And Another One Bites The Dust (Herman Cain)

[Flagg]

Let's also not forget that it's entirely possible that he indeed was falsely accused. As someone who was falsely accused of sexual harassment, I know that it does happen.

Did it happen 3 times?

[gizmojumpjet]

No, but I was not the CEO of a large organization, either.

[CaptainChewbacca]

I feel that if he'd actually done something wrong three times, he would have been asked to step down/resign from his position. My bet is that he said or did some things which were borderline but not actually harrassment, which makes him dumb and/or horny, but not a criminal.

[Spoonist]

http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episod ... tom-brokaw

The intro about cain was good.

[Flagg]

I feel that if he'd actually done something wrong three times, he would have been asked to step down/resign from his position. My bet is that he said or did some things which were borderline but not actually harrassment, which makes him dumb and/or horny, but not a criminal.

Because corporate America is all about punishing wrongdoers, especially CEO's.

[Count Chocula]

Politico story: Hearsay
MSNBC: Hearsay
Cain: I recused myself, the Nat'l Restaurant Association settled it.

Hint: Cain was not a party to the settlement(s), which were supposedly sealed

NY Times: Hearsay.

Note that there is NO Gennifer Flowers, NO Anita Hill, NO Juanita Brodderick, NO Monica Lewinsky. These are anonymous accusations against an ex-CEO who legally has no involvement of the settlements or knowledge how they were reached.

And Another One Bites The Dust (Herman Cain)
If they were lying, why pay them off, hmmm?

Maybe because it's cheaper and lower profile to pay off a false accusation? Not sure, just throwing it out there.

His 15 minutes are about up anyway.

Thanks for the insightful political analysis

Wow, single digits. And I was saying Cains 15 minutes were up. This will sink him.

More insight. You're ready for The Daily Show!

Clarence Thomas had a single accuser and never paid her off.

Debunked by Barlestone

I have a dim view of that excuse when coming from large corporations who can easily petition for reimbursement of legal costs if the case is found in their favor.

Which can often cost more that the original case or settlement. Duh.

How many times has his story on the matter changed now?

I don't know. He's been saying he didn't sexually harass anyone. Is Cain saying "I did not sexually harass anyone" in three different ways changing his story? It's hard to tell what points you are trying to make with your one-sentence posts.

I love how the first people to scream "YOU'RE PLAYING THE RACE CARD!!!" any time someone points out abject racism immediately throw out the race card when there's no racism to be found except the shit spewing from their own lips.

Can't say I disagree with you there on the race card speculation. Limbaugh, like you, seems to be reading something into the story that doesn't exist.

And another one down, another one down, another one bites the dust...

'And another one GONE, another one GONE, another one bites the dust.' Jesus fuck Flagg, if you're going to quote one of Queen's most popular songs, at least get it right

Did it happen 3 times?

Who are the accusers? See, I can do rhetorical questions too!

Because corporate America is all about punishing wrongdoers, especially CEO's.

Can't say I disagree with you there, especially in banking.

Flagg, this kind of "reporting" used to be called Yellow Journalism and was disdained by readers who possessed the capacity to look for evidence, proof and accusers in the face of accusations against people. It appears that your education skimmed over or completely missed critical thinking. Congratulations, you're qualified to do segments for Nightline!

[Broomstick]

Given that confidentiality agreements were signed in exchange for money, it would be at the very least unethical, and most likely illegal, for Cain's accusers to step forward publicaly.

Given that there there ARE currently discussions between the lawyers of various parties to set aside, at least in part, those confidentiality agreements in order to clear the air it is reasonable to conclude that Cain's accusers are indeed real people.

Clearly, this was leaked/uncovered by someone, but I'm not sure the accusers were the ones who stirred this up as they have refrained from speaking. At this point, it is impossible for the average person to know if this was, indeed, a misunderstanding long settled or really something of concern.

[Flagg]

Politico story: Hearsay
MSNBC: Hearsay
Cain: I recused myself, the Nat'l Restaurant Association settled it.

Hint: Cain was not a party to the settlement(s), which were supposedly sealed

NY Times: Hearsay.

