Your morning jolt: A smokin’ Herman Cain ad flares
Like a smoldering cigarette, Herman Cain’s Internet ad had lain unnoticed for nearly a week.
On Tuesday, it flared. Exhaling a white cloud has once again become a symbol of rebellion. Not in an unfiltered, James Dean fashion. More of a style that shouts, “Get off my back. Medicare will eventually cover it.”
Cain’s campaign manager Mark Block takes up most of the 56 seconds. The GOP candidate’s smile – how does that grab you? – makes a cameo at the end:
The video was at once variously dissected as iconic, bizarre and baffling. Cain’s people rolled with it. Block on Fox:
“You walk into a veterans’ bar in Iowa and they’re sitting around smoking, and yeah, we are resonating with them. I’m not the only one that smokes in America for God’s sake. It’s a choice that I made, and was at the end of the ad,” he said.
But by putting the focus on Block, you also shine light on his biography – not the candidate’s. From the Daily Caller:
[Block] was also banned from politics in Wisconsin for three years and forced to pay a $15,000 fine after being accused by the Wisconsin State Elections Board of violating election law in 1997 as campaign manager to state Supreme Court Justice Jon P. Wilcox….
Block settled with the Wisconsin State Elections Board without admitting guilt. Broke and unable to work in politics under the settlement, he stocked shelves at Target.
His political rehabilitation includes meeting Herman Cain several years later, when Block was working as the head of the Wisconsin chapter of Americans for Prosperity.
And from the left, Mother Jones was reminded of Cain’s previous life in Washington:
And as a lobbyist for the National Restaurant Association in DC in the 1990s, Cain was one of the tobacco industry’s best friends on K Street. His group received big bucks from major cigarette manufacturers, and returned the favor by opposing things like smoking bans.
One view from abroad was withering. From Richard Adams of the Guardian in the U.K., who raised this possibility:
Alternatively, the Cain campaign is a “Springtime for Hitler” production designed to fail, as in The Producers, which those involved now furiously trying to derail because it’s turned successful. My money is on the whole Cain thing being a giant decoy operation run by the Romney campaign.
Expect many parodies to come. One of the first was by New York hip-hop radio personality Jay Smooth:
***
Meanwhile, a new Washington Post/ABC News poll has this dose of reality for Cainiacs this morning:
[M]ost Americans and about half of the most conservative Republicans and independents— 49 percent—have unfavorable impressions of what has become the featured policy for GOP contender Herman Cain, his “9-9-9” tax plan. Cain has suggested spiking the federal income tax in favor of twin 9 percent taxes rates on personal income and corporate taxes and a new 9 percent national sales tax.
***
State Sen. Vincent Fort, D-Atlanta, City Councilman Derrick Boazman and civil rights leader Joe Beasley were among those arrested at the Occupy Atlanta camp-in at Woodruff Park last night. And if you look at the opening seconds of this amateur seven-minute video, presumably shot by a protester, you catch a glimpse of a monitoring state Sen. Nan Orrock, D-Atlanta, outside the barriers.
***
At a Tuesday’s show-and-tell in Atlanta, both Gov. Nathan Deal and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed emphasized the need to pass next year’s transportation sales tax in order to enhance the port’s value. From Walter Jones with Morris News Service:
“It doesn’t do a whole lot of good to get larger vessels into the ports if we can’t get the cargo distributed around the state,” he said at a luncheon sponsored by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Ports Authority.
***
The AJC’s Politifact Georgia today examines a post circulating on Facebook that criticizes the House Republican majority for not focusing on job creation.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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104 comments Add your comment
td
October 26th, 2011
12:47 pm
It is time for my daily public education campaign:
There is no reason for you libs in Georgia to go out in vote next year if you are only going out to vote for Obama. Your votes will not be counted. All 16 votes in Georgia will be cast for the Republican nominee and zero votes will be cast for Obama. Do not fall for the myth that the popular vote counts in the Presidential election because it does not. Georgia is so safe for the Republicans that Obama knows it and will do just token campaigning in the state.
aikenite
October 26th, 2011
12:48 pm
double….I choose, freely, to not be a smoker. However, I think you, like many Democrats, miss my point.
DannyX
October 26th, 2011
12:50 pm
“Does this mean that it is you X that has been staling my screen name?”
Not me td, I post under one screen name. Lighten up.
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
12:53 pm
Td guess what I found for you read this article.
According to a Quinnipiac University poll of Ohio voters, Obama holds a four point margin over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in a hypothetical 2012 general election matchup. The president’s 45% to 41% margin over Romney is within the survey’s sampling error. The poll indicates that Obama holds a 47% to 39% advantage over businessman and former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain and has a 47% to 36% lead over Texas Gov. Rick Perry
DannyX
October 26th, 2011
12:54 pm
“However, I think you, like many Democrats, miss my point.”
What point is that aikenite? That government should stay out of the abortion issue? That gays should be allowed to marry? That marijuana should be legal?
What was your point?
td
October 26th, 2011
12:56 pm
DannyX
October 26th, 2011
12:50 pm
I did not think it was you because, even though I disagree with you on almost all political issues, I gave you more integrity then stooping to level of being a coward.
