Huntsman presses on with campaign

Herman Cain announced he is suspending his campaign for president following allegations of an extramarital affair and claims of sexual harassment.

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Herman Cain was news everywhere this week, even in China where I spent a day and a half on a business trip.

Everyone I talked with wanted to know why Cain was in so much trouble over his marital conduct.

"What does that have to do with his qualifications for being president?" the ever-pragmatic businessmen of Beijing wanted to know.

I tried to explain that Republicans are big family-values people and that getting caught for having what appeared to be a 13-year-long affair was hypocrisy.

"Well didn't your President Clinton have a similar problem?" they asked.

Yes, I said, but Clinton was a Democrat and his affairs never last 13 years, in fact they rarely lasted over 13 minutes.

I have to say that Beijing never ceases to amaze me. The airport is one of the biggest in the world. The hotels are some of the best in the world. The traffic is some of the worst.

And smack dab in the middle of it all is the biggest U.S. Embassy I've ever seen. I'm sure the cost of building the embassy has been declared "top secret," because the price must have really been off the charts.

While the rest of the political world focused on Herman Cain suspending his campaign, former Utah governor Jon Huntsman’s said he’ll press on in hopes of earning the Republican Party’s nominee for president.

Huntsman was at Rogers BBQ on Second Loop Road in Florence for a brief visit Saturday. The former U.S. ambassador to China was with his wife, Mary Kaye, and former S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster. The three greeted restaurant patrons before the candidate made brief remarks and answered questions from supporters.

When asked about Cain suspending his campaign and his inevitable departure from the race, Huntsman was cordial but did not comment on whether he thought the businessman’s exit could bolster his own support.

“I’ve enjoyed getting to know Herman, he’s a good man,” Huntsman said. “He was a great candidate and he brought a lot of ideas and energy to the race. I wish him well and I wish his family well.”

Huntsman wasn’t the only presidential candidate to compliment Cain on ideas expressed during the race. Gov. Mitt Romney, who battled Cain atop the polls until accusations of sexual harassment and alleged affairs began to swirl, addressed his now former opponent in a tweet shortly after the announcement.

“Herman's campaign was one of ideas,” Romney said. “His decision was based on what is best for him and his family. We wish Herman and Gloria the best.”

Cain’s departure will prove significant as primary contests move forward, especially for both Huntsman and Romney. While a majority of the candidates have concentrated their efforts on Iowa and the Jan. 3 caucuses there, Huntsman decided early on to bypass the caucus and concentrate nearly exclusively on the New Hampshire primary on Jan. 10 and Romney’s presence in the caucus has been minimal.

While Huntsman told supporters Saturday he had moved up to third in the polls in New Hampshire, Real Clear Politics average has the governor polling no better than fourth behind Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul respectively.

While Cain himself was already polling behind Huntsman in New Hampshire, support for the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza will disperse to the other candidates and Huntsman needs a bump in the polls if his campaign is to attract support heading into South Carolina on Jan. 21.

“When people look at my record, they will see that I was a conservative governor and my track record would exceed, perhaps, the others in the race in terms of the conservative polices that I’ve implemented,” Huntsman said.

Beyond the primary, the former ambassador to China expressed confidence that if he secured the nomination he would have the ability to garner the support of independents and even some Democrats with his track record on foreign policy, the economy and leadership.

“If we’re not smart enough to bring independents into the fold too, we’re not going to win,” he said. “You’ve got to make sure the math works and so you’ve got to cross boundaries, which we are uniquely able to do.”

Herman Cain suspends presidential campaign

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Herman Cain, following a populist and starkly unconventional GOP presidential campaign, this afternoon announced he was suspending his candidacy, saying allegations of sexual harassment and a 13-year affair had hampered his ability to get his message out.

Stepping off a bus with his face plastered on it, and walking hand-in-hand with his wife, Gloria, Cain announced to a crowd of supporters in Atlanta that they should be proud of what they accomplished.

“These false and unproved accusations continue to be spinned in the media and the court of public opinion so as to create a cloud of doubt over me, and this campaign, and my family,” Cain said. “That spin hurts. It hurts my wife, it hurts my family, it hurts me, and it hurts the American people because you are being denied solutions to our problems.”

Remaining unapologetic, Cain would at least four times repeat the phrase “false and unproved accusations” in his short address.

He said he would be making an endorsement in the near future. In a speech in which he railed against “career politicians,” it was unclear to whom he will throw his support in a field that includes a number of longtime political hands.

Many political observers have contended that Newt Gingrich would benefit the most from a Cain departure. The base of support for both candidates, who hail from Georgia, is in the crucial deep South.

In the early voting battleground of Florida, in particular, the former House speaker could benefit. Cain pulled out a surprise victory in a straw poll there this fall.

Yet, the idiosyncratic and rebellious nature of Cain’s candidacy could also benefit Representative Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, who aggressively courts Tea Party support.

The setting of the announcement today was as incongruent as the campaign himself. Cain’s staff had originally billed the event as the grand opening of Cain’s new national headquarters. Before he spoke, the atmosphere at the site was an odd mix of festive and apprehension.

He had run a guerilla campaign that brandished his lack of political experience as a badge of honor, while he lamented that the career politicians of Washington had let down the American people. Drawing support from the Tea Party movement and wielding an unabashed sense of optimism and an easy charisma, the former talk show host and businessman soared in the polls in the early fall.

He was helped by a series of strong debate performances, considerable time on Fox News shows, and initial enthusiasm for his 9-9-9 tax reform plan that reduced corporate and most personal rates while introducing a national sales tax.

For Cain, who had been the head of Godfather’s Pizza and a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Mo., the key was developing out-of-the box ideas to rebuild the American economy and restore the confidence of the American consumer.

His ballooning popularity, however, was punctured by a series of revelations that surfaced, first on the Politico website, concerning allegations of sexual harassment made against him while he was the head of the chief of the National Restaurant Association.

After strident denials from the candidate and reports from his staff that fund-raising actually was rising after the allegations, he faced another potentially devastating assertion on Monday. Another woman, Ginger White, contended that she had a 13-year affair with Cain.

The following day, Cain told staff members he would reassess his candidacy, even as he denied the most recent claim.

The campaign was beset by reports of conservative supporters stepping back from their commitment. In Iowa, for conservatives such as Cain a crucial barometer, his poll numbers late this week tumbled to 8 percent in a Des Moines Register poll, from 23 percent a month ago.

In announcing his intentions to suspend his candidacy, Cain was both reflective and defiant.

“One of the first declarations I want to make to you today is that I am at peace with my God. I am at peace with my wife. And she is at peace with me,” Cain said.

Yet later, to loud cheers, he declared: “I am not going to be silenced and I am not going away.”

Herman Cain may have been forced out of the race for president amid accusations of unseemly and inappropriate sexual behavior, but his White House bid and surprising rise in the polls have nonetheless boosted his earning power, a branding expert told Hotsheet.

Newt Gingrich, who has taken the insurgent mantle from Herman Cain in the Republican presidential primary, praised the Atlanta businessman upon his exit from the race.

“Herman Cain’s 999 plan got our country talking about the critical issue of tax reform and he elevated the dialogue of the primary,” Gingrich tweeted. “I am proud to know Herman Cain and consider him a friend and I know he will continue to be a powerful voice for years to come.”


Rob Frankel, author of "Revenge of Brand X," said the harassment allegations will "go away" and leave Cain with a valuable personal brand.

Cain left the Republican presidential race Saturday in the wake of multiple sexual harassment claims, as well as an allegation of a 13-year extramarital affair.

Still, the former Godfather's Pizza CEO's presidential run should be considered a clear success, Frankel argued.

"You take away this run and this guy wasn't even on the radar," he said, adding: "Everyone in this country now knows who this guy is, which helps a lot for book sales."

Cain spent a significant portion of his presidential run on a book tour that kept him away from key early voting states, prompting questions about the seriousness of his bid.

Mitt Romney also praised Cain on Twitter, but was the only candidate not to specifically mention the ideas that the former Godfather’s Pizza CEO brought to the race.

“Herman’s campaign was one of ideas,” he wrote. “His decision was based on what is best for him and his family. We wish Herman and Gloria the best.”

Jon Huntsman, who earlier this week called the allegations against Cain a distraction, was the first of the candidates to issue a press release upon Cain’s announcement that he is suspending his campaign.

“Herman Cain offered a unique and valuable voice to the debate over how to reform our country’s uncompetitive tax code and turn around the economy,” Huntsman said. “I understand his decision and wish him and his family the best.”

And Rick Perry’s campaign was the first to solicit Cain’s supporters. Perry’s media coordinator, Will Franklin, wrote on Twitter: “I would urge any Cain fans looking for a true outsider with a solid conservative record and a clear vision for America to give Perry a look.”

Perry himself offered best wishes.

“I know this was a difficult decision for Herman Cain, his family and his supporters,” he said. He helped invigorate conservative voters and our nation with a discussion of major tax reform. Anita and I wish him and his entire family all the best.”

Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul praised Cain as well.

“Herman Cain provided an important voice to this process. His ideas and energy generated tremendous enthusiasm for the conservative movement at a time it was so desperately needed to restore confidence in our country. I wish Herman, his wife Gloria, and his family all the best.”

And Paul said: “Herman Cain brought energy and enthusiasm to the Republican nominating process, as well as a unique perspective on many domestic issues important to voters such as tax code reform and a pro-growth agenda favorable to the private sector. In light of his suspension of campaign activities, I want to wish Herman success in his future endeavors.”

Gary Johnson said he hopes Cain continues in public life.

“I have no doubt Herman Cain will remain a significant voice in the dialogue about the many important issues we face,” Johnson said. “His rejection of business-as-usual in Washington has been a valuable part of this campaign, and clearly resonates with a great many Americans. I wish him the best.”

But former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer mocked Cain.

“I am truly saddened by Cain’s announcement. Who else is going to quote Pokemon at the Trump debate?” Roemer tweeted, referring to the planned debate Donald Trump is set to moderate at the end of the month.

Cain said Saturday that he planned to stay involved — he said his “Plan B” will be to stump for outsiders and his 9-9-9 tax plan — and endorse in the primary race, though he made no indication of who would get his support.


Cain's improved name recognition in the wake of his presidential run will likely mean higher speaking fees, larger book deals, and a potentially-lucrative role on television, Frankel noted. Past and present presidential and vice presidential candidates - including Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich - have found lucrative homes on Fox News.

Cain quipped during his speech announcing the end of his campaign that he had achieved "99.9" percent name recognition, a reference to his signature 9-9-9 tax plan.

According to Frankel, the allegations against Cain are unlikely to hurt his brand and earning power in the long run.

"As a result of dropping out, this story will just go away," he said. "This is not a stain on a blue dress."