Gospel Music, Marriage Pledges And Black Panthers, Oh My: Herman Cain Opens Up To GQ

by Alex Alvarez | 12:58 pm, July 18th, 2011

» 28 comments

Often, when we’re nearing an election year, voters are asked which candidate they’d most want to grab a beer with. And while it might be fun to attend a Lady Gaga concert with Tim Pawlenty or go surfing with Barack Obama, former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain seems like he’d be a lot of fun to hang out with over a drink or seven, plus there’s a good chance he’ll bring pizza. After reading GQ‘s Q & A with the Republican presidential hopeful, we’re even more inclined to want to pick his brain over a large pepperoni and jalapeño (don’t judge).

Cain kicks things off by explaining how great a challenge it is to become a known gospel singer. Even more challenging, it seems, than becoming ruler of the free world:

It’s much harder to succeed as a vocalist, and become one of the big names than it is to get elected president. That’s why I ended up running for president!

He provides a lot more money quotes too. Here are some of his Greatest Hits, if you will, from the interview:

I don’t think Jon Stewart is a racist, I just think Jon Stewart is just a liberal.

But the [Black] Panthers didn’t bring down towers. They didn’t steal airplanes and load it up with fuel and fly into buildings with the intention of killing people and bringing down a symbol of American capitalism. Yes, they may have been angry with America—I understand that, you know, the Black Panther movement—but they didn’t intentionally try to deliberately, in an organized, ongoing fashion try to destroy America. They wanted to change America, and they used intimidation to try to do it, more so than violence, to try to do it.

I didn’t say “not Muslims that don’t pose a threat.” That would have been the perfectly politically correct way to answer it. I don’t always give the perfectly politically correct way to answer stuff.

I don’t sign stuff until I have read it. I have been quite busy the last few days, so I have not made signing that pledge, or even reading it a high priority. I understand that there are some aspects of the original pledge that, probably, I won’t like.

I’m not crazy, but I’m confident.

Read the full Q & A on GQ‘s site.

Black Panthers, GQ, Herman Cain, Jon Stewart, Michele Bachmann, Muslims

http://www.facebook.com/people/James-Tarnes/1103910427 James Tarnes

Cain’s 15 minutes are close to being up.
http://MsUnderestimated.com MsUnderestimated

Oh, grow up.
http://twitter.com/nightoatmeal Blair Maury

Cain would be a great guy to have at a dinner party. Fascinating conversation. Great stories. Really pleasant guy, I imagine. As would my uncle Mel.

My uncle Mel isn’t going to be President either.
Anonymous

Oh Oh! Didn’t Cain hear how the Black Panthers tried to intimidate voters and assist ACORN in voter fraud? Clearly he is uninformed of the …….facts{cough..BS}
Anonymous

“They wanted to change America, and they used intimidation to try to do it, more so than violence, to try to do it.”

Pretty clearly said they used intimidation. (caugh, caugh, can Dan read? caugh)
http://www.constitutionallibertarian.co.cc/ DavidKramer

“Kill them cracka babies!” Nice of you to back those racists.

Why don’t you like Cain, are you a racist?
http://www.constitutionallibertarian.co.cc/ DavidKramer

“Kill them cracka babies!” Nice of you to back those racists.

Why don’t you like Cain, are you a racist?
http://games-survival.com Justplaythegame

Man, Im a white guy in my 50′s and all I can tell you is first hand experience of Black Panthers in Chicago and it will surprise you. Going to High School on public bus from south side to north on a daily basis. When these guys were on the bus, it was as peaceful as it could get. They showed respect and acted like men, all of them I ever met. They made sure nothing went wrong and would give their seat to a woman in a heartbeat. These guys actually started by defending the communities from police brutality and man, it existed in all neighborhoods. Obviously their polling tactics got more media attention than the democratic machine as a whole in chicago, aint that the way of media? They had sound principles although socialist when they started out and I guess they kinda swayed.. reminds me of our CIA .. People can say what they want from what they read..I can only go by what I seen first hand. Back then, I would had more trust going to them than the Chicago Police..

Guess this put me on an Activist list just for saying that..ohwell…its the truth..