Note that there is NO Gennifer Flowers, NO Anita Hill, NO Juanita Brodderick, NO Monica Lewinsky. These are anonymous accusations against an ex-CEO who legally has no involvement of the settlements or knowledge how they were reached.

And Another One Bites The Dust (Herman Cain)
If they were lying, why pay them off, hmmm?

Maybe because it's cheaper and lower profile to pay off a false accusation? Not sure, just throwing it out there.

His 15 minutes are about up anyway.

Thanks for the insightful political analysis

Wow, single digits. And I was saying Cains 15 minutes were up. This will sink him.

More insight. You're ready for The Daily Show!

Clarence Thomas had a single accuser and never paid her off.

Debunked by Barlestone

I have a dim view of that excuse when coming from large corporations who can easily petition for reimbursement of legal costs if the case is found in their favor.

Which can often cost more that the original case or settlement. Duh.

How many times has his story on the matter changed now?

I don't know. He's been saying he didn't sexually harass anyone. Is Cain saying "I did not sexually harass anyone" in three different ways changing his story? It's hard to tell what points you are trying to make with your one-sentence posts.

I love how the first people to scream "YOU'RE PLAYING THE RACE CARD!!!" any time someone points out abject racism immediately throw out the race card when there's no racism to be found except the shit spewing from their own lips.

Can't say I disagree with you there on the race card speculation. Limbaugh, like you, seems to be reading something into the story that doesn't exist.

And another one down, another one down, another one bites the dust...

'And another one GONE, another one GONE, another one bites the dust.' Jesus fuck Flagg, if you're going to quote one of Queen's most popular songs, at least get it right

Did it happen 3 times?

Who are the accusers? See, I can do rhetorical questions too!

Because corporate America is all about punishing wrongdoers, especially CEO's.

Can't say I disagree with you there, especially in banking.

Flagg, this kind of "reporting" used to be called Yellow Journalism and was disdained by readers who possessed the capacity to look for evidence, proof and accusers in the face of accusations against people. It appears that your education skimmed over or completely missed critical thinking. Congratulations, you're qualified to do segments for Nightline!

How is it hearsay when Cain admits to there being settlements? It's awfully convenient for him to be able to attack his accusers who must remain silent or risk legal reprecussions, isn't it?

[Barlestone]

I think Count Chocula is referring to the details that are floating around being hearsay--they didn't come from the National Restaurant Association, and they apparently didn't come from the accusers, so where did it come from? The original Politico story does rely pretty heavily on unnamed sources. I wouldn't go so far as to call it "yellow journalism," as I haven't heard of any outright fabrication. It would be nice, though, if the NRA would release its investigation and allow the women to come forward with their stories.

In other news, according to the Des Moines Register, the scandal has not hurt Cain that badly among Republican caucus-goers. At least, not yet.

Iowa conservatives appear unready to jump off the Herman Cain train — unless damning evidence emerges that proves the presidential candidate was less than truthful Monday when he denied allegations of sexual harassment.

The Des Moines Register spoke by phone with more than 20 likely Republican caucusgoers who participated in the Oct. 23-26 Iowa Poll, and none said the allegations had moved them to reject Cain as a potential pick.

Politico reported Sunday night that two women who worked for Cain at the National Restaurant Association complained of sexually suggestive behavior by Cain, accepted money to leave their jobs, and signed confidentiality agreements. Cain was CEO from 1996 to 1999.

Cain on Monday said he has never sexually harassed anyone. He called the allegations part of a “witch hunt.” But throughout Monday, he offered conflicting responses as to whether he remembered the specifics of the allegations or the existence of settlements with the women.

Poll respondent Rick Hall, a Des Moines accountant, said, “Unless it rolls into something undeniably very bad at his core, it will have no effect on my feeling about Mr. Cain as far as a viable candidate. It happened far enough ago, I’m not surprised that this thing wouldn’t follow many highly placed corporate officers.”

Iowa conservative leaders, too, were willing Monday to give Cain the benefit of the doubt.

