Right-Wing Media Defend Herman Cain With Race-Baiting
Responding to a report that Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain allegedly engaged in "sexually suggestive behavior" in the 1990s, right-wing media figures have turned to race-baiting, arguing that Cain is being targeted because he is a "black conservative" and that he is the victim of a "high-tech lynching."
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Politico Report Airs Accusations Of "Inappropriate Behavior" Against Cain
Politico: "At Least Two Female Employees Complained ... About Inappropriate Behavior By Cain." Politico reported:
During Herman Cain's tenure as the head of the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s, at least two female employees complained to colleagues and senior association officials about inappropriate behavior by Cain, ultimately leaving their jobs at the trade group, multiple sources confirm to POLITICO.
The women complained of sexually suggestive behavior by Cain that made them angry and uncomfortable, the sources said, and they signed agreements with the restaurant group that gave them financial payouts to leave the association. The agreements also included language that bars the women from talking about their departures. [Politico, 10/31/11]
Right-Wing Media Turn To Race-Baiting To Defend Cain
Coulter: Liberals "Are Terrified Of Strong, Conservative, Black Men." On Fox's Geraldo at Large, conservative author Ann Coulter said:
COULTER: I'm spitting mad at this attack on Herman Cain. Maybe he should be at the top of the ticket.
[...]
COULTER: Liberals are terrified of Herman Cain. He is a strong conservative black man. Look at the way they go after Allen West and Michael Steele and they're not even running against Obama. They are terrified of strong, conservative, black men. [Fox News, Geraldo at Large, 10/30/11, via RealClearPolitics]
Jim Hoft: "Let's Face It ... They're Racists." Right-wing blogger Jim Hoft claimed that the "latest liberal media smears" of Herman Cain from Politico's story shows that "they're racists." [Gateway Pundit, 10/31/11]
Brent Bozell: "In The Eyes Of The Liberal Media, Herman Cain Is Just Another Uppity Black American." In a blog post titled "Stop the High-tech Lynching of Herman Cain," Media Research Center president Brent Bozell wrote:
Sadly, Herman Cain's predictions have come true. In May he stated that he was "ready for the same high-tech lynching that [Clarence Thomas] went through -- for the good of this country." That's what Politico is doing with its unsubstantiated and thoroughly hypocritical hit piece against him. Anyone in the press that gives this story oxygen is equally hypocritical.
In the eyes of the liberal media, Herman Cain is just another uppity black American who has had the audacity to leave the liberal plantation. So they must destroy him, just as they tried destroying Clarence Thomas. [NewsBusters, 10/31/11]
Limbaugh: Politico Story "Is About Blacks ... Getting Too Uppity." On his website, Rush Limbaugh featured the transcript of a radio show segment in which he defended Cain using the title: "We Should Not be Surprised by the Left's Racist Hit Job on Herman Cain." On his radio show, he stated:
LIMBAUGH: It really is about blacks and Hispanics getting too uppity. That's what this is. You don't achieve in American politics as a Republican, as a self-reliant individual or conservative. You don't do it. You try it and we're going to destroy you -- Washington Post and Marco Rubio last week and the week before. Today, Herman Cain.
Now Clinton is laughing because he knows the media and the liberals are gonna treat a black conservative far different than how they would treat any Democrat. [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 10/31/11]
Greg Gutfeld: "When You're A Black Conservative, Beware." Fox's The Five co-host Greg Gutfeld suggested Politico wrote its story because "if you're a conservative, anything can be misconstrued as sexist behavior and people will go after you." Cain, he said, is a "black conservative":
GUTFELD: But I want to get to something that Andrea said, which I think -- because it's Halloween, we should talk about costumes. And the great thing about being a progressive, is as long as your costume is a progressive, you can be a pig. But if you're a conservative, anything can be misconstrued as sexist behavior and people will go after you. The media will go after you right away.
