Herman Cain: By the way, a woman’s about to come forward and accuse me of a long affair

The story about the accuser just went live at Fox Atlanta. She gave them her name, an interview on camera, and she claims she has records substantiating the relationship. Here’s the curious non-denial denial from Cain’s lawyer. Hmmm:

“Mr. Cain has been informed today that your television station plans to broadcast a story this evening in which a female will make an accusation that she engaged in a 13-year long physical relationship with Mr. Cain. This is not an accusation of harassment in the workplace – this is not an accusation of an assault – which are subject matters of legitimate inquiry to a political candidate.

Rather, this appears to be an accusation of private, alleged consensual conduct between adults – a subject matter which is not a proper subject of inquiry by the media or the public. No individual, whether a private citizen, a candidate for public office or a public official, should be questioned about his or her private sexual life. The public’s right to know and the media’s right to report has boundaries and most certainly those boundaries end outside of one’s bedroom door.

Mr. Cain has alerted his wife to this new accusation and discussed it with her. He has no obligation to discuss these types of accusations publicly with the media and he will not do so even if his principled position is viewed unfavorably by members of the media.”

He’s not saying it happened but he’s not saying it didn’t; if it didn’t, and they’re planning to roll out a full denial once the report airs, then this is the worst bit of lawyerly media strategy since Jerry Sandusky’s attorney let him phone in to Bob Costas. And that last bit about Cain refusing to discuss the accusations publicly is mighty strange given that Cain spent 10 solid minutes on CNN this afternoon … discussing the accusations publicly (or rather what little he knows about them). Unlike his lawyer, he flatly denies that it happened. Needless to say, if there really is documentary evidence backing up the accuser’s claim, his credibility’s shattered.

Here’s the Cain interview via Mediaite. I’ll post the Fox Atlanta clip once it’s live. The key bit here comes in the middle, when he says he’s in the race to stay but worries about the impact this is having on his family and promises not to drop out “as long as my wife is behind me.” Exit question: Remember three weeks ago, when this would have had a major effect on the race? Click the image to watch.

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