“He has to lay all his cards on the table now and tell all truthfully,” said Steve Scheffler, a West Des Moines Republican and president of the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition. “If there is nothing there, he will be fine with conservatives. If there is more, then there could be some real challenges for him.”

Scheffler said Cain needs to be in Iowa “on a very regular basis” between now and the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 3, and should be “very candid about what did or did not happen.”

Cain, a retired Godfather’s Pizza executive and an ordained Baptist minister, has been at or near the top of recent national polls and led the field in the Iowa Poll released last weekend. The allegations could hinder Cain’s efforts to reassure the Republican establishment that someone with no experience in elective office and little vetting in the national limelight is ready to be the party’s nominee.


Aide: Iowans not asking about story

Iowa restaurateur Paul Trostel was on the board while Cain was in charge of the National Restaurant Association. Trostel has since died, but his ex-wife, Suzanne Summy, said Monday that she traveled with him to the board’s three meetings each year and that her then-husband told her what was discussed.

“Honestly, nothing was ever discussed” about such allegations, Summy, a Democrat, said Monday. “I think that that kind of thing probably would’ve been talked about, unless they were keeping it really low key. It would disturb me if it were true, but I really don’t know anything about that.”

Cain’s Iowa communications director, Lisa Lockwood, said his Iowa campaign workers did not get “a single call, not a single email” from Iowa supporters concerned about the allegations. When volunteers telephoned Iowa voters on Monday, “everything we’re hearing about Mr. Cain is positive,” she said.

“I think most Iowans are taking the story for what it is: It’s old news and no one has any information on what went on,” Lockwood said. “People recognize it for what it is: Cain’s in the lead, time to attack.”

Cain’s state campaign director, Larry Tuel, said that as a lawyer, he knows that high-level figures can be targets for various reasons.

The trade association declined to comment on the allegations.

“Consistent with our longstanding policy, we don’t comment on personnel issues relating to current or former employees,” National Restaurant Association spokeswoman Sue Hensley said in a statement.


Top conservatives harbor questions

Like several other politics watchers in Iowa, conservative blogger Craig Robinson of TheIowaRepublican.com had earlier this election cycle heard rumblings of sexual harassment allegations involving Cain, but couldn’t confirm them.

“This is what you get when you have a candidate who’s never held elected office,” Robinson said. “He needs to answer these a little bit, and he needs to go farther than ‘the big bad liberal media is trying to come and get me.’ ”

Conservative radio host Steve Deace was one of the few Iowa Republicans who predicted Monday that this episode will hurt Cain in Iowa. “Because it reinforces the notion we don’t know who the real Herman Cain is.”

Cain said Monday afternoon that he wasn’t aware of the details of any financial settlement paid by the National Restaurant Association. “I hope it wasn’t for much because nothing happened,” he said.

That raised a question for Sioux City Republican Bob Vander Plaats, president of the conservative policy organization the Family Leader.

“I am a CEO, and it’s awfully hard for CEOs to not know if there’s a settlement or not a settlement,” he said. “CEOs are supposed to authorize them.”

Later Monday, Cain on Fox News said he was aware of the settlement, but wasn’t sure how much it was.

“I do remember my general counsel saying we didn’t pay all of the money they demanded,” he said.


Poll respondents stick with Cain

Poll respondents contacted by the Register said they’re still on the Cain train all the way.

Renfred Miller, a 27-year-old West Des Moines resident who works in sales, said it would have been nice to hear about the situation from Cain first, “but obviously he thought it was baseless and didn’t matter.”

Older GOP supporters of Cain will be especially stalwart, avoiding a rash decision until all of the details unfold, Miller said. Nevertheless, he said he wouldn’t be surprised if “in the next two, three, four days some folks will start coming forward” about Cain’s past.

Born-again Christian and tea partier Jason Kramer, 37, said he liked Cain after meeting him at a recent Iowa State football game. On the day he answered the Iowa Poll questions, Kramer was still leaning toward U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota or Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

But on Saturday, Kramer stopped by Cain’s campaign headquarters to get more details on his 9-9-9 tax reform plan.