BTW: I am more than happy to meet anyone on these boards for dinner to discuss politics. One can like the person and not the person ideas. I have plenty of lib friends that I have been trying to bring over from the darkside of the force for years.
aikenite
October 26th, 2011
12:56 pm
Exactly!
aikenite
October 26th, 2011
12:58 pm
The States are capable of making those decisions. You are EXACTLY right. We don’t need a big central government.
td
October 26th, 2011
1:01 pm
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
12:53 pm
I have never said this was not going to be a close election. I do question the above number due to the fact that the Obama campaign (as pointed out on MSNBC) is so worried about loosing Ohio, Florida and maybe Penn that they are looking for another way to get to 270, hence, going to NC and VA so often.
It will be interesting and very close, maybe another Bush/Gore and end up in the courts again.
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
1:03 pm
Td Georgia will turn blue by november and the republicans going to lose that court case about the vote act rights. We know georgia is trying to take the right for african american and hispanic right to vote.
seabeau
October 26th, 2011
1:04 pm
I disagree with the deepening of the Savannah River. Georgia should join with the State of South Carolina to develop a deep water facility in Jasper County where deep enough water already exists.
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
1:05 pm
Td it not going to be a close election because Obama going win by landslide look at the polls number coming out today. I seen on CNN last nite that some of the republicans are not going to vote in 2012 election because of the candidates running for offices.
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
1:09 pm
Td what would you do if president Obama win 2012 election? Would you leave or stay in this country.
td
October 26th, 2011
1:10 pm
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
1:03 pm
Keep the faith about Ga. turning Blue by next November but you my friend are dreaming and I am afraid you are in store for a rude awakening. Did you happen to see the results in Georgia in 2010? Do you really think all those Republicans that voted for Deal, Johnny and ever other state wide office are going to all of a sudden turn blue? No way. Obama will not carry more than 43% of the vote next year (if that much).
double
October 26th, 2011
1:13 pm
Aikenite; Sorry you feel I missed the point.Why are we trying to get Voting Rights Act repealed.In your thinking why was it necessary to have?
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
1:13 pm
Td last election for president Obama lost by 6% margins that tell you something and I think he going to win Georgia in 2012. People are mad with Nathan and Johnny so we will see about Georgia turning blue.
td
October 26th, 2011
1:14 pm
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
1:09 pm
I would say that the country is lost and the non producing, government leaching crow won this round and we will probably become a socialist nation. It would be a sad day indeed. I would not leave the country because I have children here.
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
1:15 pm
Republicans are trying there best to redistricting Georgia to keep it red but the laws will show the ole politicians dont mess with the voter acts it for the people.
double
October 26th, 2011
1:16 pm
If he would just leave stat, would be a good start.
td
October 26th, 2011
1:16 pm
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
1:13 pm
Outside of the African American community in Georgia, 90% of the people think Obama is ruining our country and they are angry and will vote. I will even go out on a limb and predict that Obama will not receive as many African American votes in Ga as he did 4 years ago.
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
1:17 pm
Td so get prepare for 4 more years of president Obama.
td
October 26th, 2011
1:20 pm
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
1:17 pm
Td so get prepare for 4 more years of president Obama.
Maybe. It is to early to tell for sure right now. It is not to early to say that he will not carry Georgia and all of Ga’s votes will be cast for the Republican nominee.
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
1:25 pm
President Obama is putting alot of campaign money in Georgia to win this state. Georgia democrat is going to turn this state blue.
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
1:26 pm
Td dont let the african american fool you because they are watching this election closely and they are going to come out in full force for the president.
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
1:28 pm
That the Georgia republican is trying to change the voting laws before the election so the democrat want win GA.
findog
October 26th, 2011
1:33 pm
td always makes sense, I just don’t agree with his solutions
time was we could agree to disagree
now there’s a true yesterday memory
99% in GA
October 26th, 2011
1:33 pm
As for those in the World Trade Center… Well, really, let’s get a grip here, shall we? True enough, they were civilians of a sort. But innocent? Gimme a break. They formed a technocratic corps at the very heart of America’s global financial empire – the “mighty engine of profit” to which the military dimension of U.S. policy has always been enslaved – and they did so both willingly and knowingly. Recourse to “ignorance” – a derivative, after all, of the word “ignore” – counts as less than an excuse among this relatively well-educated elite. To the extent that any of them were unaware of the costs and consequences to others of what they were involved in – and in many cases excelling at – it was because of their absolute refusal to see. More likely, it was because they were too busy braying, incessantly and self-importantly, into their cell phones, arranging power lunches and stock transactions, each of which translated, conveniently out of sight, mind and smelling distance, into the starved and rotting flesh of infants. If there was a better, more effective, or in fact any other way of visiting some penalty befitting their participation upon the little Eichmanns inhabiting the sterile sanctuary of the twin towers, I’d really be interested in hearing about it.
td
October 26th, 2011
1:34 pm
Oh lordy, this board is heating up. I got on a new pair of fresh undies, and I am ready to blow off some steam! Holla! DannyX, how about dinner at my place tonight? The husband is gone to Oklahoma for the weekend. It will be all you and me!