But, you know, if you're Teddy Kennedy, if you're Bill Clinton, if you're John Edwards, if you're the Wall Street protesters who are covering up sexual assaults, the media will keep their hands off it because you're wearing the costume of the progressive. When you don't wear the costume of the progressive, when you're a black conservative, beware. [Fox News, The Five, 10/31/11]
Monica Crowley Asked If Cain Story Happened Because He's A "Black Conservative." While guest-hosting The O'Reilly Factor, Fox News contributor Monica Crowley asked Karl Rove: "Do you think that Herman Cain should be prepared for more of this because he is a black conservative?" [Fox News, The O'Reilly Factor, 10/31/11]
Right-Wing Media Quickly Declare Cain's "High-Tech Lynching" Warning A "Prophecy" That Came True
Drudge Invokes Cain's "High-Tech Lynching" Comment. Under a link to the Politico article that first reported the allegations against Cain, The Drudge Report promoted a "flashback" to Cain's May 2011 statement referencing Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and claiming he was "ready for the same high-tech lynching":
[Drudge Report, 10/30/11]
Hannity: Politico Story "Made Cain's Prophecy Come True" That He Would Suffer A "High-Tech Lynching." During his Fox News show, Sean Hannity said:
HANNITY: Now, before Herman Cain became the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, he predicted that his opponents would attempt to orchestrate what he called a, quote, "high-tech lynching." And over the weekend, the left-wing media, well, they made Cain's prophesy come true.
Now, according to an unusually vague report from Politico.com, Cain was accused of sexual harassment back in the 1990s when he was the president and the CEO of the National Restaurant Association. [Fox News, Hannity, 10/31/11]
Coulter: Politico Story "Absolutely Is" A "High-Tech Lynching." From Ann Coulter's appearance on Fox News' Hannity:
HANNITY: Both Herman Cain and Clarence Thomas used the term "high-tech lynching." Is that high-tech -- is that accurate?
COULTER: Yep. It absolutely is. It absolutely is, and it's coming from the exact same people who used to do it the lynching with ropes. Now they do it with a word processor.
HANNITY: You mean the Democratic Party.
COULTER: Yes. Yes. We had to have national federal civil rights laws to protect blacks from Democrats. [Fox News, Hannity, 10/31/11]
Peter Johnson Jr.: "Some People" Have "Pointed Out" That "Maybe This Is A High-Tech Lynching." While guest co-hosting Fox & Friends, Fox News contributor Peter Johnson, Jr. said:
JOHNSON: Especially in this case based upon what we've seen in the past with Judge Thomas and those allegations, should this African-American, chief executive of the National Restaurant Association, does he need a witness in the room, does he need someone to stand there and corroborate a discussion with a woman in the room?
STEVE DOOCY (co-host): There is none.
JOHNSON: And so, and there have been some people that have pointed out in the national media that maybe this is a high-tech lynching that Politico engaged in with regard to Mr. Cain. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 11/1/11]
Jeffrey Lord: "High Tech Lynching Of An Uppity Conservative Black Man." From Jeffrey Lord's American Spectator blog post:
So.
Here's the story.
From a liberal media outlet.
An "Exclusive" story about Herman Cain. A story about a black man who is a conservative and just by coincidence is now riding high in the presidential polls. A story about anonymous women making allegations of sexual harassment against Mr. Cain. And getting bucks for their efforts.
[...]
High Tech Lynching of an Uppity Conservative Black man.
The Sequel. [The American Spectator, 10/30/11]
What's funny is that you think this is an attack from a democrat. Please, nominate Cain for President. I'm a hard core liberal and I would LOVE for you guys to do that. This would assure Obama of an easy election win. No doubt in my mind.
Also, at this stage in the race, it is more likely one of Cain's current opponents dug this up, and dumped it.
Of course, Reptile Ann forgets to mention that all those Southern Racist Democrats of whom she speaks were lured into the Republican Party years ago.
I'm sure it was just an oversight on her part...
Now what if Barack Obama was accused of sexual harassment...?
The race card is exclusively played by the right. Which is odd because while not all Republicans are racists, most racists are Republicans.
More than likely, this whole issue is the work of Karl Rove, and the Republicans know it, but are using this to further their cynical position that liberals are the real racists.