“I’m leaning more in his direction now,” said Kramer, a Slater resident who leads the marriage ministry at his Body of Christ church in Ames. “After my conversation with him at the game, I’m going to believe what he tells me — for now, until someone proves something different. He seems to be a straight shooter.”

After witnessing costly regulations on farms and at the local feed mill, Adam Cook, 25, an agronomist from Ellsworth, still likes Cain best, partly because he wants to do away with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“I’m not really worried about it,” Cook said of the sexual harassment allegations.

Several Iowa Republicans said sexual harassment allegations are a very serious matter.

State Rep. Kim Pearson, R-Pleasant Hill, said, “I think there are two equally wrong responses: One is to completely dismiss it, and the other is to rush to judgment.”

State Rep. Dawn Pettengill, R-Mount Vernon, has endorsed former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, but she thinks the allegations should be a factor for Iowans who remain undecided.

“It reflects on someone’s judgment, and when you’re making a decision on who’s going to be a leader of the free world, their judgment is paramount,” Pettengill said.

Most Republicans contacted by the Register felt Monday that the initial news reports were too vague to prove anything.

“My first reaction is it’s an allegation. It’s too bad. Things need to be substantiated,” said state rep. Annette Sweeney, R-Alden, who has not endorsed a candidate. “They’re talking about it, but nobody says these are the cold hard facts, it’s all assumption.”

Des Moines Republican Becky Beach, who is also unaligned, said “something from the 1990s that’s sort of nameless” doesn’t concern her. “I think rumors and innuendo just seem to me to be a little suspect.”

But, Beach added, “there will be a problem if there’s any glossing over it all.”

Several poll respondents said Cain should try to take legal action to release his two accusers from the confidentiality agreement so they can explain what happened.


“If he doesn’t have anything to hide, he should,” Kramer said.

— Josh Hafner of the Register and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[Count Chocula]

Given that confidentiality agreements were signed in exchange for money, it would be at the very least unethical, and most likely illegal, for Cain's accusers to step forward publicaly.

At the least it looks like a breach of contract between the complainant(s) and the NRA. But that's assuming that non-disclosure was part and parcel of the settlements, which we don't know.

At this point we've had the best part of a week of "Cain's FUCKED!" reportage with nobody actually, you know, stepping up and accusing him of anything. Cain and his campaign staffers, if they're not privy to the SEALED SETTLEMENTS, probably have no clear idea of the who or what of the accusations, and of course and again they don't know WHO is making the accusations. Basically Politico floated a smear from an anonymous source and the rest of the media has been asking Cain when he stopped beating his wife. That's why his poll numbers aren't taking a hit.

[Flagg]

YAHOO

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Allegations that Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain sexually harassed women in the 1990s have begun to damage his bid for the White House, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

The poll showed the percentage of Republicans who view Cain favorably dropped 9 percentage points, to 57 percent from 66 percent a week ago.

Among all registered voters, Cain's favorability declined 5 percentage points, to 32 percent from 37 percent.

The survey represents the first evidence that sexual harassment claims dating from Cain's time as head of the National Restaurant Association have taken a toll on his presidential campaign.

A majority of respondents, 53 percent, believe sexual harassment allegations against Cain are true despite his denials. Republicans were less likely to believe they are true, with 39 percent thinking they are accurate.

"The most striking thing is that Herman Cain is actually seeing a fairly substantial decline in favorability ratings toward him particularly among Republicans," said Ipsos pollster Chris Jackson.

The 65-year-old Cain, a former pizza company executive with no experience in political office, has been running neck and neck with former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney for the lead in polls of Republicans considering who will be the nominee to face Democratic President Barack Obama next year.

At least three women have accused Cain of sexual harassment from his time as the restaurant industry's top lobbyist. Cain has given conflicting accounts of the cases since the news broke a week ago by news website Politico. He insists the claims were baseless and that he was wrongfully accused.

But a woman who received a cash settlement from the restaurant association in response to her harassment claim rejected Cain's denials on Friday. She said through her lawyer that she was the victim of a "series of inappropriate behaviors and unwanted advances" by Cain in 1999.

