1. Mediaite
  2. Gossip Cop
  3. Geekosystem
  4. Styleite
  5. SportsGrid
  6. The Mary Sue
  7. The Jane Dough
  8. The Braiser
Advertisement

Herman Cain Demonstrates The ‘Non-Sexual Gesture’ That Got Him In Trouble

video
» 122 comments

When the Politico report initially came out last night, presidential candidate Herman Cain was said to have been embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal by virtue of a “non-sexual gesture” that made one of his employees uncomfortable. While he and his campaign had been mum for most of the day, Cain told Greta Van Susteren the details of the allegations to the best of his recollection tonight, explaining that what he had done was stand next to the woman, put his hand on his chin, and note, “you’re the same height as my wife.”

Repeating, as he has all day, that “I have never sexually harassed anyone in my life,” Cain told Van Susteren that he did not remember the name of one of the accusers, but that she worked in the Washington office of the National Restaurant Association in the mid-1990s, and that he remembered her formal allegation. “She was in my office one day, and I made a gesture,” he explained. “I was standing close to her,” he noted, and put his hand up to his chin, claiming he said “you’re the same height as my wife,” and “that was put in there as something that made her uncomfortable as part of the sexual harassment charge.”

RELATED: Herman Cain’s Campaign Owes Politico An Apology For Attacking ‘Thinly-Sourced Smear’

Asked if the accuser had any witnesses (Van Susteren noting that there are very few sexual harassment cases with witnesses because of the nature of the action), Cain argued that the event had occurred “in my office, door open, plain view… but she couldn’t find anybody to corroborate the story.” He added that she had been fired from the NRA because “her performance was not up to par,” but he did not participate firing her, a job he left for people working under him. She received “what would’ve been a termination settlement,” he further explained, estimating this to be “three months’ salary,” but not entirely sure, and added that the Board of the NRA had no role in any of this.

RELATED: NBC News Confirms One Herman Cain Harassment Accuser Received Cash Settlement

As for the second accuser in the Politico piece, “I’m totally unaware as to any charges coming from this other person,” he answered. As Politico had shared the names of the accusers with Cain, he could confirm that “I know the name of the perosn that’s alleged to be the other one. She had been a long-term employee, but I have no knowledge that she made a formal complaint.” He could also recall no interaction with her that would be considered inappropriate.

While the extended interview appeared candid and clarified in a considerable way the allegations thrown against Cain, both the initial report and his campaign’s response to it left so many unanswered questions and trails for reporters to follow that it is still unclear how much the allegations will stick and hurt his campaign. But if Cain is telling the truth in these interviews and it is uncovered that the accusations are baseless, whoever fed the story to Politico has a lot more to lose than Cain does at this point– and one could venture to guess that the source of the story would be the political player poised to gain the most from a Cain campaign implosion.

The interview via Fox News below:

Follow us on Twitter.

Sign up for Mediaite's daily newsletter.

Email Twitter Facebook Digg Reddit Stumble Upon Yahoo Buzz LinkedIn Tumblr Delicious
  • lazzzlo

    When the Politico report initially came out last night, presidential candidate Herman Cain was said to have been embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal by virtue of a “non-sexual gesture” that made one of his employees uncomfortable.

    .

    So what happened?  We aren’t shrinking violets. 

  • Anonymous

    Regardless of whether the harassment claim is legitimate or not, Cain is still unfit for the presidency. Between the tortured math behind 999, electrified fences, Uzbeki-beki-beki-stan-stan or his nonsensical positions on abortion, this guy is unqualified and unserious. Period.

  • lazzzlo

    Really, are you going to use tortured math as an identifier for an economic plan?

  • Anonymous

    I have interacted with hundreds of women in my professional life.  Somehow I have managed to conduct myself in such a way that not one has ever accused me of harassment.  I have also managed to have never place myself in situations where such accusations would be considered plausible or credible; let alone be sufficient to necessitate the issuance of a five-figure check and a non-disclosure statement prior to a woman quitting (or being forced to quit) after my interaction with her.  