Yours truly,
Tenacious D
td
October 26th, 2011
1:36 pm
findog
October 26th, 2011
1:33 pm
td always makes sense, I just don’t agree with his solutions
time was we could agree to disagree
now there’s a true yesterday memory
Why can we not agree to disagre any longer?
Boo republicans
October 26th, 2011
1:37 pm
BBBBBoooooooooooooooooooooooo RepublicanS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is all for now. Back to work.
GaBlue
October 26th, 2011
1:38 pm
To anyone considering NOT voting for any reason:
If you don’t vote, “td” gets one more vote than you do. In what lifetime could you possibly be okay with that?
There. Perspective. (SUCK IT, td.)
findog
October 26th, 2011
1:38 pm
td, we can aparently some here cannot
td
October 26th, 2011
1:41 pm
GaBlue
October 26th, 2011
1:38 pm
To anyone considering NOT voting for any reason:
If you don’t vote, “td” gets one more vote than you do. In what lifetime could you possibly be okay with that?
There. Perspective. (SUCK IT, td.)
My vote in Georgia will count next year for President and your vote will not be counted. No matter how much you wish it was not true it is a fact. Prove me wrong.
td
October 26th, 2011
1:49 pm
findog
October 26th, 2011
1:38 pm
td, we can aparently some here cannot
I would still be talking about philosophy on these boards but GaBlue too it upon herself this weekend (when I pointed out the fact that we do not directly elect a President) to go after me, accuse me of suppressing the vote and calling me a racist for the simple mention of these facts. She even threatened to bring a group to my house to protest the truth if I did not stop speaking the truth.
I am sorry but I refuse to give up my free speech rights (especially when they are correct) and threats just make me want to repeat them over and over again.
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
1:49 pm
Td you so funny………..Td ask danny x on a date and she marry to a democrat.
findog
October 26th, 2011
1:52 pm
td, I am pretty sure that every vote is counted. Now that democratic electoral college candidates will not win is true and so whoever the republicans have on the ballot will get Georgia’s. So, unless you are one of the 16 republican delegates from Georgia your vote will not be counted either, prove me wrong
GaBlue
October 26th, 2011
2:05 pm
What’ll y’all bet td will not tell us the REAL reason she continues to actively discourage people from voting.
Bishop Eddie Longs Red Panties
October 26th, 2011
2:13 pm
Ask yourself What has Obama done for me ?
mum
October 26th, 2011
2:17 pm
@td, I have to agree with you on the most outside the african-american community, people have been convinced that the President has ruined the country. I think that’s all about lack of education and shows how subliminal suggestion works (i.e. if you say something often enought and loudly enough, even reasonable people start believing it). The african-american community is always a wild card and really needs to take voting seriously….kinda like old people do. I believe that if you’re too lazy to vote in every election, you have no right to complain about the outcome. I guarantee you that the african-american turnout in 2010 was pitiful because they fail to understand the truth that all politics is local.
Independent voter
October 26th, 2011
2:29 pm
Dont blame it on the african american the reason they dont vote because Georgia never had a candidate who represent african american agenda.
mum
October 26th, 2011
2:32 pm
@Bishop Eddie Longs Red Panties, ask yourself what did Bush do for me?
mum
October 26th, 2011
2:35 pm
@Independent voter, that’s no excuse for not voting. They should take a page from those old folks at the Tea Party by MAKING politicians pay attention, and scaring the living daylights out of them because they have to do your bidding or look for a real job.
Jimmy D
October 26th, 2011
2:42 pm
Wait till the mamby-pamby LIb’s see the ad where the guy tokes on a ‘40′ at the close. You would think LIberals, always the smartest people in the room, endorse these vises. God (sorry, Lib’s) knows they’be been telling us to for 30 years.
mum
October 26th, 2011
2:46 pm
@JimmyD, it looks like a really bad rip-off of the pressure treated wood commercial.
mum
October 26th, 2011
2:47 pm
@Jimmy D, plus it was a bottle of Jack not a “40″….way more expensive.
honested
October 26th, 2011
2:50 pm
A sad last gasp of an irrelevant Candidate who’s time is running out.
td
October 26th, 2011
2:52 pm
mum
October 26th, 2011
2:32 pm
@Bishop Eddie Longs Red Panties, ask yourself what did Bush do for me?
Bush cut my taxes by about 6%. Obama cut my taxes by 3% but has cost me about 6% in increased healthcare cost for Obamacare.
td
October 26th, 2011
2:56 pm
honested
October 26th, 2011
2:50 pm
Why do you dislike Herman so much? I may or may not vote for him in the primaries but I will give him all the credit in the world for focusing the debate on where it should be TAXES.
dbm
October 26th, 2011
4:46 pm
To me, the ad is a yawner. A bunch of vague generalities that seem to be aimed at getting people who already support Cain to put more into it.
Maybe the smoking bit at the end is getting so much attention because it’s the only thing people can find a way to react to. Maybe Cain and Block hope that such a reaction to the ad will itself energize supporters.
td
October 26th, 2011
4:46 pm
TENACIOUS D IN THE HOUSE!