The allegations have received wide attention. The Reuters/Ipsos poll found more than 80 percent of respondents have heard of them. Republicans are the most aware, at 88 percent, while independents the least aware, at 64 percent.

OPPONENTS SPEAK OUT

One of Cain's Republican presidential adversaries on Sunday called for more information on the allegations.

"It has got to come out in total," Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday. "Legitimate questions have been raised and that information has to come forward."

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul said on "Fox News Sunday" that the media went too far in covering the allegations, distracting voters from more important issues.

"The media blew this way out of proportion," Paul said. "There are a thousand stories out there and I think that dilutes the real debates, because (Cain's) views on foreign policy for instance are dramatically different than mine."

Four in 10 poll respondents said the harassment issue had made them less favorable toward Cain. About one in three Republicans, or 35 percent, said the controversy had made them less favorable toward Cain.

Jackson said it may well be that the wave of support that carried the conservative Cain to the top of the Republican field was now cresting.

"I think he is probably cresting now. I think this week, last week, were sort of the high-water mark," he said.

The poll found that Romney, who is more a candidate of the Republican establishment, has a favorability among Republican voters of 63 percent, while rival Rick Perry, the Texas governor, is viewed favorably by 47 percent.

Ipsos conducted the poll of 1,007 adults on Friday and Saturday by interviewing individuals via a U.S. online household panel.

Since it was an online poll, typical margins of error do not apply. Despite that, various recognized methods were used to select as representative a sample as possible and weigh the results.

(Additional reporting by Patrick Temple-West; Editing by Eric Beech)

Goodbye Herman. Too bad, so sad. Got to sell some books, though!

[Simon_Jester]

I'm not sure whether Cain's popularity is declining so much because of the sexual harassment claims as because of... everything else, really. There's nothing special about him to make him a Republican favorite, really. Other candidates can claim to be more libertarian, to have more and higher-level executive experience than his own days as a pizza CEO, probably to be more religious, and so on.

What served him well was the 'fresh blood' factor: he had a number of supporters convinced of his merits for whatever reason, and got a surge of people coming to him from other candidates they'd become disillusioned with. Now people are finding that he's not really better, and may be worse, than the rest of the Republican candidate pool.

I'd expect him to stop being a front-runner, scandal or no scandal.

[Block]

Honestly I'd vastly prefer Cain or Perry win the Republican nomination. I think Romney is the only one who has a chance in hell against Obama.

[Mr Bean]

Phone post
I still stand by my prediction in another week or two this will blow over because this is a Republican primary, no one likes Romeny and its the evil liberal media pushing the story, high tech lynching and all that. I'm sorry but that pole showed Cain has a plus fifty percent positive rating. Sin and redemption, the evil libral media. Prediction, next week Cain will gain at least two points in Iowa.

[Flagg]

The funniest thing to me about the poll is that, as usual, it shows that "independents" are ignoramuses.

[Darth Holbytlan]

The funniest thing to me about the poll is that, as usual, it shows that "independents" are ignoramuses.

The funniest thing to me about the poll is the following:

Ipsos conducted the poll of 1,007 adults on Friday and Saturday by interviewing individuals via a U.S. online household panel.

Since it was an online poll, typical margins of error do not apply. Despite that, various recognized methods were used to select as representative a sample as possible and weigh the results.

Really? They can't even come up with error bars for the thing and we're supposed to take it seriously? It's dubious enough drawing conclusions when comparing polls produced by different organizations with different methodologies, much less this. I wouldn't be particularly surprised if Cain's popularity is dropping after the battering he's gotten, but I don't know if I'd trust this poll to tell me that.

[Sir Sirius]

Fourth accuser has now appeared and this one isn't anonymous.

Cain faces new claim of sexual misconduct
By Tom Cohen, CNN
November 7, 2011 -- Updated 2039 GMT (0439 HKT)

Washington (CNN) -- Herman Cain faced a new claim of sexually inappropriate behavior Monday as a Chicago woman told reporters the former head of the National Restaurant Association groped her after a dinner together in 1997.