    This happened not once, but twice with Herman Cain – in the same organization he led.

    Whether or not you believe these allegations, it is hard to accept that the National Restaurant Association would never have asked Cain about these matters before cutting two five-figure checks (no small slice of a quarterly operating budget).  For Cain to first suggest he knew nothing about the matters alleged is a bit hard to take.

    Further, if my employer had to ask two other employees to leave because of issues related to my conduct (alleged or otherwise), and felt that whatever happened merited paying the departing employees five figures each; I would be fired, and I would not soon find employment anywhere in my entire industry.

    Why does Cain expect as a pass, when none of us would ever get one in a similar circumstance?

    Singing a song wouldn’t get me out of it.  I am not buying the “let Herman, be Herman” bit anymore.

  • Rufus Danegro

    Ok-I think we seen enough. This two bit has been is now defending his offensive behavior.

    TYPICAL.

    This gesture should be the new GOP salute. Conservatives can zeig heil each other from crotch all  day long.

    How fitting.

  • Anonymous

    He showed it on Greta.

    It was nothing.

  • Anonymous

    Stellar interview Cain!

  • Anonymous

    You like to copy and paste.

    Please stop. You were wrong the first time too.

  • Anonymous

    It’s all coming back.

  • Anonymous

    The re-creation would have been more accurate if he had a shake weight.

  • Anonymous

    Is it better when your own wrongness is original? You have still failed at refuting the argument.

  • Anonymous

    Another one bites the dust!

  • Anonymous

    Your whole argument is flawed. Try a new copy and paste.

  • Anonymous

    If it is flawed, try mustering the intelligence to propose a counter argument.

  • Anonymous

    Your kidding me. 
    I aways wanted to visit Uzbeki-beki-beki-stan-stan.

  • Anonymous

    Wow, Cain is a great BS artist.  I imagine the original version had to do with his length or girth of his schlong.  Horror show for some poor women.

  • Anonymous

    Not that big? huh?

  • http://twitter.com/MinneMike Michael Wiley

    LOL

    I’ll put you in the no column, next!

  • http://www.davidjkramer.co.cc// DavidKramer

    I am SURE, reporters that spewed the scurrilous and ludicrous attacks will apologize when all of this proves to be another leftist hit attempt.

    Right Tommy Christopher?

  • Rufus Danegro

    too bad it came from the Perry camp moron.

    Another meme broken.

    Bye!

  • Bobkluver

    All Cain did tonight on Greta’s show was dig himself a bigger hole. I found is explaination rather unbelievable. Earlier today he said he was unaware of any settlement or the amount of any settlement to the woman who accused him. On Greta’s show, he did know of the settlement and how much it was for. So earlier today he lied about it. To bad, I was thinking very seriously about voting for him. That has changed now.

  • Rufus Danegro

    It sure is fun watching the demise of the GOP!

    LOL

  • Rufus Danegro

    Now he remembers times, dates, people, and hand gestures.

    Yeah that was some great interview.

    bye loser!!!

  • Anonymous

    Cain just opened the can of worms wider. 

    He said where the women worked, when they worked there, and what their titles were.  Now other members of the press can contact them directly.

    Cain is an idiot… like @WCinWI.

  • Anonymous

    It’s a bad time to be black or Mormon.

    Not sure if there’s ever a good time, come to think of it…

  • Where’s my B#tches!!!!

    If you look really close at the still photo with this piece; you can see his hand is clearly in the initial stages of a ‘quote- unquote’ Pimp- Slap. He is a clear and present danger to all women. President Herman Cain…a leader with a very strong “pimp hand”. Step aside Obama. 

  • Rufus Danegro

    WC isn’t big on frefudiatin’ arguments. As a would be lawyer she’s markedly deficient in the critical thinking department.

    She will however whine at you incessantly-which she will learn the hard way is not a viable tactic in the courtroom. And by court room I mean the Barbi dream house she sets up with her dog maurice as the judge.   

    Get the picture?

  • Anonymous

    The words “thinking seriously” and “Herman Cain” should never occupy the same universe, let alone the same paragraph.

