Fourth Herman Cain accuser: ‘He tried to grab my genitals’
posted at 3:10 pm on November 7, 2011 by Howard Portnoy
[ Culture ]
Herman Cain’s chances of weathering Caingate were never great. Despite a continuing surge in his polling numbers and an infusion last week of cash into his campaign coffers, his inept handling of the allegations has been costly to his public persona.
Today, his chances of getting past this scandal grew immeasurably worse. A fourth woman has come forward with tales of Cain’s sexual predation. And this time there is a name—Sharon Bialek—and concrete details of the CEO’s alleged inappropriate advances.
There is also a recorded video statement by the accuser.
Bialek told reporters during a press conference on Monday that in 1997, Cain—then head of a restaurant trade group—tried to grope her genitals and force her head into his crotch. The woman claims that she initially rebuffed the advances and asked Cain what he thought he was doing. She insists that he replied, “You want a job, right?”
Cain’s campaign immediately issued a denial, but I believe the die is now cast. Whether Bialek is telling the truth is beside the point. Cain is now in the same unenviable place that former Congressman Anthony Weiner found himself in just before a shirtless photo of the veteran politician went viral. Even those who believe in Cain’s innocence will have formed an indelible picture that is hard to erase. I expect the candidate to withdraw from the race within the next two weeks.
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- Herman Cain accused of sexual harassment; issues denial
- Is Anthony Weiner’s job in jeopardy?
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With the budget the Dems have, I could find 200 people willing to stand up and say that anyone had groped ‘em — in private, or in public, singly or en masse.
What I want to know more about is how a seemingly pleasant-enough pizza guy ends up on the Board of the Kansas City Federal Reserve.
cthulhu on November 7, 2011 at 6:58 PM
2 weeks? I doubt it.
SouthernGent on November 7, 2011 at 7:49 PM
Hmmm. I don’t think so. Weiner’s fiasco started with photos posted by himself and went downhill from there. A thousand women could accuse Cain, but w/o the blue dress or tangible evidence, it’s a non-starter except for the feeble-minded that would readily believe the worst about someone w/o evidence.
Then again, if those idiots out number us, then we deserve the govt we get, as evidenced by the current DOTUS.
AH_C on November 8, 2011 at 10:15 AM
Portoy – Will you publish my comment now that Cain has adamantly denied the allegations, exactly as I said he would? My final point remains: he has the inner character to weather a orchestratred smear campaing; perhaps you are a lesser man and cannot imagine not withdrawing from the race in his situation, as I suggested.
I’ve been coming to hotair.com since it was Allah Is In the House. This is the first time I have had a comment rejected. I want it published, and with an explanation as to why it wasn’t.
Moderator: please forward this comment to AP. Thanks.
wordwarp on November 9, 2011 at 1:15 AM