Sharon Bialek, who worked at the restaurant group's education foundation until shortly before the alleged groping incident, said Cain unexpectedly put his hand beneath her skirt and between her legs "toward my genitals." She also said he pushed her head toward his crotch.

Cain stopped when she protested, Bialek told a news conference.

Looking into the television cameras, Bialek said: "I want you, Mr. Cain, to come clean. Just admit what you did."

Gloria Allred a girl's best friend

The accusation follows the disclosure last week that the restaurant association provided payments to two women who left the group after alleging sexual harassment by Cain, also in the late 1990s.
Cain refuses sex harassment questions
Comedian comments on Cain
The Cain harassment story frenzy
Cain tells reporter to read up on ethics

Cain has denied all accusations of sexual harassment, and his campaign put out a fresh denial after Bialek made her accusations on Monday.

"All allegations of harassment against Mr. Cain are completely false," a campaign statement said. "Mr. Cain has never harassed anyone."

Since becoming public on October 30 in a report by Politico, the sexual harassment accusations have overwhelmed the bid by the former pizza company executive to win the Republican presidential nomination.

Cain, a favorite of tea party conservatives, has risen to the top of the polls following strong performances in several debates and the release of his "9-9-9" tax plan that sets flat 9% rates for corporate and income taxes and also creates a 9% national sales tax.

However, Bialek's accusation raises fresh questions about whether Cain has been candid about the allegations that he sexually harassed women at the restaurant association when he headed the group from 1996-99.

Bialek said she started to work at the group's foundation in 1996 but was laid off in 1997. The association confirmed Bialek's employment dates as December 30, 1996, to June 20, 1997.

Shortly after getting let go, Bialek said, she contacted Cain -- whom she had met at the group's Chicago convention -- to seek help in finding a job.

She traveled to Washington, where Cain worked, and found he had upgraded her hotel room to a luxury suite without telling her. They had dinner at an Italian restaurant, she said, and then Cain asked if she had been to the association offices in the capital.

Cain made his advances on the way, according to Bialek.

"He said, 'You want a job, right?' " she told reporters at the news conference organized by celebrity attorney Gloria Allred.

Bialek took no questions from reporters, but Allred said Bialek had told two people at the time about what happened. Bialek filed no complaint with the restaurant association because she no longer worked there, Allred said.

Asked why Bialek was coming forward now, Allred said it was in solidarity with Cain's other accusers and harassed women everywhere.

Cain has previously complained the sexual harassment allegations amount to a baseless media onslaught against his campaign.

On Saturday, Cain scolded reporters who asked about the issue following a debate with fellow conservative Newt Gingrich in Texas.

"Don't even go there," Cain told one questioner who'd asked about the allegations. Asked again later, he responded: "What I'm saying is this -- we are getting back on message, end of story. Back on message. Read all of the other accounts, where everything has been answered -- end of story."

On Friday, a lawyer for one of the accusers reported by Politico released a statement saying she stood by her claims against Cain. However, the woman has so far refused to allow her identity or specifics of her allegations to be made public.

In response to the new allegation Monday, the attorney, Joel Bennett, said he believes it corroborates his client's story and called it "similar conduct by the same person." He refused to provide further details.

Cain supporters have said the anonymous allegations and lack of details showed the political nature of the accusations reported by Politico. Bialek is the first woman to publicly accuse Cain and provide specifics about what allegedly happened.

On Sunday, one of Cain's rivals called for keeping the issue alive, saying the necessary scrutiny of presidential candidates requires Cain to answer all questions about what happened.

"It's up to Herman Cain to get the information out and get it out in total," Jon Huntsman, the former Utah governor running far behind Cain in polls so far, told NBC's "Meet the Press" program. "That's important because we've got some real issues to discuss in this campaign, and this is taking all the bandwidth out of the discussion. So we're not able to talk about jobs. We're not able to talk about our position in the world. And that hurts."

