The “news” media are no longer even pretending to have any code of ethics – especially regarding an uppity black man who has become so brave as to run for high office on a conservative platform that deviates from the leftist plantation.
Yesterday, Politico ran a “news story” that two unidentified women made unspecified accusations of sexual harassment twelve years ago against Herman Cain that might or might not have been true. This article followed a “reporter” accosting Cain as he was leaving a news interview, shoving a microphone in his face, and demanding, “Have you ever been accused, sir, in your life of harassment by a woman? Yes or no?” (The accusatory “yes or no” part was not included in the Politico account linked above.)
Of course, since no one could possibly know with certainty whether he had ever been accused by anyone in his entire life of some unspecified offense, Cain wisely declined to answer, choosing instead (appropriately enough) to ask the same question back to that “reporter” (who, unsurprisingly, declined to answer).
What followed was a typical feeding frenzy, with every major “news” organ making their top story the fact that Cain refused to answer whether he had ever been accused of committing an unspecified act. Note that not one single “news” outlet claimed to have the slightest shred of evidence that Cain had actually committed any such act.
The lead story of every major “news” organ in the country was that Herman Cain could not, on the spur of the amount, give a specific answer to unspecified allegations by an unspecified source that two unspecified women had at some unspecified time made unspecified allegations of unspecified conduct.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your “news” media in 2011.
That the treatment of Herman Cain in this matter did not comport with basic journalistic ethics is undeniable – as is the fact that it did not comport with basic human decency. But then, when a black person in 21st century America dares to deviate from leftist dogma or to leave the Democrat Party plantation, the knee-jerk reaction of the left and their “news” media is to hunt him down like the fugitve slave that he has become. See, e.g., Clarence Thomas, who was the victim of the machinations of leftist icons Ted Kennedy and Howard Metzenbaum.
Whoever leaked this non-story to the “news” media was sophisticated enough to know that the media would run with it even though it had nowhere near the level of specificity and detail that journalistic ethics and human decency require. And that begs the question: Who sandbagged Herman Cain by leaking this “story”?
Put another way, who gains by hurting Cain? Here are three possibilities:
Rick Perry – Perry has been trying to regain his position as the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney. Cain currently holds that slot, so in order for Perry to retake the pole position, he needs to force Cain out of the slot. But I don’t believe it was Perry for one simple reason: He and his campaign aren’t bright enough. Perry has run such an inept campaign that I don’t believe that he and his campaign have the talent and finesse to pull something like this off. Also, the “news” media despise Rick Perry, and they would never protect him in such a leak. The temptation to further their stereotype of Perry as a racist by showing him sandbagging his black opponent would be irresistible to them.
Mitt Romney – Although Romney has a clear advantage in the early primary states, Cain is tied with him in national polls, is beating him throughout the southern states, and is clearly the candidate with the most momentum. Romney assumed until recently that Cain was not a serious threat, but he has to be reassessing that assumption given Cain’s ongoing surge. So far, Romney has been careful not to attack or even criticize Cain, presumably out of some condescending reluctance to go after the black guy. But Romney does have a single-minded determination to win this nomination by any means necessary (including changing his position on virtually every core issue). And Romney is running an absolutely outstanding textbook campaign that is being managed by highly experienced and talented operatives. There is no question that Romney’s campaign has the sophistication to plant this “story” and watch it ignite into an inferno. And furthermore, Romney is the “news” media’s chosen and preferred candidate for the GOP nomination (just as John McCain was their designated GOP candidate in 2008), so there is little doubt that Romney’s campaign could leak this “story” and have his identity protected.
Any leftist – The left is the modern home of racism and bigotry. As collectivists, leftists naturally see the world through racist lenses. Cain is not an individual. He is a black. And as such, he is expected to toe the leftist line. Because he has refused to do so, and worse, has chosen to flaunt views that are unauthorized by leftist masters, he must be destroyed. In that vein, the “story” could have been leaked by any leftist who saw an opportunity to take down and make an example of another uppity black conservative.
To be clear, I have no information as to who leaked this non-story. I am simply analyzing who had the motive and might have had the opportunity to do so.
As for me, the combination of this hit job on Cain and his dignified and candid handling of this matter has given me a whole new level of respect for him. With Rick Perry removing himself as a serious contender, I am now giving serious consideration to supporting Herman Cain for President.
UPDATE: Northern Virginia Lawyer has discovered that Cain’s successor at the National Restaurant Association donated $1,000 to Romney. Doesn’t make this man or Romney the culprit, but it is enough of a coincidence that it would be worthwhile for someone to contact him and ask some questions.