  • Anonymous

    The words “thinking seriously” and “Herman Cain” should never occupy the same universe, let alone the same paragraph.

  • Rufus Danegro

    White people like Davy insist it was good to be black in the early 1800s when the Republicans were looking out for us!

  • Rufus Danegro

     Pimping ain’t easy son.

  • Rufus Danegro

     Funny how now on greta he remembers everything!

    LOL

    He had ten days to get ready for this story breaking.

    Epic fail.

  • Anonymous

    Isn’t it fumy.  Bill Clinton can unzip his pants in front of an intern and say “kiss it” and the media is OK with that, despite his lies to the court.  He can rape women in college and later in life, and NOW says – we stand by you BillyBoy.  He can push a woman up against the wall and rub his penis against her body, and abccbnsnbcnnmsnbcmediaite are good with that…but Herman can say “you are as short as my wife” and wow, FIRE HIM, SLANDER HIM,

  • Rufus Danegro

    Tina just popped a gasket -call medic alert

  • Anonymous

    I laughed my whiskey and coke out my nose.

  • Yobamajama

    Its not the accusation that bothered me. It was Cains explaination earlier today and the one he came up with on Greta’s show tonight. The stories don’t jive.

    If your going to be President of the United States, you must learn how to lie so no one thinks its a lie. Like Obama. He has it down pat.

    Cain, not so much.

  • Anonymous

    move along

    hahaha

  • Bob

    No, wait!

    I take that back.

    Obama doesn’t have it down either.

  • Anonymous

    Right.  Give reporters a road map to find the women, and ensure the women they find are even more pissed off.

    He said where the women worked, when they worked there, and what their titles were.  Now other members of the press can contact them directly. Cain then essentially calls these women liars, and poor workers.  No, they’ll never talk now!

    More of the political genius of Herman Cain.

  • Anonymous

    End the war in Uzbeki-beki-beki-stan-stan!  Bring our troops home!

  • Anonymous

    Do you even believe half the stuff you spew. News Alert- Clinton is not running anymore. Why can you not see that Cain has cganged his story all day long.

  • Anonymous

    YOu poor thing Dufus….you can’t handle the truth; typical liberal.  Get a blow job from an intern…that works for you lefties.

  • Anonymous

    We already knew where the women worked. Politico told Cain’s campaign the name of the unnamed female. The women should be contacted. Then the women can either not comment and keep their monies or decide to become political pawns. You can’t blame Herman on this. This is all Romney/Perry and Politico’s doing.

    Cain gave a solid interview.

    Thanks for playing.

  • Anonymous

    I countered your entire argument. Your statements were false.

    Epic fail.

  • Anonymous

    IF that is the case, I’d say that is political genius on Cain’s part.

  • Anonymous

    There were moments of gold and there were flashes of light….

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CQWUTBF2KSSVOXCR4PSN66L2PM James

    If he can’t recall something like that. It’s because his lawyer told him to not say anything. Or he has a really bad memory.

  • Rufus Danegro

    Yes thanks for playing and you lost-AGAIN.

  • Rufus Danegro

     This is the same moron who thought Sarah Palin was a genius.

    Get the picture?

  • Anonymous

    Right. Keep believing.

  • Anonymous

    Romney’s not that stupid, Perry’s not that smart, and neither likes each other enough to work together. Played. Won.

  • Anonymous

    The facts don’t suit you.

    But I pleased that you are so concerned. :) 2012 will be that much more sweet.

  • Rufus Danegro

    Pucker up and don’t forget the ballz honey.

  • Anonymous

    CAIN can head to the back of the SHORT  bus with Palin , Bachmann , Trump and  wait for Perry and Newt .

    The Cain train has derailed

    NEXT

  • Anonymous

    Oh how convenient… the woman who accused him of sexual harassment was an under-performer and coincidentally was fired following her complaint. They’re trying too hard; they aren’t very good at lying.

  • Bob

    perhaps it was a secret Scientology hand gesture. Greta would know.
    Hail L-Ron! 
    Hail Xenu! 
    Hail Greta!