Conservatives, angered by the media attention to the potentially fatal accusations for the tea party favorite's campaign, argued that the lack of specifics -- with no public disclosure yet of an accuser's name or specific offense alleged -- showed it was all more circus than substance.

"Until something comes out that's concrete, I think it is politics as usual," retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, told CNN's "State of the Union."

To Rep. Darrell Issa, a California Republican backing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the GOP race, Cain is undergoing a difficult transition from private business figure to public politician.

"To go directly from being a businessman, without substantial time in the government arena, both the vetting and the knowledge of it, is really hard," Issa told NBC. "It's virtually impossible" and in Cain's presidential quest, may be "a bridge too far."

Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a strong Democratic Party voice, suggested Cain's troubles were only part of the problem for Republicans on women's issues.

"I think what you're seeing is a huge assault on women's rights in the Republican parties, and an extreme right-wing that has taken over that is going to make it very difficult for anybody in a general election in the Republican Party to be a centrist," Richardson said on NBC.

Despite the week of uproar over the accusations, Cain's campaign reported a spike in donations, while polls have yet to determine any significant affect on his support.

[Lord Zentei]

Despite the week of uproar over the accusations, Cain's campaign reported a spike in donations, while polls have yet to determine any significant affect on his support.

So, the dip in the unscientific poll hasn't registered yet in the scientific ones. How about that.

[Darth Fanboy]

To Rep. Darrell Issa, a California Republican backing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the GOP race, Cain is undergoing a difficult transition from private business figure to public politician.

"To go directly from being a businessman, without substantial time in the government arena, both the vetting and the knowledge of it, is really hard," Issa told NBC. "It's virtually impossible" and in Cain's presidential quest, may be "a bridge too far."

Sounds like something one of those dadgum dirty Washington insiders would say Mr. Issa.

[Flagg]

Fourth accuser has now appeared and this one isn't anonymous.

Cain faces new claim of sexual misconduct
By Tom Cohen, CNN
November 7, 2011 -- Updated 2039 GMT (0439 HKT)

Washington (CNN) -- Herman Cain faced a new claim of sexually inappropriate behavior Monday as a Chicago woman told reporters the former head of the National Restaurant Association groped her after a dinner together in 1997.

Sharon Bialek, who worked at the restaurant group's education foundation until shortly before the alleged groping incident, said Cain unexpectedly put his hand beneath her skirt and between her legs "toward my genitals." She also said he pushed her head toward his crotch.

Cain stopped when she protested, Bialek told a news conference.

Looking into the television cameras, Bialek said: "I want you, Mr. Cain, to come clean. Just admit what you did."

Gloria Allred a girl's best friend

The accusation follows the disclosure last week that the restaurant association provided payments to two women who left the group after alleging sexual harassment by Cain, also in the late 1990s.
Cain refuses sex harassment questions
Comedian comments on Cain
The Cain harassment story frenzy
Cain tells reporter to read up on ethics

Cain has denied all accusations of sexual harassment, and his campaign put out a fresh denial after Bialek made her accusations on Monday.

"All allegations of harassment against Mr. Cain are completely false," a campaign statement said. "Mr. Cain has never harassed anyone."

Since becoming public on October 30 in a report by Politico, the sexual harassment accusations have overwhelmed the bid by the former pizza company executive to win the Republican presidential nomination.

Cain, a favorite of tea party conservatives, has risen to the top of the polls following strong performances in several debates and the release of his "9-9-9" tax plan that sets flat 9% rates for corporate and income taxes and also creates a 9% national sales tax.

However, Bialek's accusation raises fresh questions about whether Cain has been candid about the allegations that he sexually harassed women at the restaurant association when he headed the group from 1996-99.

Bialek said she started to work at the group's foundation in 1996 but was laid off in 1997. The association confirmed Bialek's employment dates as December 30, 1996, to June 20, 1997.

Shortly after getting let go, Bialek said, she contacted Cain -- whom she had met at the group's Chicago convention -- to seek help in finding a job.

She traveled to Washington, where Cain worked, and found he had upgraded her hotel room to a luxury suite without telling her. They had dinner at an Italian restaurant, she said, and then Cain asked if she had been to the association offices in the capital.

