Statecraft Roundup: The rise of Herman Cain

SALT LAKE CITY -- Once an unsuspecting presidential candidate, known for his more than 40 years of experience in business, Herman Cain struggled to resonate among established Republicans, with many political analysts questioning the candidate's true presidential intentions. But after strong performances in the most recent Republican debates, Cain surged to the top of national opinion polls, putting pressure on Republican front-runner Mitt Romney.

While many analysts have already crowned Romney as the eventual nominee following the most recent debate in New Hampshire, the Cain campaign refuses to believe there is only one Republican candidate left in the race. And with Texas Governor Rick Perry quickly dropping in the polls, Cain has taken advantage of the Tea Party vote with his "9-9-9" economic plan.

With his economic plan taking up much of the discussion in the New Hampshire debate, Cain has had several opportunities to advance his candidacy, with a national spotlight focusing in on Cain's every move. Here is a look at the most recent news surrounding the Cain campaign.

Herman Cain:

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• With a lot of the focus on job creation and economic recovery devoted to the 2012 presidential race, Cain relies heavily on his "9-9-9 plan" to win the presidency, calling it his "vision for economic growth." Cain's proposal is to create a 9 percent business flat tax, a 9 percent individual flat tax and a 9 percent national sales tax. The plan has been championed as a simple approach to the burdensome tax system currently used. In short, the plan is not exactly what the businessman is proposing. John Cassidy of The New Yorker reviews the plan saying, "It doesn't raise enough revenue. Without offsetting cuts in spending, it would send the budget deficit skyrocketing; It would be extremely regressive. Poor and middle-income people would pay higher taxes. Rich people would pay a lot less; Its impact on growth is debatable."

  And in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday, Cain admitted that the 9-9-9 plan would actually be different for some people. "Some people will pay more. But most people will pay less," Cain said. The ambiguous statement was the first time Cain deviated from the 9-9-9 rhetoric, but left viewers with a unclear plan, with can only saying the plan would get rid of the "invisible taxes that are built into everything we buy.

With the national spotlight now focused on Cain's economic plan, many expect more details to emerge. In the meantime, many are critical of the central economic focus of Cain's candidacy. Don't be surprised if Cain's plan draws fierce criticism in Tuesday's Republican debate in Las Vegas.

1. In the last two weeks, Cain has surged to the top of the Republican ticket as a result of Tea Party support and his clear message in the debates, with the NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll giving the former CEO the top spot. With 27 percent of Republican votes, Cain is followed by Romney at 23 percent and Perry at 16 percent. Several other polls have Cain in the top spot or a close second to Romney, who remains the only constant of an ever-changing race. However, because the Republican presidential race has been such a volatile race and with so much time before primary season, Cain will have to fight to keep the top spot. But two newspapers have criticized the Cain campaign for not being serious about a presidential bid. Susan Saulny of the New York Times

   And writers Patrick O'Connor and Neil King Jr. of the Wall Street Journal say the issue has been frustrating for several Cain staffers. "Some former Cain campaign staffers say Mr. Cain appears to lack organizational focus. His campaign has no regular conference calls or team meetings, and it has lacked a campaign manager for much of his bid."

   Several political watchers are hesitant of Cain's success, including The Washington Post, The New Republic and Politico, who write it is only a matter of time before the Cain campaign crumbles.

1. The New York Times reported Saturday Cain introduced his immigration policy of an electrified fence on the border of the United States and Mexico that could kill people trying to enter the country illegally. The remarks were part of a campaign rally in Tennessee. At a second stop, Cain added to the previous plan, saying he would use military troops "with real guns and real bullets" on the the border to stop illegal immigration. The remarks drew cheers from the crowds of supporters hoping to stop the illegal immigration problem. But the harsh rhetoric of killing people who crossed the border illegally was too much for others, which prompted Cain to tell David Gregory of "Meet the Press" that the comments were a joke. "That's not a serious plan," Cain stressed. "I've also said America needs to get a sense of humor." But those in attendance said the remarks were believable and didn't appear to be a joke.
2. Occupy Wall Street has reached its month mark, protesting several key issues such as big banks and the failed economy. And with the continued protests, Cain has been critical of the entire movement. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Cain had a message for the OWS people: "Don't blame Wall Street. Don't blame the big banks. If you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself." Cain added the protests were "planned and orchestrated to distract from the failed policies of the Obama administration," even though Cain said he didn't "have the facts to back this up."
3. The Cain campaign announced Saturday the former CEO had raised $2.8 million for his presidential campaign during the last three months. "We have had a very successful quarter," said Mark Block, Cain's campaign manager. "Mr. Cain's message is spreading and attracting supporters across the country." Leading the financial battle, the campaigns of Rick Perry and Mitt Romney reported collecting $17 million and just over $14 million, respectively, in the three month period. Email: jfurlong@ksl.com

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