It was reported the other day that Cain was accused of sexual assault while he was CEO of the National Restaurant Association. As far as I can tell, that is the extent of the story, that he was accused of sexual assault and that he settled out of court. No one has reported what he allegedly did. And I haven't heard anyone assuming he did something wrong and then proceed to bash him.
Yet predictably, some people on the right have been complaining that this story is racist and another instance of the liberal media conspiring against conservatives. I'm not going to mention the names of some of the popular people making those accusations because they are moronic assholes who are attention whores. But as usual, I'm sure their basic sentiment is echoed by at least some conservatives.
Looking at this through a logical point of view, it doesn't make any sense to say that simply reporting on something that happened in Cain's past is an act of racism or a demonstration of media bias against him in and of itself. This man is running for president. And sexual harassment is a serious charge that could speak to his character and his merits for holding public office. Surely these same conservatives were eager to get the facts regarding Bill Clinton's history of sexual mishaps. So why not now with Cain?
The critiques of reporting the Cain story are obviously about blindly partisan politics. But looking at their argument on the merits, just to give them the benefit of the doubt for a second, I don't see the problem with the reporting. And unless I've missed it, I think most people have been careful to classify him as being "accused" of a crime, not of having committed it. Though what I worry about now is that when Cain loses or drops out, conservatives (especially the moronic pundits that won't be named) will blame this reporting instead of the fact that Cain is a joke that isn't fit to hold any public office, much less the presidency.
Yet predictably, some people on the right have been complaining that this story is racist and another instance of the liberal media conspiring against conservatives. I'm not going to mention the names of some of the popular people making those accusations because they are moronic assholes who are attention whores. But as usual, I'm sure their basic sentiment is echoed by at least some conservatives.
Looking at this through a logical point of view, it doesn't make any sense to say that simply reporting on something that happened in Cain's past is an act of racism or a demonstration of media bias against him in and of itself. This man is running for president. And sexual harassment is a serious charge that could speak to his character and his merits for holding public office. Surely these same conservatives were eager to get the facts regarding Bill Clinton's history of sexual mishaps. So why not now with Cain?
The critiques of reporting the Cain story are obviously about blindly partisan politics. But looking at their argument on the merits, just to give them the benefit of the doubt for a second, I don't see the problem with the reporting. And unless I've missed it, I think most people have been careful to classify him as being "accused" of a crime, not of having committed it. Though what I worry about now is that when Cain loses or drops out, conservatives (especially the moronic pundits that won't be named) will blame this reporting instead of the fact that Cain is a joke that isn't fit to hold any public office, much less the presidency.
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