Cain could have said anything he wished about the Black Panthers..fine with me.. ofcourse if it was him saying it, it would be turned into a matter of color. But, of course he is not getting the nod for president..who knows, he might have a chance at vice..
caconservative

The Black Panther movement has always been a scam! They needed an issue to hide behind because the police were closing in on their illegal drug business, and when the Black Civil Rights movement of the 1960′s began to gain strength, they jumped on it as a political racist-tool to hide behind.
Anonymous

Good catch. My sarcasm fails. I’ll keep trying.

ftr; voter intimidation with a link from Black Panthers to ACORN. Still BS.
Anonymous

I do like Cain. I don’t agree with him on some issues and I wouldn’t vote for him, but I don’t think he’s quite as duplicitous as the professional politicians.
http://www.constitutionallibertarian.co.cc/ DavidKramer

I like Cain, I especially like it when he destroyed Clinton back in the day when Bill and Hillary attempted to takeover health care. Too bad the Democrats hid everything behind closed doors this time.
http://www.constitutionallibertarian.co.cc/ DavidKramer

I like Cain, I especially like it when he destroyed Clinton back in the day when Bill and Hillary attempted to takeover health care. Too bad the Democrats hid everything behind closed doors this time.
David Garrett

when did the format in Mediaite change.. I have to post a comment to login
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ECYBIXNKAG5E46BC3GCJQPA7CQ well_its_no_cannibal_holocaust

The Panthers were one of the best things to happen to the inner city in Chicago in the late 60s. The movement was destroyed by COINTELPRO, their leaders assassinated or jailed and really I don’t even understand why the Black Panthers are such a canard with the right in 2011. They were effectively destroyed by our government. The killing of Fred Hampton sealed the deal more or less.
Liberty_Hound

That didn’t work.. I can even log under my user name
I_Love_Your_Children

This uncle tom needs to tow the line…he forgets that affirmative action got him everything he has.
Anonymous

There was a new more recent Black Panther movement that attempted to hijack the 60s image. Members of the 60s BP movement were not to pleased with them as it seemed they were self promoting and failed to understand the original movement.
http://games-survival.com Justplaythegame

yeah that would be the “new” Black Panthers talking about ACORN..
very distant party(not affiliated) to the Original Black Panthers..
my bad, just brought back memories of what we assume as bad may not always be..
Anonymous

You’re correct. Misconceptions based on too little and flawed information.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SIYF5565LXG7BBKTKGSSFWU7TA The Rock

That was who Cain was talking about the Original Black Panthers not the New Black Panthers who are racist.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SIYF5565LXG7BBKTKGSSFWU7TA The Rock

Herman Cain isn’t uncle tom as you have claim which is a lie. To me Herman Cain did it his way didn’t do it because of affirmative action which you don’t know so your wrong without facts or proof to back up your claims.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SIYF5565LXG7BBKTKGSSFWU7TA The Rock

I like Herman Cain I will not vote for him in the primaries I really like Cain he has some good ideas.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_SIYF5565LXG7BBKTKGSSFWU7TA The Rock

I like Herman Cain I will not vote for him in the primaries I really like Cain he has some good ideas.
Anonymous

Living in Louisiana, I won’t get much say in who the Republican nominee is, but I can vote for the Herminator. I’d prefer it was Gary Johnson, if I had my druthers, which I likely won’t. Mitt Romney or Jon Huntsmann have NO chance of getting my vote. Pretty much all the other choices I’ll hold my nose and vote for, but I’ll vote Green Party or Libertarian before I’ll cast my vote for those two phonies.
http://www.facebook.com/sootsme Ed Williams

So, who WILL you vote for? All the other contenders are professional politicians, who you (rightly) don’t seem to hold in very high regard. Given that cain is honest, personally successful, plain spoken, and a man of integrity, (and wears the best ties) the US deserves such a man working for us. The rest is just details.
Anonymous

As much as I don’t like the Clintons I grudgingly came to see that hey were politically savvy fighters who could get things done. A professional politician may be necessary in that office. Or maybe the corruption in DC is s rampant that nobody will be able to accomplish much until the public focuses on the right problems.
Cain working for us, fine. As president? I don’t think he understands enough to be effective. His comments about 3 page bills, and about the Muslims in TN indicate a real lack of understanding about some basics.
Anonymous

The Tea Party movement has always been a scam! They needed an issue to hide behind because the media were closing in on their racist anti Obama business, and when the lower taxes and government spending movement of 2008 began to gain strength, they jumped on it as a political racist-tool to hide behind.