When Herman Cain suggested grooming Tiger Woods as a 2016 presidential candidate
After his 2004 campaign for the U.S. Senate, Herman Cain went into the talk radio business, with a little political punditry on the side. Below is a Dec. 13, 2006, piece of fortune-telling by Cain – who is an avid golfer. It goes without saying that this was written before Tiger Woods’ wife took after him with a five-iron:
The current announced crop of 2008 Republican presidential contenders is about as inspiring as Saturday’s leftovers for Monday’s lunch. John McCain. We’ve seen that movie. Do we have to watch the sequel? Rudy Giuliani. Great leader, hates terrorists, but farther to the left than a Blue Dog Democrat. Mitt Romney. Where does he stand on the issues today?
Thankfully, as Monday turns to Tuesday, hope springs eternal for Friday night when, in my case, I order two pieces of fried catfish fillet and my favorite sides from my favorite restaurant. No more leftovers, no more cold sandwiches, just wide-eyed visions of spicy catfish with a dash of Tabasco. Which leads us to the 2016 presidential race. And Eldrick “Tiger” Woods.
Tiger Woods at the 2011 Masters in Augusta. Brant Sanderlin, bsanderlin@ajc.com
The next president, likely a lifelong politician with too much inside-the-Beltway circular thinking, will have finished his two terms by 2016. By then we will still be victims of Beltway politics-as-usual and impotent leadership from both parties. The voters will long for a candidate who inspires the nation with an unwavering passion to fix problems and place policy over politics.
Tiger will be 40 years old in 2016. The Republican Party should begin grooming him now for a run at the White House. His personal attributes and accomplishments on the golf course point to a candidate who will be a problem solver, not a politician.
Tiger’s success on the golf course, which will translate to success in the White House, is a product of his character, discipline and leadership by example. Tiger has one objective when he steps up to the first tee – win. The Republicans desperately need a candidate who will not seek personal legacies through political victories that compromise conservative ideology and increase the scope of federal government. Tiger’s legacy is already set.
This year Tiger, at the age of 30, became the youngest golfer in history to amass 50 PGA victories. He currently has 54 career victories, fifth on the all-time list. Tiger already has 12 victories in major tournaments, second to Jack Nicklaus’ 18 major wins. And, this year Tiger won a record seventh PGA Player of the Year Award. After dominating his competitors for so many years, do you really think Tiger wants to schlep around the Senior Tour when he turns 50?
History may bode well for a Tiger Woods presidential bid. In 1952, Dwight Eisenhower, then a popular former World War II general and Supreme Commander of Allied forces in Europe, cruised to victory with 83 percent of the electoral vote over political insider Adlai Stevenson, the Democratic governor of Illinois. In 1980, Ronald Reagan, a former actor and governor of California, won 90 percent of the electoral vote over sitting President Jimmy Carter. To say Americans today are disillusioned with Congress and the President is an understatement. A November 6 Fox News/ Opinion Dynamics poll found 38 percent approval of President Bush, and just 29 percent approval of Congress.
Tiger has surely contemplated both his future goals in golf and his next challenges when he retires from the game. How refreshing to have a political outsider run for president again. I mercifully don’t sense many phony platitudes toward a “compassionate” streak in Tiger. This is the same guy who beat the 1997 Masters Tournament field by 12 strokes – a record that still stands – at the age of 21, and then stated, “I’ve never played an entire tournament with my A-game. This was pretty close.”
Imagine what he would do to Islamic terrorists and Nancy Pelosi.
If the Democrats maintain control of Congress and the presidency through 2016, the big issues of restructuring Social Security, replacing the tax code and instilling free market forces in the health care system will still not be fixed. If the Republican Party regains the majority in Congress and retains the presidency, there is no guarantee that they will have the courage to make bold changes. Only an outsider will possess the leadership and the conviction to tackle the big issues without regard for the polls, media spin or inane promises of bipartisanship.
Tiger Woods could be an inspiring figure for the country, the likes of which we have not seen since Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ronald Reagan. Tiger’s late father Earl Woods said in 1996 that the then-young golfer “will do more than any other man in history to change the course of humanity.” The elder Woods added, “I made him a promise.’You’ll never run into another person as mentally tough as you.’ He hasn’t. And he won’t.”
The Republican presidential candidate in 2016 must not come from inside the Beltway. He must come from inside the fairway, for all of us.
