No, I'm Not Buying This Used Car Without Finding Out Its Carfax History, No Matter How Much You Try To Pressure Me

Getting a lot of "I will never come back to this site again" comments. Or here's one, not a vow to block the site, but an admonition to stop covering the story:

Not an embargo; an executive decision that, having reported on it a couple of times, with no real news having occurred since, this story isn't important.

Because it's not.

I'm not letting the media pick Romney as the Republican nominee. I'll stick support Cain, unless something better comes along.

That's Evan's call, and that's fine. But many of us are not sold on this particular used car, and in fact have been a little worried about it. We've seen it sputter and conk out.

Now we hear there's something else wrong with it -- maybe; allegedly -- but some are demanding we just buy it anyway and ignore these sleazy, anonymous, fact-free, uncorroborated reports maybe the car isn't road-worthy.

I decline your offer to make a major purchase without knowing the vehicle's full history.

When I thought Rick Perry was the cat's tits, I had hoped to be part of pushing a quick, painless, and ultimately rewarding decision on the party. A lot of us did. A lot of us thought Rick Perry Was the One, and we got jubilant and a little stampede-y in trying to convince others of what we thought was Self-Evidently True.

Now, even at that time, I knew Rick Perry's problem would be immigration, and when I tried reaching out to people in his orbit -- well before he declared -- my questions were about immigration exclusively. I wanted to know how he planned to shift his stance, or recalibrate his stance, for a national GOP that was simply not as down with Mexicans as Texas Republicans.

For what it's worth, the answer I got was sort of "Perry's position is just awesome, he's not changing anything because nothing really needs changing."

Well, that was worrisome, but I trusted that that was just some PR offered to a blogger. Surely the Perry Camp must know it would have a problem with this issue, and had a plan for defusing it.

Well. I don't think I need to write any further about that.

Now, I can't say the people currently attempting to stampede the party towards Cain are blameworthy. After all, I did the same damn thing, didn't I? So if they're blameworthy, so am I.

Eh, maybe we're both blameworthy, or just equally anxious about picking a candidate we think will be the bee's knees.

But I'm shaped by my experience. Perry's problem with immigration did in fact turn out to be a major problem. It wasn't finessed. It didn't just "go away." It was, and is, a major problem.

A lot of people have jumped to Cain. They seem to like his lack of specificity and polish. I sort of find that alarming myself, but to each his own.

But I don't find it "charming." I don't care how many times I get told that not knowing the basics of the job you seek is "charming," I'll be right there saying, "No it isn't, it's worrisome."

But whether it's charming or not, we have the right to inspect the vehicle for flaws.

If this vehicle is flawless and in perfect running order, as some Caniacs are insisting, well then -- an inspection of the vehicle will only confirm that, correct?

I don't believe they believe the vehicle is flawless. I believe they believe the car has some problems. I believe that is the reason for the pressure to Stop looking, just buy the car.

No.

You didn't just buy the damn car when the car was Perry and I was keen on making a sale. And for what it's worth, you were right to be skeptical, to want a closer look.

But I'm not buying this damn car on your say-so either. Period. I'm not going to go all-in on Cain before I know what the hell I'll be getting, and what the hell I'll have to be spinning and defending come general election season.

As for Evan's belief there hasn't been anything newsworth on this story since Sunday: Oh dear God, what planet do you live on? There have been new developments in the story every four hours and this four-hour block is no exception.

This is why every Crisis Communications firm advises (usually) the strategy of giving a press conference and revealing all the details in one fell swoop, to avoid this drip-drip-drip of the story coming out on others' initiative.

Cain isn't doing this. Not my fault. Not my call.

I repeat, I do not know the truth here. I do not know if this is damning for Cain, or merely embarrassing and somewhat damaging, or not even very damaging at all.

But anyone claiming they know -- they KNOW! that this is not a story and there's nothing here worth knowing, move on -- is selling something.

They're selling Cain.

That's their right.

But no one in his right mind makes a very, very, very major purchase based on some people's high-pressure sales tactics.

I'm glad some have looked inside Cain's heart and know all they need to know about the man.

I do not have this ability. I need to look at the surface of things, not into the man's soul.

The truth will eventually out. If this truth is on Cain's side, neither he or his supporters should fear it.

Bear in mind: You can bring pressure to tell conservative bloggers to shut up.

You have no such ability with the major media. I mean, they just ignore you.

Is Cain able to put this baby to bed in a satisfactory manner? In a way that it will not damage him down the road?

So far he has not put the baby to bed.

Don't Cain's supporters care at all whether or not our candidate for president will be able to effectively put this issue to rest?

Or is the plan merely to mau-mau conservative blogs into shutting up about it?

And what the hell does that accomplish?

posted by Ace at 06:03 PM

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