  • Bob

    wait a minute. I thought he said earlier that he couldn’t remember any of this?

  • Bob

    Typical rightwinger – cling to a bunch of made-up crackpot stories from ’90s wingnuttery.
    Why stop there? Why not bring back the nutty Vince Foster conspiracies, or the hilarious claim that he ran people over with trains in Arkansas?
    Maybe you can get someone to take your old VHS of Jerry Falwell’s tin foil hat “Clinton Chronicles” and put it on DVD for you.

  • Anonymous

    He did pretty good right up to the very end at around 16:50 when he suddenly started remembering a lot more about woman #2.

  • RepubliCLOWNS

    LOL yeah, he will head to the back of the bus.  Don’t forget that his Uncle Tom dad used to tell his Uncle Tom son to get to the back of the bus.  Great leadership, a POTUS who will go to the back of the bus if a white person gets on.

  • RepubliCLOWNS

     Isn’t it funny.  Herman Cain sexually harasses people and Tina Tampon is OK with that.  Then Tina Tampon could make up stuff about rape, and then expects us to be fair to Herman Cain’s perverted activities.  Sorry Tina Tampon, but there is no rape if it’s consensual.  You should know this considering you always willingly spread your legs for any guy.  Sexual harassment is NOT consensual.  Of course you wouldn’t know this because you’re too ugly to get sexually harassed.  LOL

  • RepubliCLOWNS

    Poor Tina Tampon, she can’t handle reality :(

  • RepubliCLOWNS

    LOLz

  • RepubliCLOWNS

    Yes, if you’re on crack, which Herman Cain and his supporters are.

  • RepubliCLOWNS

    LOL

  • RepubliCLOWNS

    And you’re wrong all the time.  Maybe you should stop posting in general.  LOL

  • JimmyTrackScorn999

    Does anyone else find it interesting that he managed to accumulate two allegations of sexual harassment at a job where he only worked 2 1/2 years (mostly away from the office)?  

    That seems like a high ratio of sexual harassment allegation to hours in office.

  • Pablo

    Romney’s not that stupid, Perry’s not that smart, and neither likes each other enough to work together. Played. Won.

    So, you don’t get how the whole and/or thing works? Once again, your education has failed you. Perhaps you can edit this comment too so you don’t look so stupid.

  • Pablo

    If it is flawed, try mustering the intelligence to propose a counter argument.

    I did that and you got your knickers in a twist. http://tinyurl.com/6cqxuba

    Watching a grown man cry is disturbing. Get some Zoloft or something and then we can talk. 

  • Pablo

    You say that as if he’s got something to hide. If anyone knows, it’s him.

    Hey, how’d that treasure trove of Palin emails work out for ya?

  • Pablo

    Your imagination is something else, isn’t it?

  • Pablo

    Your imagination is not reality. Bill Clinton’s trouble with the ladies is.

  • Pablo

    Yeah, we need to keep the guy who hides behind the French!

  • Anonymous

    Don’t know. I would likely find Palin’s e-mails as dull as your posts.

  • Anonymous

    He lied.

  • Jeffy Proudly Teabagged

    “She was in my office one day, and I made a gesture; you’re the same height as my wife”

    Then Herbs continued to wiggle a pair of cantaloupes and hump air in the traditional “gNOpig mating dance”

    And obviously, Herbs phucked up that one too.

  • Anonymous

    Don’t misunderstand me. Although there are plenty of cases of this sort of thing being paid off just to make it go away, I think the fact that Cain’s response has been evasive, contradictory and carefully parsed, suggests to me that this is not one of those cases. 

  • Anonymous

    Given his camp’s evasive and contradictory responses throughout the day, how on earth can you continue to ASSume that this is nothing more than “another leftist hit”? How can you be that naive and blind? Why are you so utterly incapable of criticizing someone on your side of the aisle? 

  • Anonymous

    Poor Tina. Still living in 1998. Of course, judging by the intellectual level of her posts, I suspect she was a newborn then. 

  • ceeza

    I need Rush Limbaugh to tell me why I’m “uppity” at 6 o’clock in the morning?