Cain would eventually endorse Mitt Romney in the 2008 presidential contest. And note the “problem-solver, not a politician” line — that’s now one of Cain’s standard stump phrases.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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137 comments Add your comment
Centrist
October 5th, 2011
2:53 pm
What on earth is the point of this blog item?
commoncents
October 5th, 2011
3:01 pm
Tiger is much closer to being a politican ever since he got caught up in those affairs
Pascual Perez Atlanta Tours
October 5th, 2011
3:02 pm
Ah, the days of a 29% congress approval rating…good times.
Independent voter
October 5th, 2011
3:17 pm
This is a joke tiger wood would never be president what is wrong with Cain that what you call brainwash.
Independent voter
October 5th, 2011
3:18 pm
I guess Cain think Tiger Wood would be a better president then he would.
Frederick Douglass
October 5th, 2011
3:22 pm
There’re more bats flying around in Herman’s head than there are in Carlsbad Caverns.
Centrist
October 5th, 2011
3:27 pm
O.I.C. This blog item replaces the poorly reviewed Washington Post hit piece previously posted, and opens the door to some Cain bashing.
The Multi-Cultural Kid
October 5th, 2011
3:32 pm
“If the Democrats maintain control of Congress and the presidency through 2016, the big issues of restructuring Social Security, replacing the tax code and instilling free market forces in the health care system will still not be fixed. If the Republican Party regains the majority in Congress and retains the presidency, there is no guarantee that they will have the courage to make bold changes. Only an outsider will possess the leadership and the conviction to tackle the big issues without regard for the polls, media spin or inane promises of bipartisanship.”
Sounds fairly correct to me. Thanks for making Herman look even better Mr. Galloway!
DannyX
October 5th, 2011
3:41 pm
I don’t think Tiger Woods is eligible to be president. No one has seen his birth certificate. I believe he was born in the Philippines, his mom was a Muslim over there.
rojer
October 5th, 2011
3:43 pm
Agreed Centrist… WTF? This is a verbatim reprint of an old story and is totally out of context given the 180 turn in Tigers game, life and popularity. Why bother… do your job and write a blog post.
Centrist
October 5th, 2011
3:49 pm
Political news instead of tripe:
Barack Obama continued his sales blitz across the country Tuesday, touting his jobs plan and scolding Republicans in Congress more than once to “pass this bill.”
There was only one rather embarrassing problem: his $447 billion proposal was blocked in the Senate—by his fellow Democrats.
“What I am trying to do here today by requesting this vote on the president’s jobs bill is to honor the request of the president of the United States that we vote on it now,” McConnell said with a smile. “He has been asking us repeatedly over the last few weeks that we vote on it now.”
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid stepped up to stop a vote in the Senate on the president’s measure because he does not have enough votes within his own party, let alone from Republicans, to pass the bill he’s been hyping for weeks.
The last-minute move by Reid saved Obama from the immediate embarrassment of losing a battle inside the family, but it highlighted the gulf between Obama and Congressional Democrats, who now operate almost entirely apart from the White House and have, in many cases, decided that supporting their unpopular president today is not worth losing their own jobs next November.
Meanwhile, VP Biden is railing against Republicans for supposedly blocking the jobs bill – when it is actually Senate Majority Harry Reid. You won’t be reading that in “Politifact” – not surprising for a liberal mainstream media product, “PolitiFact” simply uses selection bias in favor of Democrats as described here:
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/cspg/smartpolitics/2011/02/selection_bias_politifact_rate.php
jean
October 5th, 2011
3:57 pm
Is this a joke? Tiger would never be voted for anything!
DannyX
October 5th, 2011
4:03 pm
Tiger will be going up against the most popular politician in America in 2016, Hillary Clinton. The latest CNN poll has her at 69% favorable, by far the most popular politician. (Yes, Rasmussen says the same thing.)
Republicans get the worst ratings Boehner 37% approval, McConnell 23%. LOL.
Its even worse for the very unpopular Tea Party only 28% favorable, 53% unfavorable. Dems are 44% favorable, 48% unfavorable.
Hillary, landslide, 2016.
Frederick Douglass
October 5th, 2011
4:12 pm
If Tiger were to gain about an 500 additional pounds, become arrogant as hell, snap at his opponents…..Oh wait, if Tiger would just gain 500 pounds he’d be a perfect GOP candidate.
