The Details of the Charges... From Herman Cain

Some people are citing this as proof this is a Nothing To See Here, Folks, Move On situation.

After all, it was just some completely-innocent gesture:

Van Susteren asked what Cain did that led to the accusation. There were reportedly more than one accusations in the complaint, but Cain said he recalled just one incident. "She was in my office one day, and I made a gesture saying -- and I was standing close to her -- and I made a gesture saying you are the same height as my wife. And I brought my hand up to my chin saying, 'My wife comes up to my chin.'" At that point, Cain gestured with his flattened palm near his chin. "And that was put in there [the complaint] as something that made her uncomfortable," Cain said, "something that was in the sexual harassment charge."

Bear in mind, though, that's Cain's narration of what happened, of the nature of the complaint, and further, only his narration of one of several incidents.

Although I do generally think "where there's smoke there's fire," that's only a rule of thumb, and not something I'd bet money on. It's perfectly possible he's innocent of almost everything except a misunderstanding.

On the other hand, let's not just go Reverse Clinton here and start acting as any of this is impossible, either, or that we know about things we weren't witness to.

By the Way: Cain was asked by the moderator to close the National Press Club event with a song. Cain apparently had closed some previous event with that song, and obliged the host.

As I noted in an update to the last post (see below), given that context, with Cain not deciding himself, sua sponte, it was time for a Christian hymn, it's not nearly as kooky seeming as I first thought.

posted by Ace at 04:30 PM

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