You see, Republicans are convinced that white liberals suffer from white guilt and they hope that accusing white liberals of racism will cause this white guilt to kick in and our criticisms will cease.
That Herman Cain "predicted" this would happen only tells me he knew these accusations would eventually come to light and he was attempting to preemptively frame the story before it broke, and the cynical strategists saw this as an opportunity to turn the tables on Democrats with accusations of racism.
It's all incredibly cynical, disgusting, and dishonest.
Bill Clinton had sexual scandals and people still supported him.
Herman Cain has sexual scandals, and the media is reporting it.
More of that typical librul hyprockisy !!!
Then, as I listened to him go on, I realized what he was getting at - the "oversexed" stereotype. It obviously occurred to him way before it did to me.
This is similar to the wingnuts trying to spin OWS as "antisemitic", where they project their own "Jewish Banker" ideas onto others.
I have no idea why they're pushing him as a legit candidate, but it's not going to go anywhere.
Not sure what the motive would be, unless they want Romney in there and are using Cain to confuse the Troglodytes until Mittens wins it by default. I really don't think he was ever intended to be a serious candidate, though.
Hey kids, look! Gutfeld accidentally told the truth. Naturally, he followed it up by claiming the quote-unquote liberal media somehow turned a blind eye to Clinton/Edwards' infidelities -- a whopper of such magnitude that it boggles the mind.
You see Greg, you may not remember this, but there was this woman named Lewinsky...
*
Yeah, those guys really were able to keep their screw-ups out of the news </sarc>
*ps: In case any wingnuts want to accuse of omitting the OWS/cover-up part for some evil reason, I just don't know what he's talking about, so it may be an example of the media not reporting. But please explain what he's talking about, if it's something fact-based.
Though unlikely, should they be so inclined, his accusers could now be free to tell their side of the story.
Just asking.
The "race card is now a joke, because a lot of American people have figured it out." Herman Cain Oct 10, 2011
"I don’t believe racism in this country holds anybody back in a big way." Herman Cain Oct 9, 2011
"Since Governor Perry has been going there for years to hunt, I think that it shows a lack of sensitivity for a long time of not taking that word off of that rock and renaming the place" Herman Cain about Perry's N*****rhead ranch.
"All I said was the mere fact that that word was there was 'insensitive,'...That’s not playing the race card" Herman Cain after being accused of plying the race...by the right wing
Obama has "never been a part of the black experience in America" Herman Cain about Obam not particpating in the civil rights movement (forget the fact Obama was born in 1961)
What the righg wing is saying about Herman Cain:
"We thought Herman Cain was one of the good ones. But then he "played the race card" by arguing that leasing a ranch called "N****rhead" might be offensive." Glenn Reynolds
"That's why our blacks are so much better than their blacks." Ann Coulter - about Herman Cains sex harassment allegations
And we can't forget that Cain has already paved his defense for any sort of criticism against him, by, you guessed it, playing the race card:
"They're going to come after me more viciously than they would a white candidate. You're right. Clarence Thomas. And so, to use Clarence Thomas as an example, I'm ready for the same high-tech lynching that he went through — for the good of this country. I'm ready for the same high-tech lynching."
Herman Cain, a who doesn't like to play the race card...unless it helps him...and he gets the approval of his fellow conservatives about when and where he can use the race card...because their blacks are just so much better than ours.
...or...is he just a sexual opportunist who got caught hitting on some woman who didn't want to sleep with a 'black conservative' (rare as they are). I find it amazing that a woman would choose to defend the man instead of the woman, at least until the facts are public!
Anyone think Monica would have the same attitude if a liberal Democrat was facing the exact same charges? I guess it's party before gender over there at Faux Noise!
And that's all you have to do. Just remove the part of your brain that can spot cognitive dissonance and inconsistency. Then you can say whatever you want, whenever you want, and no one has a right to argue with you.
So, yes. The left actually is attacking Herman Cain because he's a strong, conservative black man.
Whatever...
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THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE