former glory of course. 🙂 If you want something more specific than that you’ll have to take a look at what she’s said herself. I’ve had a long night and am about to hit the sack. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cains-popularity-because-of-his-low-name-recognition/583586/63 "2011-06-03T16:12:58Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > It would have been slightly less newsworthy if John Boehner hadn’t already done the exact same thing back in November 2009. And I’m sure if Biden had done it, it would get the same coverage. It’s not that he’s un-PC; it’s that he has some serious gaps in his knowledge, which he admits to, and is not a sufficiently gifted speaker to inspire confidence in spite of them. He seems smart but he’s business-smart, not politics-smart. Yeah, I think we’re pretty much in agreement that he doesn’t have the necessary tools in his political toolbox. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cains-popularity-because-of-his-low-name-recognition/583586/64 "2011-06-03T16:33:36Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > McCain was an accomplished politician throughout his career. He’d have won the presidency easily too were it not for the mainstream media giving voice to every nitwit claiming he’d be another Bush. So the whole thing about him pausing his campaign to go to Washington to help craft a bailout, followed by him doing…well, not much…you don’t think that hurt him at all? You don’t think selecting Sarah Palin didn’t hurt him with the moderates? It’s all the mainstream media’s fault? He would have got away with it if it weren’t for those meddling kids? No, the GOP was its own worst enemy in the McCain campaign. A lot of people who liked the bold, uncompromising McCain of 2000 loathed the bland, compromised McCain of 2008. And Palin was a mistake. A big, big mistake. > [@](#): > > Yeah, I think we’re pretty much in agreement that he doesn’t have the necessary tools in his political toolbox. If he’d played his cards right, taken a more realistic view and schmoozed the right people in the GOP I could have seen him as VP material, throwing out quips and potshots without having to take the full brunt of being the presidential candidate. He’d probably have held up against Biden in a debate with the backing and coaching of the party (certainly better than Palin did; Cain at least understands financials). But I think he may have burnt that bridge already. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cains-popularity-because-of-his-low-name-recognition/583586/65 "2011-06-03T16:36:27Z")
Like I said, I’m hitting the sack. We can debate what McCain shoulda/woulda done tomorrow (or later today, actually) if you want to then. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cains-popularity-because-of-his-low-name-recognition/583586/66 "2011-06-03T16:40:06Z")
Nah. I’ll go back to discussing Cain and not his Scottish cousin. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cains-popularity-because-of-his-low-name-recognition/583586/67 "2011-06-03T18:43:39Z")
Cain’s an interesting guy and a good speaker, but being a good business executive DOES NOT translate into being a good governmental one. In business when you’re the boss you give orders and your underlings comply or get fired. In government, the Congress has its own power centers apart from the President even within the same party. There’s a lot more negotiation and give and take between leaders. If Cain got elected and he told Congress to “Jump” no one of either party would do so. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cains-popularity-because-of-his-low-name-recognition/583586/68 "2011-06-04T00:42:00Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > All I’ve done and all I continue to do is explain why people might legitimately have questions about it No, you have not. There was and is, _as you know_, NO legitimate reason to have what you call “questions” or “concerns” over these subjects. To therefore speculate on the motivations of those who, like yourself, insist on spreading them anyway is entirely legitimate, and the appropriate focus of any such discussion. > [@](#): > > I don’t know how many times it’s going to be necessary for me to say that, nor in how many threads, but I guess I can keep repeating myself for however long as it takes. You can tell yourself all you like that it wasn’t really stupidity or lies or surrogate racism, but that can never make it the truth. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cains-popularity-because-of-his-low-name-recognition/583586/69 "2011-06-07T16:14:16Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > What other condidate has Obama’s childhood history? A white candidate with a background history identical to Obama’s would have come under the same scrutiny. What, you mean being born in Hawaii? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cains-popularity-because-of-his-low-name-recognition/583586/70 "2011-06-07T22:01:29Z")
Cain doesn’t have a chance. His pizza sucks. What, you think the people won’t remember that on e-day?! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cains-popularity-because-of-his-low-name-recognition/583586/71 "2011-06-10T03:11:48Z")
[Herman Cain wants “small bills!”](http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/06/08/cain_three_pages/) (Worn, of course, and no consecutive serial numbers, please.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-cains-popularity-because-of-his-low-name-recognition/583586.md?page=3)