  • Pablo

    I don’t think he’s referring to you. You’re pretty much in lockstep, right?

  • ceeza

    Herman Cain “I know knowing about a financial settlement”

    Less than 12 hours later on the clip posted above he went into some detail about a financial settlement he was very aware of… I’m not making a personal judgement  of his guilt or innocence of sexual harassment.. But I will judge his public statements.. He not only was very much hiding something he is also a proven LIAR.. 

  • Pablo

    OMG, here it goes!!!!!!!  http://tinyurl.com/64pc8x8

    The Washington Post independently obtained the names of the women and tried to contact both, but several e-mails and telephone messages were not returned. A man who answered the door at the Maryland home of one of the women said they had ‘nothing to say.’

    Perhaps it’s you that’s the idiot, Jaayyy….

  • Pablo

    When did Cain say that? To whom?

  • ceeza

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2MchTVZ4MM

    National press club yesterday Palblo…at 1:39  sorry his exact quote was ” I am unaware of any financial settlement”   ..thoughts?

  • Chauncy Gardner

    Of course I like a bj from my intern which is perfectly fine as long as she’s willing. When I use my position at work to demand a bj from my intern there’s a big difference and that’s the cruxt of the argument which anyone with half a brain can figure out. If you can’t keep up don’t post.

  • Frank Costanza

    Thats stopping short, Thats my move

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CKFGTNEKQQCXQZHLQ7EM72Q37E Michael Bittner

    Projection, thy name is RepublicCLOWNS.  Seriously dude, get some brains!

  • Anonymous

    The good names of men are being smeared by fortune hunting women.  Cain is only one person among thousands who have had to reward the supposedly sexually harassed. All this nonsense can stop if it was made a felony to receive money after charging a man with sexual harassment.

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    At the end of Greta’s interview, Cain said that he never traveled while making speeches with the two women accusing him of sexual assault, but then goes on to say he may have talked to one of the women at a hotel in Chicago!!

    Politico stated yesterday on ‘Hardball’, that one of the women stated that Herb tried to invite her to his hotel room!!

    Herb needs to start telling the truth on what really happened!!

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    Yes indeed!!

  • http://twitter.com/maynardbrainard Jeremy Brainard

    I thought it was the democrats? Or is Rush going to change his tune today?

    Either way, I’m looking forward to tuning in and listening to him broadcast his marching orders to his Dittoheads.

  • http://twitter.com/maynardbrainard Jeremy Brainard

    You betcha!  *wink*

  • Gaoxiaen

    Oh. You mean THOSE financial settlements.

  • Gaoxiaen

    I’m no Clinton fan, but I never heard about rape allegations. Please enlighten me.

  • http://www.facebook.com/idiotproof53 Scott Ward

    Looks like a bunch hooey. This was dredged up by his Leftist, Lame-stream media enemies and/or opponents in the B.O. camp. Dirt and mud is what pigs love so they use it to smear Cain. Look what they did to Palin, Bachman and now him. They ignore Paul, who is consistently right, because they fear the truth.

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    So in your mind, the Perry campaign would never do such a thing??

  • marek1965

    Notice that the vast majority of these cases aren’t the classic justification of sexual harassment: That men threatened women with being fired if they didn’t have sex with him or engaging in outrageous vulgar behavior.  (This definition applied to the Paula Jones sexual harassment case which the left tried to dismiss as Clinton just having a good time.)  It’s usually someone looking to twist a comment or gesture into something offensive in order to claim offense for a political or profit motive. 

    For the guys who claim to work with “hundreds” of women and never have a claim against him, it depends upon the workplace.  Some of them are less tolerant of minor sexual harassment _claims_ than others and also, if a woman is making good money and has little need to engage in politics to get ahead, she will probably not bother.  These are usually white collar environments with very easy working conditions.

  • Moosenuts99

    You might want to read that Ed Show article where it’s pretty clear that another Republican primary challenger’s camp leaked this info.

    Believe me, Democrats WANT Cain in the race as long as possible.

