The Other McCain

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Cain in N.H.: ‘I’m Not Finished Yet!’

Posted on | December 1, 2011 | 13 Comments

Tim Buckland of the Manchester (N.H.) Union Leader reports:

MANCHESTER — A small group of supporters and a horde of media got unclear answers Wednesday night whether Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is staying in the race.
During a gathering held for core New Hampshire supporters at his campaign office on Lowell Street, Cain told the group: “They keep coming after me. After that firestorm, people thought I was finished. Well, just like Yogi Berra said, it ain’t over ‘til it’s over, and I’m not finished yet.”
But, during a five-minute press conference held after the appearance, he said he was still “reassessing” his campaign.
“As a businessman, that’s what I do,” he said. “I don’t make a kneejerk reaction.”
He said he would make a decision “about the campaign” within the next few weeks after he evaluates the impact the campaign is having on his family, his supporters and on fundraising.
“During this hit, fundraising went down. I admit that,” he said. “But fundraising is starting to go back up.”
But he never said during the meet-and-greet with supporters or during the press conference if he is considering dropping out. His political advisor, Bo Harmon, said Cain planned to keep an appointment [Thursday] with the New Hampshire Union Leader for an interview. . . .

Skip Murphy of Granite Grok live-blogged the Manchester event and at the “media availability” (translation: press conference) after the event, Skip says the media disgraced themselves:

Tonite was a great “teachable moment” in how the MSM can make anyone appear in a bad light — all it takes is an uppity attitude, a whiny voice, a TV camera, and a pre-determined narrative.

Skip singles out Amy Coveno of WMUR-TV for her especially petulant attitude. Hell hath no fury like an anchorette scorned. And via Memeorandum, Susan Saulny and Jeff Zeleny of the New York Times report under a Columbus, Ohio, dateline:

But nothing in Mr. Cain’s actions on Wednesday suggested that he would halt his campaign as he engaged in a whirlwind day of campaigning around Ohio and in New Hampshire.
“They want you to believe that we can’t do this,” he told a few hundred supporters gathered in a hotel ballroom in Dayton on Wednesday morning. “They want you to believe that with enough character assassination on me, I will drop out!”
The audience shouted, “No!” and “Don’t go!”
Mr. Cain seemed delighted. “Well, the American people have a different idea,” he said. “The American people are going to raise some Cain in 2012!”

Longtime Cain enthusiast Chris Barron (who remembers when this blog was just about the only place on the Web regularly covering the Cain campaign) makes his case: “Why Herman Cain Should NOT Drop Out.”


Category: Election 2012, Herman Cain, New Hampshire, Ohio

Comments

13 Responses to “Cain in N.H.: ‘I’m Not Finished Yet!’”

  1. Anonymous
    December 1st, 2011 @ 10:14 am

    Wow DISQUS not fixed yet? Bummer.

  2. Peter Ingemi
    December 1st, 2011 @ 10:19 am

    Thanks for linking the Grok, they are first class guys, if I wasn’t sick in bed yesterday I would have been there with them.

  3. Joe
    December 1st, 2011 @ 10:31 am

    Discus still sucks.  I am hoping Herman does not suck.  I hope he can recover.  Because I am not digging the alternative of Newt or Romney. 

  4. Joe
    December 1st, 2011 @ 10:35 am

    Of course Cain saying he has not fully decided yet and has to talk to his wife face to face is problematic.  She cannot be thrilled with all of this.  Lies can hurt as much as the truth. 

  5. Anonymous
    December 1st, 2011 @ 10:36 am

    It seems fixed, or maybe it is just a different view since I am on my phone.

  6. Anonymous
    December 1st, 2011 @ 10:39 am

    The Cain campaign seems to actually be engaging in strategy rather than just grass roots cheerleading…a positive development.

    Obviously, Cain is going to stay in the race. However, his Lenron James “decision” moment changes the narrative and the discussion. It also forces G

  7. edward royce
    December 1st, 2011 @ 10:55 am

    1. Herman Cain actually fighting back; might be impressive.

    2. Herman Cain not actually fighting back; don’t waste my time.  Seriously.  Do.  Not.  Waste.  My.  Time.

    3. Herman Cain accepting that he is totally out of the running because he approached running for President like a jackass … but remaining in the race to hold everyone’s feet to the bonfire on important issues;  Very Very impressive.

    which will it be?

  8. Anonymous
    December 1st, 2011 @ 11:12 am

    Seems like it is number 1 at the moment.

  9. edward royce
    December 1st, 2011 @ 11:51 am

    Well we can hope for a “no half-measures” approach.

    Otherwise it’s a “Bring out yer dead!”.

  10. Anonymous
    December 1st, 2011 @ 12:04 pm

    Yes, it is on him to fight. If he wants it, if he really feels this country is in danger, he will have to fight…his supporters can only encourage him to do so.

    The thought that people have to defend or not defend a candidate is ludicrous.

    Candidates must defend themselves and voters must he sure that they vet the available information rather than be in the position of defending or not defending.

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    December 1st, 2011 @ 1:20 pm

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