COMMENTARY | Herman Cain, amidst allegations of sexual harassment and an alleged 13-year affair, announced he was suspending his presidential campaign during a live speech broadcasted by MSNBC.
Cain was always an interesting candidate, regardless of your side of the aisle. As he said in his speech, he readily admitted his mistakes when he felt he’d made them, and actually processed and integrated criticism of his policies, such as when he initially said that the poor would receive no exemptions under his 999 plan, then revised the plan to include some. While for many, the changes were not enough, Cain demonstrated a flexibility rare among Republican candidates.
So should that candidate be disqualified because of his private life? Well, yes and no.
To be clear, Cain said again and again in his speech that the allegations against him were “untrue and unproven,” but had nonetheless understandably caused his family a great deal of pain. With that denial in mind, we can parse the allegations, as the accusation of sexual harassment and the accusation of a consensual extramarital affair are not equal.
If Cain’s alleged affair with Ginger White did not include any financial hanky-panky – such as claiming hotel rooms as business expenses when they were not used for business, or deducting meals bought for his paramour – frankly that issue lies between Cain and his wife, not Cain and the American people. There a legions of men who have accomplished great things in the world and for the world while acting as perfect heels to their wives. This sentiment does not excuse or forgive the behavior; rather it simply means it’s Gloria Cain’s business, not ours.
But if the allegations of harassment are true, that’s another issue altogether. Harassment, by its nature, demonstrates a lack of recognition of boundaries, and the willingness to abuse power to obtain what you want, two frightening propositions in the potential leader of the free world.
There is a difference between a violation of law, like harassment, and a violation of the vows Cain made to his wife. Again, at this stage we do not know if the allegations are true; we can look at his withdrawal from the race as both an affirmation (why would he quit if they aren’t true?) or as a denial (he is withdrawing from the race to save his family from the pain of yet more false claims). Regardless, Cain categorically denies them, and said in his statement that “I am at peace with my God. I am at peace with my wife. And she is at peace with me.”
An interesting primary just got a little less interesting. If Herman Cain was going exit the race, it should have been on the basis of his ideology, not his alleged extracurricular or allegations of harassment he vehemently denies, but it was ultimately his decision to take his place in what he called the “final four” and end his campaign.