Originally published by Communities @ Washington Times
SAN DIEGO, September 29, 2011—Herman Cain’s straw poll victory in Florida may be a result of some bone honest sincerity. Unlike so many others, with Cain, what we see seems to be what we get. True, the man does not have as much experience as other GOP candidates, but he wears this anti-credential as a badge of honor, knowing how sick and tired our country is of professional politicians and how desperate they are to find a successful businessman who knows how to create a variety of jobs; not merely green jobs, or government jobs, or union jobs, or any of the other job categories likely to re-elect the hand that feeds them.
On matters like foreign policy, one wishes Cain had more experience, but then, when we recall Candidate Obama’s glowing foreign resume and President Obama’s attempts to appease our enemies with every gimmick short of red roses and a box of See’s Candies, Cain’s logical mind and sincere convictions come across as a breath of fresh air.
The fact that his moral compass hasn’t had its needle twisted by the “tolerant” fingers of Political Correctness is another plus.
Unfortunately, candidates least likely to win tend to speak the most honestly in pre-primary debates, probably because they have nothing to lose. Once the base looks secure, they move toward the center faster than a busy waiter in a crowded restaurant asks if you’re done working on your plate while lifting the plate away from you. So who knows what we might hear from Cain should he ever eclipse Romney and Perry? Will he become the very candidate he challenges?
Perry, you’ll recall, confidently entered the race as if Super Tuesday were only a formality. Enter those pesky debates! The poor guy never knew what hit him. Not that debating ability (or lack thereof) should be our sole barometer of a candidate’s effectiveness. The wittiest sound bite, the snappiest comeback, the sharpest tie, and the coat hanger forged smile mean absolutely nothing. There’s another little matter called “policy.” Unfortunately, Perry came up short here as well.
The Texas governor’s defense concerning state assisted education for children of illegal aliens drew boos from a crowd of conservatives and he looked quite surprised, even though his tie still looked great. Could Perry have been so confident of Tea Party support that he was already making a play for those coveted Independents? Rick could still ricochet by admitting that he made a mistake or (should a call for greater honesty be warranted) confessing that his policy was more about catering to an Hispanic voting block and less about “having a heart.”
Such honesty from Perry would offer a refreshing surprise. What would not be as much of a surprise: Moderate, reinvented Cain in the hands of campaign advisors and tacticians.
GOP candidates, please, just tell the truth, even if the truth demands penance for a previous lie. Speak your mind and don’t lose sleep over the next morning’s New York Times editorial page (as if they were looking for a Republican to support in 2012) or some Hollywood celebrity’s Bizarro World definitions of “hate” and “racism.” If it costs you the election, you can at least go down in history as a person of integrity. Either way, roll the dice: Chances are, such rare courage might win you the election anyway.