Cain made his advances on the way, according to Bialek.

"He said, 'You want a job, right?' " she told reporters at the news conference organized by celebrity attorney Gloria Allred.

Bialek took no questions from reporters, but Allred said Bialek had told two people at the time about what happened. Bialek filed no complaint with the restaurant association because she no longer worked there, Allred said.

Asked why Bialek was coming forward now, Allred said it was in solidarity with Cain's other accusers and harassed women everywhere.

Cain has previously complained the sexual harassment allegations amount to a baseless media onslaught against his campaign.

On Saturday, Cain scolded reporters who asked about the issue following a debate with fellow conservative Newt Gingrich in Texas.

"Don't even go there," Cain told one questioner who'd asked about the allegations. Asked again later, he responded: "What I'm saying is this -- we are getting back on message, end of story. Back on message. Read all of the other accounts, where everything has been answered -- end of story."

On Friday, a lawyer for one of the accusers reported by Politico released a statement saying she stood by her claims against Cain. However, the woman has so far refused to allow her identity or specifics of her allegations to be made public.

In response to the new allegation Monday, the attorney, Joel Bennett, said he believes it corroborates his client's story and called it "similar conduct by the same person." He refused to provide further details.

Cain supporters have said the anonymous allegations and lack of details showed the political nature of the accusations reported by Politico. Bialek is the first woman to publicly accuse Cain and provide specifics about what allegedly happened.

On Sunday, one of Cain's rivals called for keeping the issue alive, saying the necessary scrutiny of presidential candidates requires Cain to answer all questions about what happened.

"It's up to Herman Cain to get the information out and get it out in total," Jon Huntsman, the former Utah governor running far behind Cain in polls so far, told NBC's "Meet the Press" program. "That's important because we've got some real issues to discuss in this campaign, and this is taking all the bandwidth out of the discussion. So we're not able to talk about jobs. We're not able to talk about our position in the world. And that hurts."

Conservatives, angered by the media attention to the potentially fatal accusations for the tea party favorite's campaign, argued that the lack of specifics -- with no public disclosure yet of an accuser's name or specific offense alleged -- showed it was all more circus than substance.

"Until something comes out that's concrete, I think it is politics as usual," retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, told CNN's "State of the Union."

To Rep. Darrell Issa, a California Republican backing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in the GOP race, Cain is undergoing a difficult transition from private business figure to public politician.

"To go directly from being a businessman, without substantial time in the government arena, both the vetting and the knowledge of it, is really hard," Issa told NBC. "It's virtually impossible" and in Cain's presidential quest, may be "a bridge too far."

Former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a strong Democratic Party voice, suggested Cain's troubles were only part of the problem for Republicans on women's issues.

"I think what you're seeing is a huge assault on women's rights in the Republican parties, and an extreme right-wing that has taken over that is going to make it very difficult for anybody in a general election in the Republican Party to be a centrist," Richardson said on NBC.

Despite the week of uproar over the accusations, Cain's campaign reported a spike in donations, while polls have yet to determine any significant affect on his support.

That's not harassment, that's sexual assault.

[Mr Bean]

That's not harassment, that's sexual assault.

If true, which with Gloria Allred involved and her demands for sexual assault being... saying he did it? Not a sack of money or jail time but admitting he did it? Kind of an odd request for someone who that happened to.

[Flagg]

Statute of limitations is up in both civil and criminal court so that's really the only valid request she can make.

[Simon_Jester]

Assuming this is true, which I'm not disputing one way or the other:

Why would she want money? She might just want revenge. I, for one, wouldn't blame her.

If he tried to threaten her into bed by withholding a job from her, it seems fair that she would turn around and withhold a job from him- in this case, the Oval Office.

[Mr Bean]

Statute of limitations is up in both civil and criminal court so that's really the only valid request she can make.

I misread the story, had this been in Ohio the statue would be up in 2017 but as it was Washington it was 2007 but there are notes that it could have been held as late as 2009 if she ever filed a police report. So yes I guess an apology is all she can demand at this point legally.