Centrist
October 5th, 2011
4:20 pm
More news instead of tripe – despite liberal posters denial, here is a (tear in the eye) NYT article about how ILLEGAL immigration laws are sending such immigrants home or to sanctuary states:
After Ruling, Hispanics Flee an Alabama Town
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/04/us/after-ruling-hispanics-flee-an-alabama-town.html?_r=2&hp=&pagewanted=all
MrLiberty
October 5th, 2011
4:36 pm
Like I said before, this guy’s star will fade too, just like all the other status-quo candidates running. Ron Paul continues to rise in the polls as more and more americans realize that only HE has the right answers to deal with all the mess the government has gotten us into since the Fed was founded in 1913. End the Fed. Ron Paul 2012.
findog
October 5th, 2011
4:41 pm
Jim,
Everyone knows you use a wedge for that shot, it has 25% more club head weight than a five iron
Will
October 5th, 2011
4:42 pm
Jim, I’m not sure I understand your purpose for rolling out this dated tounge-in-cheek piece Herman wrote a number of years ago.
findog
October 5th, 2011
4:44 pm
Centrist,
This item proves that talk show hosts are like senator’s running for president
Both have a tendency to have said something stupid
I will vote for Cain over any of the other current GOP candidates on super Tuesday
History will Teach Us if We Will Learn
October 5th, 2011
4:44 pm
Centrist,unlike you Mr. Galloway’s Political Insider is entertaining and provides his perspective on politics. If you want a blog that espouses your view of politics, read Peach Pundit, Red State or better yet pontificate on your own Blog. I am positive it will be like that other network of absolute truth, “Fair and Balanced”.
OedipusTax
October 5th, 2011
4:45 pm
Next to the sins and failures of Obama, Tiger Woods, even with his flaws, would make his Presidency in comparison resemble characteristics of Mahatma Gandhi, Jesus Christ, and Martin Luther King. Just because he’s cheated on his wife, that seems to be a qualification for most Democratic candidates these days.
Road Scholar
October 5th, 2011
4:45 pm
Cain and Tiger don’t have a chance because they both play golf and the tea party does not approve of playing golf! i.e. President Obama How can Herman and Tiger play golf when there is a recession?
Steve Anderson
October 5th, 2011
4:48 pm
Possibly the most useless article that I’ve read today. Let’s dredge up some more outdated opinions or quotes while we’re at it. Might as well be a current report on the upcoming Y2K…
Big Daddy
October 5th, 2011
4:52 pm
Prima Facie evidence that Tom Cain has bats in his belfry.
JF McNamara
October 5th, 2011
4:58 pm
Does Tiger even have a college degree? He can’t even work in Corporate America much less the White House.
OedipusTax
October 5th, 2011
5:00 pm
@BigDaddy, excuse me, “Tom Cain?” Are you missing the “Uncle”?
Capt. Quantrill
October 5th, 2011
5:02 pm
Cain starts pulling big support and the “party faithful” start publishing junk like this to dampen a great contender … how about publish some of dear leader’s recent incoherent mumblings, there are plenty of gaffs to keep the press busy..if they want.
John
October 5th, 2011
5:04 pm
I’ll take Tiger over Obama right now.
Centrist
October 5th, 2011
5:05 pm
More economic/ politically related news that liberals don’t want to know about:
According to Census data – during the first quarter of 2010, 34.2% of Americans lived in a household on the dole that received benefits such as food stamps, subsidized housing, cash welfare or Medicaid (the federal-state health care program for the poor). The share of people relying on government benefits has reached a historic high because of the expansion of government programs over the years. Some 46.4% of households will pay no federal income tax this year, according to the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. That’s up from 39.9% in 2007, the year the recession began.
Travis McGee
October 5th, 2011
5:07 pm
This blog is relevant only insofar as it gives a little insight into ol’ Herm’s judgement. Herman Cain has skated in the debates with his talking points and charm. Ask him a pertinent question and he’ll fold like a Robert Hall suit.
He’s a great guy, charming and would a fine conversation over a little bourbon, but he’s not up to the task of President.
Sorry about that, but the voters will come to that conclusion too in another debate or two. He’ll slip like me on March ice.
RGB
October 5th, 2011
5:13 pm
Is this in lieu of the the obligatory weekly “Newt in Tiffany’s” item?
Meanwhile millions remain unemployed, debt grows, our sovereignty crumbles.
Funny excerpt from a poster: “…but he’s (Cain) not up to the task of President. ”
Umm, compared to whom? Short of provoking an attack of the U.S. by countries with nuclear-tipped missiles, could Obama be doing any worse? No.
Martin Williams
October 5th, 2011
5:14 pm
The world got some very serious leadership problem and it is going to get worst. When people like Cain, Perry, and Christie supporters want him to run for president.
