Tonight’s Debate: Herman Cain’s Big Moment
Today’s debate is the most important yet of Herman Cain’s campaign. He’s tied or leading Mitt Romney nationally. One poll has him with an eight-point lead in Iowa, he is way ahead in South Carolina, only five points behind in Nevada, and three behind in Florida. The next debate is not until November 9, so if he performs well he’ll have a significant amount of time to rally the anti-Romney vote behind him.
Herman Cain’s candidacy is defined by his 9-9-9 plan: Bring down 9-9-9, bring down Cain. You can guarantee that his admission that 9-9-9 will raise taxes on some people will be used against him.
His misjudging of the housing bubble may be brought up. Rick Santorum has been criticizing Cain for saying he’d let states make their own decisions on gay marriage. Cain may also be attacked for his opposition to stricter drinking and driving regulations when he was the head of the National Restaurant Association.
The last debate focused solely on the economy, so Cain’s lack of knowledge of foreign affairs wasn’t an issue. This time will be different, especially in light of the Iranian terror plot. When asked about stopping a nuclear Iran, hesaid that only a pre-emptive strike would work — but he’d have to first consult with advisors. This shallowness won’t cut it in a debate, especially with the sophisticated policy proposals of Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich on the issue, who favor regime change.