  • Moosenuts99

    You think blow jobs are murder? You’re taking pro-life a little too far.

    As for the media coverage re:Clinton; were you ALIVE during that time? Because if you were; you’re clearly not paying attention back then

  • Moosenuts99

    LOL

    HIS STORY KEEPS CHANGING

    HILARIOUS!!!!!!!

    I AM… AMERICA AAA AAA

  • http://twitter.com/JCP1975 JCP1975

    Yeah, because the Democrats are terrified of Cain.  :)    

  • Anonymous

    Please — I’m having enough trouble getting that tune out of my head. 

  • Your Mama’s so fat

    Great, after Ben and Jerry’s new flavor Schwetty balls comes out, next will be “Rufus’ Ballz Honey.”

  • Your Mama’s so fat

    What Cain forgets to mention is that he next told the woman, “and I could set my beer on top of your head and put a large Godfather’s pizza on your your big old…….

  • Moosenuts99

    Uh oh!!!!!!

    His interview this morning makes it seem like there MIGHT BE MORE SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET

  • FreeMike

    What exactly did the media do to Palin and Bachman, other than report what spewed out of their mouths, that is?

  • Anonymous

    cain the unable can’t remember the women’s names, the outcome of the investigation, whether a monetary settlement was given, BUT he can remember the harmless “you’re as tall as my wife” gesture. . what a gigantic load of crap. And now coulter and sean the little frog are screaming “tech lynching”.  It was likely rove and his rich cronies that detonated cain’s campaign. Right now the tea wetbaggers, the fox robotonics, and the gop clueless don’t know whether to sh$t or go blind.  A bunch of losers.  cain is slick, and he thinks he’s hot. . . I guarantee you something happened. . . just like the unsupreme justice thomas and his pubic hairs remark.  The ability to turn a blind eye, ear, and intellect in the gop is astounding.

  • Moosenuts99

    Uh oh!!!

    It’s gone from 3 months pay to 3-6 MONTHS PAY

    IT KEEPS GETTING JUICIER THE MORE IT PLAYS OUT

  • Ark

    The more Cain opens his mouth the more lies will appear. This is only the beginning of the story once these women talk to the press.

  • Anonymous
  • vamom22

    Racist pig. Yes, you.

  • Anonymous

    In Palin’s case PLENTY!!!!

  • Tex45

    Cain lied about how that wife height gesture typically works. The man puts his hand like that at his waist to signify a woman is short enough to give him stand up BJs.

  • vamom22

    Bush isn’t either. Why do you all keep bringing him up?????

  • vamom22

    Or Christian.

  • Anonymous

    I liked your comment and completely agree with you.  The only problem I have it is you using the name of ‘Tampon” instead of Tampa.   Being that I live in Tampa, I was shocked, I tell you shocked, you would call Tampa by that name.  But, after careful consideration and thought, I realized your doing our city a great service by separating her from our city.  Please, keep up the great work!

    Mayor of Tampa

  • Moosenuts99

    Not worried. Funny how the CONS WANT to pay higher taxes under Cain. I thought you were Taxed Enough Already
    BAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    For my grandparents’ sake: PLEASE CAIN 2012

  • Loveinamerica123

    Your really should let this story play out before you start writing checks with your mouth that you won’t be able to cash. Saying that Romney / Perry are involved in the after hours antics of Herman Cain has no basis. Im sorry if you are a HC fan!

  • Anonymous

    I never bring him up out of context.

  • http://spacegod.tumblr.com/ spacegod

    He’s so full of crap he could fertilize the earth.
    I have never heard more words that said nothing in my life.
    That black walnut is completely cracked.

  • Anonymous

    Herman Cain’s Sexual Gesture Revealed!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOGVMLYLw3U

    ps  His wife must be very short!

© 2012 Mediaite, LLC | About Us | Advertise | Newsletter | Jobs | Privacy | User Agreement | Disclaimer | Power Grid FAQ | Contact | Archives | RSS RSS
Dan Abrams, Founder | Power Grid by Sound Strategies | Hosting by Datagram