Jenzen
October 5th, 2011
5:18 pm
@Centrist, 2.53p;
Don’t you know by now that anything negative against a coservative, Republican or Herman Cain can and will be used as accentuated by this liberal jerk that pens these mindless articles. Jimmie Galloway thrives on negatives about us poor conservatives and the more he can degrade Herman (and, therefore, get more AA’s to think twice about possibly voting for him instead of the usual plantation voting mentality), the better.
Peter
October 5th, 2011
5:20 pm
Well as one poster noted this was a few years ago Cain said this about Tiger…….in 1996 ?
Why again as the poster stated…… bring it up now ?
And after the affairs…..please, how many woman will vote for him ?
Is there a point to this article ?
Buck Hayek
October 5th, 2011
5:24 pm
Herb Cain is an idiot and his “success” as a pizza vendor was fiction – see the Bloomberg article from June 2011.
Godfathers LOST market share while Cain led them.
Rob
October 5th, 2011
5:30 pm
Fitting. America has lost “market share” with Obama at the helm, so it seems like a fair trade.
Repub
October 5th, 2011
5:36 pm
Herman Cain and Tiger Woods have as much a chance to become President of the U.S. as Richard Nixon. Both are egotistical blowhards as well.
Please
October 5th, 2011
5:42 pm
Cain is reminding more and more of someone’s crazy old Peepaw.
Centrist
October 5th, 2011
5:46 pm
Yea, look at how thin Cain’s resume (before he was CEO of a pizza chain) is compared to the current social organizer:
Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics.
Master’s degree in Computer Science.
Mathematician for the Navy, where he worked on missile ballistics.
Computer systems analyst for Coca-Cola.
VP of Corporate Data Systems and Services for Pillsbury (this is the top of the ladder in the computer world, being in charge of information systems for a major corporation). Took charge of Pillsbury’s 400 poor performing Burger King restaurants and turned them around to best performers in three years.
Adviser to the Federal Reserve System, and became Chairman of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank.
Black man
October 5th, 2011
5:48 pm
The only reason this was published was to try to associate Herman Cain with Tiger’s current bad name.
Fact checker
October 5th, 2011
5:51 pm
I think it was actually a 9 iron. Needed a bit more loft on that back window.
Buck Hayek
October 5th, 2011
5:57 pm
Centrist – Cain has a nice LinkedIn resume. So what? Buffett made $45 billion which makes Cain an, well, an IT director.
Buffett actually understands the economy and capitalism! Cain parrots talking points.
You want resumes? I got 2 million better than Cains.
mars
October 5th, 2011
5:58 pm
What on earth? An exerpt of a 2006 radio bit, when EVERYBODY thought Tiger traversed the links on angels wings. To have people question Mr. Cain’s judgement? What was your opinion of Tiger in 2006, Mr. Galloway? I bet you considered him an astounding role model, as did almost all media types. What complete jackassery to bring this up now!
mars
October 5th, 2011
6:04 pm
Buck Hayek, thanks for the warning about Herb Cain, whoever that is. Me…I’m voting for Herman. You stick with your jackass, see what falls on your shoe.
RAMZAD
October 5th, 2011
6:05 pm
The Republican Tea Party circus rolls on. Tiger Woods is looking real good right now, after Michelle Bachman, Rick Perry, Tim Pawlenty and Hermasn Cain.
It also reaffirms my prevailing view that Barack Obama should be re-elected.
clem
October 5th, 2011
6:05 pm
after watching a clip of cain on tv, he said all those out of work should blame themselves not wall st……what an idiot
MIssilehead
October 5th, 2011
6:07 pm
A BS article to discredit Cain whom is better qualified than Obama. Elmer Fudd or Scobby Do would be a better President than Obama.
DHD
October 5th, 2011
6:20 pm
This was OBVIOUSLY before Woods’ issues. Why this article? You must really be hurting for something to write. But, since this is the AJC, it’s not surprising.
Funny Stuff
October 5th, 2011
6:25 pm
Will you write about those on the left who wanted John Edwards as the president? Didn’t think so. This is a joke…just like this “news” organization.
Alabama Communist
October 5th, 2011
6:33 pm
More Breaking News On Herman Wanting a Rich Asia Black Prevert Golfer to Be Pres In 2012…A unknown Tea Party Republican source at the Augusta Country Club said today ” I was going to vote for Tiger until Herman said Tiger was finishing his PreistHood in Training Program at Hooters”