House GOP Should "Stop Playing With People's Tragedies" And Worry About Finding Offsets For Disaster Aid Later Says....Herman Cain

Well.

"I would make sure that FEMA got the money it needed, and if I had to go find the offsets later, go find it later. Stop playing with people's tragedies — these are real people we’re talking about," Cain said on CNN.

...

Cain also responded to criticism from Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) who said that the budget standoff was "embarrassing" and that Tea Party conservatives needed to do a better job picking their battles. Cain agreed with the Virginia Democrat, saying that this is not an issue he would pursue as doggedly as House conservatives.

"This is one that I would basically try to, you know, fall on my sword for — go ahead and do what’s right for the people," Cain said. “People should not have to suffer because of the political bickering.”

I argued that the GOP should frame this as the Democrats putting their pet "green jobs" plan ahead of people in need. Now that Cain is siding with Pelosi and Reid, I guess my "jam it to the Democrats" idea is the new RINO position.

Cain does differ slightly from the Democrats in that he thinks there should be a "gentleman's agreement" to find the offsets later. Yeah, like that would ever happen. Maybe they could just add it to the list of things for the "super committee" to deal with.

I'm really not sure what to make of this.

It could be Cain trying to broaden his appeal by showing some distance from the tea party, which makes no sense at this point. There's simply no point in moving to the middle until you actually have sewn up your base. A good debate and a straw poll win doesn't really qualify as that.

Or Cain really believes this is such an extreme emergency fiscal discipline and changing the way Washington works when the opportunity presents itself.

The problem is with the way he put it, “People should not have to suffer because of the political bickering". That strikes me an awful lot like Perry's "you don't have a heart" line on in-state tuition for illegals. Isn't the House GOP is just doing what we sent them there to do? Yet Cain seems to think they are playing games and hurting people.

I guess he could really think a handshake with Reid and Obama is good enough. In that case, I'd say his lack of actual political experience is showing through and yes, it sure as hell does matter.

Last time Cain had some momentum he derailed by talking about his discomfort with having Muslims in his administration (See correction). Picking a fight with the House GOP 2 days after winning the Florida straw poll is...not helpful.

A correction:

Stacey McCain (I'm assuming it's the real deal and not a sockpupet) points out Cain's Muslim comments came in March before his first breakout performance in a May debate. So it couldn't be that's what cost him his initial momentum.

Looking back, it was probably Cain's lack of familiarity with what the "Right of Return" was and an admission that his debt plan wouldn't work.

My apologies for the mistake.

posted by DrewM. at 11:29 AM

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